Welcome to the nanotech@surfaces Laboratory, a research section of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa). We are a highly motivated team of physicists and chemists dedicated to develop and characterize novel functional materials and devices based on nanoscale surface effects. Using a close combination of experimental and computational approaches, we aim at a fundamental understanding of the structural and electronic properties of low-dimensional nanostructured materials and systems, and at establishing a rational basis for their application in next generation technologies.

Our main competences – surface physics and chemistry – and core activities are located within the realm of fundamental research, but we have a long tradition of developing fundamental research results into real-world technological applications. It is part of our mission to assist internal and external partners in technology development with our know-how and experience. To this end, we collaborate with academic and governmental research labs and industrial companies worldwide.

We are organised in three groups that cover research topics such as carbon-based nanomaterials, molecular engineering at surfaces or functional nanostructured surfaces, both from an experimental point of view as well as via atomistic simulations.

Contacts

Prof. Dr. Roman Fasel, Head of Laboratory

Dr. Oliver Gröning, Deputy head

Ms. Katerina Andric, Head assistant, back office