Keynote Speaker on 4 June 2024

Nanowires and Nanorings from the Colours of Life

Porphyrins are called the ‘colours of life’ because they are the compounds that make blood red and grass green. They also survive for millions of years in some minerals. This presentation will show how porphyrins can also be used as molecular building blocks for the construction of molecular wires and nanorings that mediate efficient charge transport over distances of several nanometers. These nanostructures are remarkably amenable to template-directed synthesis. Physical techniques for testing charge transport in nanowires and nanorings will also be discussed.

Short biography

Harry L. Anderson is a professor of Chemistry at Oxford University. He completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge UK with Professor Jeremy Sanders and carried out postdoctoral work with Professor François Diederich at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He has led an independent research group in Oxford since 1995. His work is highly interdisciplinary and he has been the Principal Investigator of twelve EPSRC-funded research projects, all of which involved collaboration with scientists in other disciplines. His work has been recognized by the RSC Tilden Prize (2012) and the Izatt-Christensen Award in Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry (2017). He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London (FRS) in 2013.

Keynote Speaker on 4 June 2024

Quantum experiments with mechanical and optical excitations

Mechanical resonators have attracted significant attention for their potential use in quantum information processing tasks. Their unique ability to couple to a large variety of quantum systems and the freedom to design their properties makes them ideally suited to coherently connect distinct qubits, for example. Their massive nature also makes them interesting candidates to study quantum physics on a completely new scale.

Here, we would like to discuss several experiments demonstrating non-classical behavior of mechanical motion by coupling a nano-fabricated acoustic resonator to single optical photons. Our approach is based on optomechanical crystals, with mechanical resonances in the Gigahertz regime that can be addressed optically from the conventional telecom band. In our measurements we show how these structures can be used as a mechanical quantum memory, to distribute quantum information across a chip and for coherently converting photons between different frequencies.

Short biography

Simon Gröblacher is currently Professor of Quantum Physics at Delft University of Technology and the CEO and Co-Founder of QphoX, a quantum technology startup company based in Delft. Simon Gröblacher received his PhD from the University of Vienna in 2011, under the supervision of Anton Zeilinger and Markus Aspelmeyer. Thereafter he became a Marie-Curie postdoctoral Fellow at the California Institute of Technology. In 2014 he became Assistant Professor, in 2017 Associate Professor and finally Full Professor in 2021 at the TU Delft. Among many other awards he received ESG-Nano-Award 2010, the Loschmidt Prize 2012 and Scientific Appreciation Award 2020.

Keynote Speaker on 5 June 2024

Development of a liposome-based system for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy

Ammonia is a potentially neurotoxic compound that is predominantly generated by the catabolism of amino acids and the hydrolysis of urea in the intestine. Defects in ammonia detoxification pathways due to an impaired liver function can lead to hyperammonemia and hepatic encephalopathy, a disease with a wide-spectrum of neurological symptoms. Unfortunately, treatment options for this disease are limited, and severe hyperammonemic cases necessitate the patients to be hemodialyzed in order to quickly clear ammonia from the bloodstream. We discovered that transmembrane pH-gradient liposomes with an acidic core could efficiently capture and retain ammonia in its protonated form after administration in the peritoneal cavity. The ammonia accumulates in the lumen of the liposomes, and the latter are then removed after the peritoneal dialysis session.  These liposomes were shown to be effective and safe in rats and minipigs, prompting their advancement in clinical trials and fostering the development of similar systems in other applications such as the rapid quantification of ammonia levels in biological fluids and the treatment of trimethylaminuria.

Short biography

Jean-Christophe Leroux is a full professor of Drug Formulation and Delivery at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He has made important fundamental and applied contributions to the fields of biomaterials and drug delivery and has been involved in the development of innovative bio-detoxification systems for the treatment of metabolite disorders. He is a fellow of the AAPS, EURASC, French Academy of Pharmacy, and the CRS, and the co-founder of the start-up pharmaceutical companies Versantis AG, Inositec AG and OBaris AG.

Keynote Speaker on 4 June 2024

Self-Assembly of Biohybrid Polymers: from Smart Therapeutics to Protocells

Our scientific approach is based on biomimicry, as we engineer synthetic mimics of natural macromolecules and explore their controlled and tunable self-assembly to form structures similar to those found in nature (such as virus or cell membranes). In this context, we develop polymer-based self-assembled nanoparticles, mostly polymeric vesicles, also named polymersomes, with high loading content of active pharmaceutical ingredients and targeting ability. We pay particular attention to block copolymer vesicles based on polysaccharides, polypeptides and proteins especially based on Elastin Like Polypeptides (ELPs) and their modification with synthetic polypeptides, saccharides, polysaccharides and lipids. The ability of these systems for different biomedical applications, from bioprinting, drug-delivery to inhibitor, will be presented. Finally, our most recent advances in the design of complex, compartmentalized and functional artificial cells will be presented. These systems represent a first step towards the challenge of structural and functional mimicry of cells, which in future could act autonomously to detect and repair any biological deregulation in situ.

Short biography

Sébastien Lecommandoux is Director of the Laboratoire de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO-CNRS) and is leading the group “Polymers Self-Assembly and Life Sciences” at the University of Bordeaux. In 1996 he received his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Bordeaux followed by a postdoctoral experience at the University of Illinois (UIUC, USA) in the group of Prof. Samuel I. Stupp. He is recipient of the CNRS bronze medal (2004), Institut Universitaire de France Chair (IUF 2007), Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry RSC (2017), Chemistry-Seqens Award of the French Academy of Science (2019) and Member of the Academia Europaea (2020). He is editor-in chief of Biomacromolecules (ACS) since 2020.

Keynote Speaker on 5 June 2024

Quantum Materials & Nanoscale Sensors

This talk explores the fascinating world of quantum materials, in which a global interdisciplinary community works collaboratively to discover and engineer exotic and functional properties and to develop predictive theories. We'll delve into why nanoscale sensors are crucial for studying these materials. Finally, we'll give examples from recent explorations of quantized magnetic flux, showing how both atomic-scale engineering and heterostructure design lead to complex behavior.

