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Current Research
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My experimental work is dedicated to the exploration of surface-supported self-assembled nanostructures. I expend considerable efforts to improve the control over the self-assembled growth beyond the state-of-the-art. Advanced materials, including metal nanostructures and molecular architectonic on metal surfaces, are engineered, almost atom-by-atom, molecule-by-molecule, to achieve superior properties for various applications.
I am exploring new concepts for magnetic data storage, which go beyond current thin film technologies. To this end, I am studying the magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) at the sub-nanometer scale. This will contribute to an improved atomic-scale understanding of the MAE, which can greatly facilitate the engineering of advanced magnetic materials for extremely high-density magnetic recording. The work will also demonstrate self-assembled patterned media based on magnetic nanoclusters which, if applied in magnetic recording, would allow for unprecedented bit densities beyond several Terabit per square inch. Exploring the limit of magnetic storage density at room temperature is a key objective here. |
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The scanning tunneling microscopy image shows a monolayer of TPP molecules, formed by molecular selfassembly on a Ag(111) surface.
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In collaboration with my partners, I am also developing highly organized surface-supported metal-molecule frameworks systems, with potential for application in magnetism, catalysis or gas storage. The self-assembly of organic molecule ligands to nano-architectures is a very attractive strategy, both for its efficiency as well as for the high structural quality that can be achieved. The results will also be stimulating for related efforts in supramolecular engineering on solid surfaces which may lead to devices for molecular electronics, sensors, catalysts, magnetic data storage, bioengineering techniques, actuators on surfaces, photoswitchable systems and many more.
Recent Publications
Honolka, J (Honolka, J.); Lee, TY (Lee, T. Y.); Kuhnke, K (Kuhnke, K.); Enders, A (Enders, A.); Skomski, R (Skomski, R.); Bornemann, S (Bornemann, S.); Mankovsky, S (Mankovsky, S.); Minar, J (Minar, J.); Staunton, J (Staunton, J.); Ebert, H (Ebert, H.); Hessler, M (Hessler, M.); Fauth, K (Fauth, K.); Schutz, G (Schuetz, G.); Buchsbaum, A (Buchsbaum, A.); Schmid, M (Schmid, M.); Varga, P (Varga, P.); Kern, K (Kern, K.)," Magnetism of FePt Surface Alloys", Physical Review Letters, 102 (6): Art. No. 067207 Feb 13 2009
Zhang, J (Zhang, J.); Sessi, V (Sessi, V.); Michaelis, CH (Michaelis, C. H.); Brihuega, I (Brihuega, I.); Honolka, J (Honolka, J.); Kern, K (Kern, K.); Skomski, R (Skomski, R.); Chen, X (Chen, X.); Rojas, G (Rojas, G.); Enders, A (Enders, A.)," Ordered layers of Co clusters on BN template layers", Physical Review B, 78 (16): Art. No. 165430 Oct 2008
Brihuega, I (Brihuega, Ivan); Michaelis, CH (Michaelis, Christian Heinrich); Zhang, J (Zhang, Jian); Bose, S (Bose, Sangita); Sessi, V (Sessi, Violetta); Honolka, J (Honolka, Jan); Schneider, MA (Schneider, M. Alexander); Enders, A (Enders, Axel); Kern, K (Kern, Klaus), "Electronic decoupling and templating of Co nanocluster arrays on the boron nitride nanomesh", Surface Science, 602 (14): L95-L99 Jul 15 2008.
Zurek, E (Zurek, Eva); Autschbach, J (Autschbach, Jochen); Malinowski, N (Malinowski, Nikola); Enders, A (Enders, Axel); Kern, K (Kern, Klaus), "Experimental and theoretical investigations of the thermodynamic stability of Ba-C-60 and K-C-60 compound clusters", ACS Nano, 2 (5): 1000-1014 May 2008
Skomski, R (Skomski, R.); Zhang, J (Zhang, J.); Sessi, V (Sessi, V.); Honolka, J (Honolka, J.); Kern, K (Kern, K.); Enders, A (Enders, A.), "Substrate-controlled growth and magnetism of nanosize Fe clusters on Pt", Journal of Applied Physics, 103 (7): Art. No. 07D519 Apr 1 2008