Short biography

Kathryn Ann Moler is the former vice provost and dean of research at Stanford University. She received her Ph.D. in 1995 from Stanford University. She worked at IBM T.J. Watson Research Center and at Princeton University before joining the Stanford faculty in 1998. She is currently a professor of Applied Physics, Physics, and Energy Science and Engineering at Stanford. Among many other awards she won a US Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineering, the McMillan Award for “outstanding contributions to condensed matter physics,” and the “Richtmyer Memorial Award”.

ARTIDIS®: bringing practical translation of cancer physics to patient bedside 

ARTIDIS® pioneers theranostic technology, utilizing atomic force microscopy (AFM) based Nanomechanical Signature (NS) to seamlessly merge diagnostics with actionable therapeutics. Through physical tissue characterization at the molecular level, it forecasts tumor aggressiveness and treatment efficacy. This enables personalized therapy adjustments, optimizing responses to chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. Fully automated, tissue-sparing, and non-destructive bedside approach integrates NS data into ARTIDISNet, a proprietary digital platform linked with clinical electronic health record systems.

Short biography

Marija Plodinec co-founded ARTIDIS AG and became the CEO and a Member of the Board of Directors in November 2017. She studied physics in Zagreb and received her doctorate in 2010 from the University of Basel. Marija Plodinec is a recognized expert in the field of physical sciences in oncology and has co-authored important scientific papers and patents in this field. She is also a member of several international organizations focusing on cancer research and its clinical applications. Under her leadership, ARTIDIS fundraised more than 45M USD, successfully completed the large clinical study on 545 patients in Switzerland and partnered up with leading US pharmaceutical and clinical institutions.

Keynote Speaker on 4 June 2024

From AMO to Quantum 3.0

First, I am grateful to the organizer for this present on the occasion of my upcoming retirement. It leaves me thinking whether it is an act of generosity or an appreciation of my past research!? Anyway, it will be a research talk, in which I will walk you through four episodes (out of many) which for me are worth remembering. They all address basic science questions and started 15 or more years ago. I will discuss the making of nanowires, fractional shot noise, Kondo+Yu+Shiba+Rusinov, and the Cooper-pair splitter. If time permits, I will dwell into explaining the choice of my title a bit more (but based on my experience, there is never enough time for the talks I am giving).

Short biography

Christian Schönenberger is Professor for Experimental Physics at the University of Basel, where he leads the quantum- & nanoelectronics group. He did his PhD at IBM Zurich Research Lab till 1990. Subsequently, he worked at the Philips Research Lab at Eindoven, as a postdoc and as a permanent staff member. Since 1995 he is a Professor at the University of Basel. He was director of the Swiss Nanoscience Institute from the start in 2006 till summer 2022. He is advisor for many public organizations and was President of the Swiss Network in Micro- and Nanotechnology MNT from 2017 to 2019. Among many other honors he also became Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2012 and a Life-time member of the Swiss Academy of Technical Sciences (SATW) in 2010.

Keynote Speaker on 5 June 2024

Nanoengineering principles and materials for the design and control of medical microrobots 

Addressing the challenges of site-specific diagnostics and localized therapy delivery in modern medicine remains paramount. To address this need, my laboratory develops microrobots that respond to disease-specific biochemical cues or non-invasive external stimuli like magnetic fields such that they focus their action at the site of disease. In this presentation, I will elaborate on the design, engineering, and control of various microrobot types for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, emphasizing the utilization of nanomaterials and nanoengineering principles in their fabrication.

Short biography

Simone Schuerle is assistant professor at ETH Zurich, where she heads the Responsive Biomedical System Lab. She completed her PhD degree in microrobotics at ETHZ in 2013. Thereafter, she went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for her postdoctoral training from 2014 to 2017. In 2014 she co-founded the spin-off MagnebotiX. She is recipient of several awards, such as the Ernst Th. Jucker prize for her contributions to cancer research, the Prix Zonta in 2019 for Women in Science, and fellowships from the SNSF, DAAD and Branco Weiss foundation and more, and was honored with the distinction of “Young Scientist” by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

S3: Schönenberger Lecture

Flying interacting electrons and their potential for quantum technologies

Decades of intensive research have been devoted to the precise control of single electrons, essential for establishing the electrical current standard in the SI unit system.

Recently, the concept of flying electron qubits has emerged where the charge or spin degree of freedom of an electron are used as qubits that are manipulated and transported through electronic circuits using simple electromagnetic fields. Challenges remain, including high-fidelity control and scalable quantum circuit design.

In this talk, I will present the latest advances in single electron transport. We will discuss two complementary methods for transporting single charge carriers through quantum electronic circuits. Firstly, electrons are isolated from the Fermi sea and transported using sound waves, achieving transport fidelity above 99% and enabling single particle collision experiments. Secondly, electrons propagate along the surface of the Fermi sea in the form of an ultrashort electron wave packet. We find that the coherence is enhanced compared to the DC case, paving the way for new quantum experiments at the single electron level.

Short biography

Christopher Bäuerle, currently Research Director at the NEEL Institute – CNRS, Grenoble, obtained his PhD from the University Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France, in 1996. Following his PhD, he worked for two years at the University of Tsukuba and the University of Tokyo before joining the NEEL Institute in 1998. Bäuerle's research encompasses significant contributions to symmetry-breaking phase transitions in quantum fluids and phase coherence in mesoscopic systems, with current interests in single-electron transport using surface acoustic waves and ultrashort charge pulses. Notable awards include the Young Researcher Award (2002), EC-JSPS postdoctoral fellowship (1996-1998), and Fulbright fellowship (1992-1993).

S7: 2D Materials

Double dome superconductivity in magic angle twisted trilayer graphene

Moire superlattices provide a unique avenue for exploring unconventional superconductivity, allowing precise manipulation of electronic properties and revealing novel emergent phenomena. Magic-angle twisted trilayer graphene has become a key platform for investigating exotic quantum phases due to its tunable flat bands and displacement fields. Previous studies using transport measurements and scanning tunneling microscopy have demonstrated unconventional superconductivity in the system. Here, we report the first direct observation of double-dome superconductivity in Magic-angle twisted trilayer graphene suggesting potential differences in pairing symmetry and superconductivity origins.

Short biography

Currently, Mitali Banerjee serves as a Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Physics at EPFL. She earned her Ph.D. in Physics from S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata, India, in 2012, focusing on magnetic and transport properties of disordered systems. Following her Ph.D., she pursued postdoctoral research at prestigious institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science, the Weizmann Institute of Science, and Columbia University. Throughout her career, she has been recognized with notable awards, including the UGC-Dr. D. S. Kothari Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2011 and the Fienberg Graduate School prize in 2017 for outstanding achievements in postdoctoral research.

S1: Quantum Materials

Strange metals – A platform to study entanglement in condensed matter?

Entanglement is a key resource for quantum information. In condensed matter systems, it is thought to be notoriously difficult to define, detect, or quantify entanglement. I will discuss the potential of the “strange metal” state to make progress. Strange metal behavior – best known as a linear-in-temperature electrical resistivity at low temperatures instead of the normal Fermi liquid square-in-temperature one – occurs across many classes of quantum materials. Its full understanding is a key open challenge. Heavy fermion compounds are particularly versatile model materials for studying this physics: they are comparatively simple, clean, and highly tunable, and several characteristics beyond linear-in-temperature resistivity have already been identified. Furthermore, first materials are now available as MBE-grown thin films, offering new possibilities. I will highlight the first glimps at entanglement properties obtained in a heavy fermion strange metal using the quantum Fisher information analysis of inelastic neutron scattering data and also discuss implications for a recently discovered emergent topological semimetal.

Short biography

Silke Bühler-Paschen is currently a Professor at Vienna University of Technology, Austria, with a complimentary appointment at Rice University, USA. She obtained her PhD from EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1995. Her academic journey includes positions at ETH Zurich, the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids in Germany and collaborations with institutions worldwide. Notable awards include ERC Advanced Grants and recognition as an APS Fellow. Bühler-Paschen holds leadership roles and memberships in prestigious international boards, contributing significantly to the field of condensed matter physics.

picture copyright Mag. Luiza Puiu

AS2: Applied Industrial Nanotechnology

Silicon Carbide free-standing membrane sensors for Beam Monitoring and Quantum Technologies applications

In this short presentation we will show the performance of Silicon Carbide sensors on thin (<1um) freestanding membranes for real-time, in-line, monitoring of ionizing beams, specifically focusing on X-ray beams in synchrotron facilities. We will show that the new developed sensors are superior to competing technologies and materials: namely Silicon and single crystalline/polycrystalline diamond. SenSiC GmbH, a spin-out of PSI, is currently successfully commercializing these new SiC sensors expanding, thanks to the maturity of the material, the applications fields and the products portfolio.  At the conference we will give an overview of multiple demonstrated harsh environments applications as well as future possible applications related to quantum sensing and telecommunications.

Short biography

Massimo Camarda is currently the CEO of STLab srl and SenSiC GmbH, as well as CSO of Eredis srl. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics in 2006. Following his Ph.D., he worked at CNR-IMM until 2014, then as Senior Scientist at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and ETH Zurich from 2015 to 2019. Since then, he has started an entrepreneurial career in deeptech developments, mostly sensors related. Dr. Camarda's contributions include pioneering transparent-mode Silicon Carbide X-ray sensor, commercialized by SenSiC. He has led international research projects and established collaborations with industries. Dr. Camarda has authored over 100 publications and currently holds ten patent applications. Awards include multiple national and international fundings totaling over €3.2M.

S5: Nanomechanics

Non-Hermitian collective optomechanical effects in nanoparticle tweezer arrays

Optical levitation of dielectric nanoparticles is a unique optomechanical platform that combines optical control techniques from atomic physics with the detection methods and size of solid-state objects. Enabled by the realization of motional quantum ground state cooling of a single levitated nanoparticle, the system has shown great promise for quantum metrology, sensing, and studies of non-equilibrium physics.

Recently, we pioneered tweezer arrays of levitated particles that interact through nonreciprocal light-induced dipole-dipole forces. In my talk, I will show how already two particles can be used for exploring interesting non-Hermitian dynamics, such as parity-time symmetry breaking and the emergence of collective mechanical lasing. Furthermore, I will discuss how we can engineer arbitrary two-mode operations between mechanical states. When placed within a newly built ultrahigh finesse optical cavity, this will allow us to study collective quantum optomechanical effects in the presence of nonreciprocal interactions.

Short biography

Uroš Delić, currently a Senior Scientist, obtained his PhD from the University of Vienna under Prof. Markus Aspelmeyer, pioneering cavity cooling of optically levitated nanoparticles. During his doctoral studies, he was a fellow of the Doctoral program "Complex Quantum Systems" (CoQuS) and a visiting researcher at MIT, funded by the Austrian Marshall Plan Scholarship. Uroš Delić's groundbreaking work earned him the Award of Excellence from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research in 2019. Further awards include the Eurobank EFG Scholarship and the Ministry of Science Scholarship for talented students.

S5: Nanomechanics

Spin detection with nanomechanical sensors

Nanomechanical resonators harbor great potential for sensing on unprecedented scales, for instance for the detection of nuclear spins. This can lead to the development of nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with near-atomic spatial resolution, with potential benefits for life science and nanotechnology applications. However, reaching this goal is exceedingly challenging and requires novel approaches beyond standard scanning force microscopy. In this talk, I will review recent efforts to build force sensing instruments near the physical boundaries set by quantum mechanics, and how we intend to reach our goal of single nuclear spin detection.

Short biography

Alexander Eichler is currently a Privatdozent at ETH Zurich, specializing in nanomechanical sensing, nuclear spin detection, and parametric phase logic devices. He earned his PhD from the University of Basel in 2009, followed by postdoctoral positions at ICN and ICFO in Barcelona (2010-2013) and ETH Zurich (2013-2018). Since 2019, he has been a Senior Scientist at ETH Zurich. Eichler received the Swiss Physical Society ABB Award in 2012, an SNSF prospective researcher fellowship in 2009, and a Marie-Curie IEF Fellowship in 2010. In 2022, he was honored with the KITE award for innovative teaching at ETH Zurich.

S6: Advances in Bio-AFM

A polymer–semiconductor–ceramic fabrication method for high-sensitivity, fluid-compatible AFM cantilevers with integrated actuation and sensing

When designing MEMS devices, the choices of available materials is quite limited. Classically, MEMS devices are made of materials known from semiconductor manufacturing as these materials are available in high quality, allow precise fabrication, and are compatible with the high temperature processes required in the fabrication of microelectronics. On the other hand, polymers have emerged as another class of MEMS materials, mainly for bio-MEMS application. However, polymers are often not compatible with high temperature fabrication processes which makes integration or reliable sensing electronics into these devices difficult. In this work I will describe our new microfabrication approach to combine the benefits of polymer and traditional microfabrication materials into active MEMS devices. As an example, we have fabricated self-sensing, self-actuating atomic force microscopy cantilevers for high speed AFM imaging in difficult environments. Cantilevers made using this technology are inherently fluid compatible and have shown up to 6 times lower force noise than their conventional counterparts.

Short biography

Georg Fantner, currently an Associate Professor at EPFL's Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Instrumentation, earned his PhD in physics from UC Santa Barbara in 2006. Following his doctorate, he was an Erwin Schrödinger Fellow at MIT for three years before joining EPFL's faculty. He leads research in nanoscale measurement technologies for life sciences. Georg Fantner received ERC Starting and Consolidator Grants and has edited for prestigious journals like Microscopy and Microanalysis. He is co Editor-in-Chief of Microsystem Technologies and president of the EPFL professorial association.

S8: Nanotechnology for health sciences

Drug Targeting To The Brain by Colloidal Carrier Systems

Most drugs do not reach the central nervous system, because they are not able to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB), being formed by brain microvessels. Microvessel endothelial cells are connected by extremely tight junctions and are equipped with ATP binding cassette-export proteins recognizing completely diverse substrates, thus making drug delivery to the CNS extremely difficult.

We have exploited several strategies to deliver drugs to the brain, e.g., the use of vector-coupled liposomes. Successfully used vectors include cationized albumin, antibodies versus transferrin receptors in the BBB, chimeric anti-amyloid and anti-transferrin receptor antibodies, ApoE-fragments, and  - most efficiently – cell penetrating peptides. Such liposomes are promising delivery systems due to their ability to escape ABC transporters in the BBB and to target the brain. In addition, we demonstrated that polysorbate- or poloxamer-coated and drug loaded poly(alkyl-acrylate) or poly(lactide/glycolide) nanoparticles are able to cross the BBB and to distribute their content in brain tissue. Apolipoproteins get adsorbed on the surface of these nanoparticles in plasma. Thus, such nanoparticles mimic lipo­protein particles, which can be transcytosed via a lipoprotein receptor-mediated mechanism. Permeation of nanoparticles across the BBB can be visualized by fluorescence labeling and subsequent confocal laser scanning microscopy. The studies gave clear evidence of particle-associated fluorescence beyond the BBB. An aspect of concern may be the safety of these particles. But, own in vitro and in vivo studies indicate only a short and moderate transient decrease of transendothelial electrical resistance. Experiments with human blood cells and in vivo in rats show an insignificant release of certain cytokines in blood after i.v. administration of nanoparticles, indicating that they are well tolerated. Brain to blood ratio of incorporated drugs was up to 4-fold in rats, indicating that significant amounts of drug accumulate in brain. Thereby, therapeutic relevant CNS levels were reached.

Short biography

Gert Fricker, currently a Professor at Heidelberg University, directs the Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology. He obtained his PhD from the University of Freiburg in 1986, followed by a postdoc at Zurich University Hospital. Transitioning to industry at Sandoz Basel in 1988, he delved into Drug Delivery Systems. In 1995, he joined Heidelberg University, later becoming its Institute Director. Fricker also held a visiting professorship at Wayne State University in 2014 and has been a Visiting Principal Investigator at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory since 1985. Alongside Michael Wink, he serves as Managing Director of the Steinbeis Transfer Center for Biopharmaceutics and Analytics in Heidelberg and is Co-Founder of HeiDelTec, Heidelberg Delivery Technologies, GmbH.  

AS4: Nano 3D printing and imprinting of optical elements

Advances in 3D Printing by Two-Photon Polymerization and Enabled Applications

Additive manufacturing based on two-photon polymerization (2PP) has evolved from a scientific curiosity to a standard tool for industrial mastering and emerging series production. The talk highlights recent technical advancements based on 2PP and two-photon grayscale lithography (2GL) that enhance productivity whilst simultaneously improving the shape accuracy and surface quality. Additional sub-wavelength alignment capabilities derived from lithography and automation routines open up simplified fabrication routes as well as multimaterial printing. The vast design freedom and simple fabrication processes result in superior performance and fast design iteration processes compared to established technologies with feature sizes and object dimensions ranging from the nanometer scale to the mesoscale.

This steady evolution of 2PP translates into a continuous growth of applications for science and industry. The focus of the talk addresses use-cases e.g. in the field of integrated photonics, MEMS devices, materials engineering, in microfluidics as well as in life sciences.

Short biography

Martin Hermatschweiler is co-founder and CEO of Nanoscribe since its foundation in 2007. He studied physics in Ulm and Karlsruhe, Germany. Among others he was chosen by the business magazine “Capital” among Germany’s 40 most-talented entrepreneurs younger than 40 years old.

Under his guidance, business has been built up from scratch starting up with originally three employees. Today, Nanoscribe is a multinational medium-scaled enterprise with 100+ employees located in Karlsruhe, Shanghai and Boston. In June 2021, Nanoscribe has been acquired by the BICO group.

S3: Advanced Manufacturing

A novel FlexiBeam controller for influencing microstructures during Laser Metal Deposition and Laser Hardening

Laser processing affects the microstructure and the mechanical properties of metallic components. Typical laser beam profiles offer limited capability to influence the temperature distribution of the material in the interaction zone. We have addressed this problem with a novel FlexiBeam technology: Laser intensity shaping is achieved by integrating a highly dynamic galvo-scanner into the beam path. Rapid two-dimensional oscillations of the laser are superimposed to the movement of the processing head. The FlexiBeam process controller exactly synchronizes the laser output with its trajectory. This avoids local overheating and opens a path for creating application specific intensity distributions on the surface of components. The control system has a response time of <100ms and it can maintain optimum conditions during laser processing. We demonstrate its capability of establishing and maintaining user defined 2D temperature profiles in the interaction zone. This enables advanced control of laser metal deposition (LMD) or laser hardening processes and the resulting microstructures.

Short biography

Matthias Hoebel earned his PhD in Physics from the University of Bern in 1994. Thereafter, Matthias worked as a Scientist, Group Manager and Principle Engineer in the technology organizations of ABB, Alstom and GE Power. During this time, he has been a pioneer in the development of innovative laser material processing applications for gas turbines. His main areas of expertise are the Additive Manufacturing of metals, ultra-short pulse laser machining and laser micro surface engineering. He is author or co-author of more than 150 international patent applications. Since 2020 Matthias lectures on Laser Technology at FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

AS1: Nanosciences in Pharma and Drug Discovery

Innovative Drug Delivery Systems and Vaccines: Nanocarriers with Phospholipids.

Natural and synthetic phospholipids are ideal multi-purpose excipients with an unrivalled safety profile in state-of-the-art pharmaceutical dosage forms. In complex delivery systems phospholipids – as enabling excipients – are crucial for ensuring the efficacy of therapeutics and vaccines. Within this presentation the focus will be on phospholipids for parenteral and pulmonary administration. Phospholipids can be found in different types of formulations, such as liposomes or lipid nanoparticles.

Short biography

Peter Hölig, Head of Business Development at Lipoid, is a licensed pharmacist. He received a PhD in Pharmaceutical Technology on targeted liposomes for cancer therapy. Prior joining Lipoid he held scientific, technical, and strategic roles of increasing responsibility in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry. He has authored several publications and patent applications. In addition, he is a member of the board of the Phospholipid Research Center.

AS4: Nano 3D printing and imprinting of optical elements

High resolution printed electronics for photonics applications

Printed electronics employ specialized printing techniques using conductive metal nanoparticle inks to fabricate electrical devices on a wide range of substrates. A limitation of the current electronic printing methods are low printing resolutions with standard wire widths starting at 1-10 μm.  Inveel's innovative technology introduces a low-cost, extremely high-resolution printing method capable of producing 100 nanometer scale conductive wires and circuits, showing great potential in advancing miniaturized printed electronics circuits and sensors on diverse substrates. It surpasses competitors in resolution while maintaining efficient throughput for production, all with a low bill of materials.

Of particular significance are the transparent applications enabled by Inveel's technology. The ultra-thin wire diameters facilitate exceptional light transmittance when applied to transparent surfaces, unlocking possibilities for a wide range of optoelectronics and photonic applications. This includes the cost-effective production of highly sensitive sensors, optical filters, and electrodes, paving the way for innovative solutions in transparent electronics.

Short biography

Barbara Horvath, a Scientist/Founder Fellow at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), is actively involved in founding a startup, Inveel, dedicated to revolutionizing flexible electronics. In 2012, she earned her Ph.D. at NIMS in Japan, and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary. Following her doctoral studies, she embarked on a postdoctoral journey, spending time at NIMS and CNRS before joining PSI from 2015 to 2019. Transitioning to the corporate sector in 2020, she excelled as an R&D Staff Engineer and Global Project Manager. Since 2024, she is the CEO and co-founder of Inveel GmbH.

S6: Advances in Bio-AFM

Nanoscopic structure and dynamics of the nuclear pore complex permeability barrier

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) regulate the transport of macromolecules between the nucleus and cytoplasm, impeding the exchange of unsolicited materials. The NPC permeability barrier, composed of intrinsically disordered phenylalanine-glycine nucleoporin (FG) domains, is crucial yet poorly understood. Using high-speed atomic force microscopy line scanning (HS-AFM-LS), we examined the nanoscopic behavior of the yeast NPC permeability barrier with millisecond time resolution. We report that transport factors dynamically remodel the NPC permeability barrier by binding to the FG domains, forming a central plug. Notably, NPC mutants with longer FG domains show slowed dynamics, resulting in reduced transport efficiency in vivo. Importantly, such bona fide morphological features of the permeability barrier are not recapitulated by in vitro FG domain assemblies. Our data show that the FG domains have a tendency to extend radially into the pore from the NPC scaffold, and that their dynamic gating selectivity is enhanced by the presence of transport factors.

Short biography

Currently, Toshiya Kozai is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland. He obtained his PhD in Biophysics from the University of Basel in June 2023. His doctoral research focused on the nanoscale dynamics of biomolecules. Prior to that, he completed his Master of Science in Physics at Kanazawa University in March 2018, preceded by a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the same institution in March 2016.

AS4: Nano 3D printing and imprinting of optical elements

From Lab to Industry, a journey from origination of micro and nano structure to their industrial replication

Various types of technologies are used for nanofabrication. However, the produced masters are often small and fragile, making them unsuitable for mass production. To overcome this limitation, we propose the use of the electroforming method to create robust nickel shims that can carry the structures. This is followed by the UV step and repeat nanoimprinting to upscale the structure. Both techniques are readily available and applicable to a wide variety of structures. Finally, we present a case study that includes a story from origination to mass replication.

Short biography

Marek Krehel is currently the CTO at 3D AG, a position he has held since 2017. He earned his doctoral degree from ETH Zurich in 2014 for his research on optical fibers for biomedical sensing while working at Empa. After completing his doctoral studies, Marek Krehel gained professional experience in various organizations. From October 2014 to November 2017, he served as a Senior Research Associate at Hochschule Luzern, where he further developed his analytical and intercultural skills. He also worked at Philips Research in the Netherlands and Umeå University in Sweden, adding more valuable experiences to his journey.

AS2: Appl. Indus. Nanotechnology

Robotic Assembly of Nanomaterials

Nanomaterial based electronics are highly promising candidates for scaling the size and quality of semiconductors, beyond the physical limitations of silicon. As an example, carbon nanotubes have a theoretical electron mobility, which is around 50 times higher than silicon. To exploit the full potential of these materials, the method used for device fabrication is crucial.

At our ETH and empa spin-off company Chiral, established in 2023, we are commercializing a fabrication method, which is purely mechanical and does not expose the materials to chemicals or solutions. With our already running robotic production line, we can automatically assemble more than 100 nanomaterial-based devices per hour. In addition, Chiral scaled the growth and scanning of nanomaterials, using a patented growth chip design in combination with automated Raman laser microscopy.

Our initial costumers confirm the high quality of Chiral’s devices, which is characterized by a low contact resistance and pure transport data at room and low temperature.

Short biography

Natanael Lanz, serving as CTO and co-founder at Chiral, has a strong academic background in manufacturing technologies. He obtained his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich in September 2021, where he focussed on highly dynamic and accurate mechatronic control systems. After his PhD, he started the commercialization activities, that lead to the incorporation of Chiral Nano. He received the Pioneer Fellowship by ETHZ. After the end of the program, he joined Chiral Nano full time early 2024.

Under the leadership of Natanael and his co-founders, Chiral Nano was winning multiple awards, including stage 3 of the Venture Kick competition in 2023, acquiring a loan of CHF 150k. By the end of 2023 Chiral was able to close a CHF 3.5m pre-seed financing round.

S2: Molecular Machines

Chiral Nanocubes and Oligomeric and Polymeric Chains made from these

By applying dynamic covalent bond formations, a large number and variety of shape-persistent organic cages are synthetically accessible in high yields. Based on chiral tribenzotriquinacenes (TBTQs) large chiral nanocubes can be synthesized in quantitative yields. Using racemic starting material allows to study chiral self-sorting processes that are highly selective. Under certain conditions, precursors of the nanocubes start to interlock forming dimers, trimers and larger linear oligomers.

Short biography

Michael Mastalerz, currently a Professor of Organic Chemistry at Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, obtained his PhD from Ruhr-University of Bochum in 2005, followed by a post-doc at Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2005-2006. He then pursued independent research at Ulm University in Germany, subsequently becoming a Professor at Heidelberg in 2013.

His research interests include organic porous molecules, crystal engineering, supramolecular chemistry, polycyclic aromatic compounds and development of new synthetic methods. Michael has received notable recognition, including the prestigious ERC Consolidator and Synergy Grants.

S5: Nanomechanics

Quantum-mechanics-free subsystems with mechanical oscillators

Quantum mechanics sets a limit on the precision of the continuous measurement of an oscillator’s position. However, with an adequate coupling configuration of two oscillators, it is possible to build an oscillator-like subsystem of quadratures isolated from quantum and classical backaction which therefore does not suffer from this limit. We realize such a “quantum mechanics-free” subsystem using two micromechanical drumheads coupled to microwave cavities. Multitone phase-stable microwave pumping of the system allows to implement the necessary effective coupling configuration. We first demonstrate the measurement of two collective quadratures, evading backaction simultaneously on both of them, obtaining a total noise within a factor of 2 of the full quantum limit. Secondly, this measurement technique is directly adapted to the detection of continuous variable entanglement which is based, according to the Duan criterion, on variance estimates of two collective quadratures. We therefore verify the stabilized quantum entanglement of the two oscillators deeper than had been possible before for macroscopic mechanical oscillators.

Short biography

Laure Mercier de Lépinay is an Assistant Professor in Physics at Aalto University, Finland. She earned her PhD. in 2017 from Institut Néel in Grenoble and her M.Sc. from École Normale Supérieur de Lyon, France. Following her PhD, Laure served as a postdoctoral research fellow at Aalto University, focusing on experimental optomechanics in the quantum regime and sensitive force measurement using microwave and optical techniques. Her career apex was marked by receiving the Physics World Breakthrough award of the Year in 2021.

S8: Nanotechnology for health sciences

Artificial Intelligence for the Design of New RNA Nanocarriers

While all siRNA drugs on the market target the liver, the lung offers a variety of currently undruggable targets which could be treated with RNA therapeutics. Hence, my lab rationally designs inhalable and biocompatible nanocarriers for efficient siRNA delivery to the lung by combining Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Machine Learning (ML) to accelerate the discovery of polycationic siRNA nanocarriers at reduced wet-lab resources.

Based on literature data on >600 polyesters, molecular representations of monomers and end-capping groups were generated in RDkit, and 660 features were extracted subsequently. Gene silencing activity was grouped in a binary system, and various machine learning models (SVM, KNN, RF, XGB, LGBM) with weighted sampling due to dataset imbalance were evaluated. Data was split into training and test sets, stratified by KD classes (30% test set ratio). The trained model was applied to assess new, unpublished materials, identifying one high-performing polymer for synthesis.

Our results confirm that patterns in polymers used for efficient RNA delivery can be recognized and efficiently predicted by artificial intelligence for more sustainable materials research.

Short biography

Olivia Merkel, presently Chair of Drug Delivery at LMU Munich since 2022, earned her PhD in Pharmaceutics from Philipps-Universität Marburg in 2009. Following her PhD, she served as a Tenure-Track Professor at Wayne State University (2011-2017)  and joined LMU Munich as Professor of Drug Delivery in 2015. Olivia has actively contributed to the academic community as the German president of the CRS and in editorial roles. She has been funded by a total of three ERC grants as well as the German government for large clusters and consortia and heads several industry collaboration efforts. Her outstanding contributions were acknowledged with numerous awards, including the 2020 APV award for Outstanding Achievements in the Pharmaceutical Sciences.

S1: Quantum Materials

Field-tuned diodes in the Kagome metal CsV₃Sb₅

Diodes are indispensable elements of electronics and logic processing that are mainly realized in semiconductor heterostructures. Currently ideas are brought forward to achieve non-reciprocity in homogeneous conductors, relying on internal symmetry breaking in more exotic materials. I will touch on two main streams of ideas, the first is the superconducting diode effect. Operated at cryogenic temperatures, this effect promises ideal rectification building on versatile superconducting design strategies. While commonly achieved in non-centrosymmetic materials or heterostructures, recently strong diode effects have appeared in homogeneous conventional superconductors by utilizing their 3D mesoscopic shape. A second route involves current rectification in spin-orbit coupled materials under strong magnetic fields. Here, the degree of symmetry breaking can be externally tuned, and so is the diode direction and efficiency. Focusing on the Kagome conductor CsV₃Sb₅, field-switchable diodes are demonstrated as a new class of non-structural diode. These new materials platforms promise novel diodes at higher speeds, efficiencies and offer tunability.

Short biography

Philip J. W. Moll, currently serving as a scientific member and director at the Max Planck Institute for Structure and Dynamics of Matter, earned his PhD in 2012 from ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Following that, he pursued postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich until 2014, then continued his research activities at UC Berkeley, USA, until 2016. He subsequently assumed the role of head of the Physics of Microstructured Quantum Matter research group at MPI for Chemical Physics in Dresden. Transitioning to EPFL in 2018, he became an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Materials and Head of the Laboratory of Quantum Materials. Notable accolades include the Nicholas Kurti Science Prize (2018), the ABB Prize of the Swiss Physical Society (2014), and being selected as a World Economic Forum Young Scientist in 2020. In 2017, he received an ERC Starting Grant, followed by the Swiss National Science Foundation's Professorial Fellowship in 2018 and an ERC consolidator grant in 2023.

S1: Quantum Materials

2D Magnetic Materials

The ability to exfoliate vdW crystals of magnetic compounds is giving access to a vast, unexplored family of two-dimensional magnetic materials, with a variety of different magnetic ground states. Most of these compounds are semiconductors that offer – besides the possibility to explore magnetism in highly controlled 2D crystals – a  new playground to combine magnetic and semiconducting functionalities. In this talk I will discuss how magnetotransport experiments allow the investigation the magnetic phase diagram of 2D magnetic material down to the ultimate limit of individual monolayers. In view of the limited time, after a general introduction, I will focus on the case of CrBr₃ that we use in multilayer form to realize tunnel barrier. We study the temperature dependent magnetotransport properties and find that magnetotransport allows determining all the expected magnetic states that occur for different material stackings. It also allows the identification of strain-induced moiré magnetism when using contact with different thermal expansion coefficient.

Short biography

Alberto Morpurgo, currently Group Leader in Quantum Electronics at the University of Geneva, earned his PhD from the University of Groningen in 1998, focusing on mesoscopic physics. He then conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University on carbon nanotubes. Joining Delft University until 2008, he advanced mesoscopic physics and delved into organic semiconductors and graphene. Since 2008, as full professor at the University of Geneva, Alberto Morpurgo's research centers on 2D materials and van der Waals interfaces. Notably, he has been the deputy leader of the EU Graphene Flagship's Enabling Science and Technology Work Package. He received the Midema Prize in 2000 for the best Dutch PhD thesis in condensed matter physics.

S6: Advances in Bio-AFM

Leveraging Mechanical Anisotropy in Protein-Protein Interactions for Enhanced Particle Delivery

The stability of protein-protein binding interfaces under force can change dramatically depending on the anchor points through which force is applied, however, this information is currently not incorporated into the design of biological therapeutics. In this talk, I will describe a series of molecular systems where the selection of anchor point residue influences the stability and behaviour of the system under the influence of mechanical force. Using single-molecule AFM force spectroscopy, we have developed methodology that allows us to stretch and dissociate individual protein-protein complexes by applying tension between any pair of amino acid residues in the complex. We studied immune checkpoint proteins CTLA-4 and PD-L1 in complex with synthetic binding scaffolds, and found that internal pulling points confer significantly enhanced mechanical stability. We correlate mechanical stability with other structural features of the optimal anchor points, and show how synthetic catch bonds can be engineered by screening non-natural anchor points. These results have implications for the design of novel binding proteins and fundamental studies on protein mechanostability.

Short biography

Michael Nash is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Basel and ETH Zurich. He earned a dual PhD degree in Bioengineering and Nanotechnology from the University of Washington, Seattle in 2010. He performed postdoctoral work at LMU Munich and was appointed as professor in Basel in 2016. His lab focuses on protein engineering, single-​molecule biophysics, and the interface between synthetic and biological systems. Michael’s work has been recognized by an ERC Starting (2016) and Consolidator Grant (2022), and a Teaching Excellence Award (2023).

S4: Bio-nano advanced Materials & Systems

Dynamic Strategies for Development of Host-Responsive Medical Devices

Contemporary medical device research has shifted its focus from viewing biomaterials as static structures to utilizing nano-functionalization and nanoofabrication techniques to fine-tune desired responses in both host organisms and implants. A comprehensive understanding of host responses is crucial in formulating effective strategies. To achieve this, transcriptomic- and glyco-proteomics-based methodologies are employed to explore host response insights. Host responses can be manipulated through nano-functionalization strategies that facilitate the attachment of biomolecules to diverse structural motifs. The deliberate organization of biomolecular assembly into higher-order, self-organized systems is crucial for various biological processes and the development of advanced biomaterial systems.

Short biography

Abhay Pandit is the Established Professor in Biomaterials and Scientific Director of a Science Foundation Ireland-funded Centre for Research in Medical Devices (CÚRAM) at the University of Galway. Abhay Pandit’s research focuses on utilizing glycosylation patterns from human pathological disease states to create innovative strategies for modulating these states using advanced reservoir delivery vehicles. His research emphasizes the application of glycobiology in this field. He is the author of 28 patents and licensed four technologies to medical device companies. He has published over 350 manuscripts, including esteemed journals such as Science Translational Medicine, PNAS, Science Advances, Nature Communications, Biomaterials, and other notable high-impact publications. He has been honored with the esteemed George Winter Award 2022, the Chandra P Sharma Award 2023, and the Biomaterials Advances Innovation Award 2023 for his research contributions to biomaterials. He is also a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), Tissue Engineering, and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS), and the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IUSBSE).

S7: 2D Materials

Device integration of bottom-up synthesized graphene nanoribbons

Atomically-precise graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have attracted significant interest from researchers worldwide, as they constitute an emerging class of quantum-designer materials of which the properties are tailored by controlling their width and edge structure during chemical synthesis. These remarkable properties include a largely tunable bandgap, spin polarized edge states and topologically-protected states. The major challenges toward their exploitation in quantum device applications include the reliable contacting single GNRs and the preservation of their intrinsic physical properties upon device integration.

In this talk, I'll present an overview of our recent efforts in the fabrication and characterization of nanoelectronics devices with GNRs as active material. Starting from the first quantum dot behavior, we have developed several multi-gate device architectures based on different electrodes geometries and materials. While the majority of our devices are based on graphene as electrode material, we have demonstrated the contacting of single GNRs using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) electrodes. Here, we observe well-defined quantum transport phenomena, including Coulomb blockade, excited states, and Franck-Condon blockade. This work also paved the way for the observation of the first evidence for double quantum dot behavior in GNR-based devices. In addition, we have developed a strategy to contact h-BN encapsulated GNRs using metallic edge contacts for reducing device footprint. 

Moreover, we devised a novel dual-gate device architecture that allows us to determine the exact number of GNRs in the junction and identify devices that contain a single GNR. We also demonstrated that GNRs can exhibit quantum dot behavior at temperatures as high as 250 K, extending the operational range of GNR-based devices into the realm of potential applications at room temperature.

Short biography

Currently, Mickael L. Perrin is Leader of the Quantum Devices at Empa and Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich. He obtained his Ph.D. in 2015 from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Following his Ph.D., he held positions as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the TU Delft and later at Empa, where he progressed to become scientist and eventually group leader. Mickael L. Perrin's contributions have been recognized with awards such as the cum laude distinction for his Ph.D. thesis and the Steven Hoogendijk price for best Ph.D. thesis. In addition, he received an ERC Starting Grant as well as an SNSF Eccellenza Professorial Fellowship to work on the topic of quantum heat engines.

S3: Schönenberger Lecture

Mesoscopic physics challenges (in) superconducting quantum devices

Superconducting quantum bits, or qubits, are at the forefront of quantum computing research. Harnessing the low loss properties of superconductors and the nonlinearity of Josephson junctions, qubits can be engineered to exist in quantum superposition states and they can be entangled, promising a new paradigm in information processing. By controlling and measuring these fragile quantum states, the community eventually aims to implement powerful quantum algorithms, which on some applications have a much more favorable scaling compared to classical counterparts. However, many challenges persist in maintaining coherence, mitigating noise, and enhancing gate fidelity. I will discuss three mesoscopic physics phenomena which significantly complicate the task of engineering coherent superconducting hardware: ionizing radiation interactions with the microelectronic qubit device substrate, long lived and uncontrolled two-level systems which imprint a memory in the qubit's environment, and fluctuations in the transparency of aluminum oxide tunnel barriers which are at the heart of Josephson junctions.

Short biography

Ioan Pop is currently a joint professor at KIT and Stuttgart University, following the Jülicher model. He completed his PhD in 2011 at NEEL Institute, CNRS, and the University of Grenoble, France. During this period he also served as a teaching assistant at the University of Grenoble (2007-2010).  He continued in academic researh with a postdoctoral associate  position at Yale University (2011-2015). From 2015 to 2020, he led a startup group supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation through a Sofja Kovalevskaja Award, before becoming a research group leader in the Helmholtz Association in 2020.

S2: Molecular Machines

The honeymoon of molecular photo-switches and 2D materials: from functional complexity to multiresponsive devices

The already exceptional properties of 2D semiconductors can be further tuned, enriched and enhanced by interfacing them with ad hoc molecular switches, by mastering principles of supramolecular chemistry. By taking full advantage of the almost unlimited variety of molecular switches that can be designed and synthesized with functionalities at will, one can engineer 2D semiconducting hybrid materials exhibiting dynamic physical and chemical properties, tailored-made for applications in electronics beyond CMOS through the functional diversification following a “more than Moore” strategy.

In my lecture, I will review our recent findings on the use of non-covalent functionalization to controllably dope different 2D semiconductors with the goal of engineering artificial light-responsive hetero-structures. Such a strategy enables to execute complex function thereby emulating neuromorphic-based cognitive processes.

The presented modular protocols provide a glimpse on the chemist’s toolbox to generate multifunctional 2D semiconductors -based hybrids with ad-hoc properties to address key global challenges in electronics, sensing and energy applications.

Short biography

Paolo Samorì, distinguished professor at the University of Strasbourg and deputy director of the Institute of Supramolecular Science and Engineering (ISIS), obtained his PhD in chemistry from Humboldt University Berlin in 2000. He joined the Italian National Research Council (CNR) in 2001, became a full professor in 2008. Samorì's current research focuses on 2D materials, smart supramolecular systems, and multifunctional materials for energy, optoelectronic and sensing applications. He has published over 460 publications. Samorì has received prestigious awards including the CNRS Silver Medal (2012), RSC Surfaces and Interfaces Award (2018), the Blaise Pascal Medal in Materials Science (2018), and Étoiles de l’Europe Prize (2019).

AS3: Advanced Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing for add-ons for neutron optics

Neutron optics are an inevitable equipment for the scientific instrumentation at modern neutron research facilities. Key developments are the super-polishing of large area substrates (glass, silicone, metals) and their coating with thin film neutron supermirror (multilayer stack up to 10000 layers). As a result, the reflectivity of the supermirror is approaching the theoretical limits. The excellent supermirror, combined with sophisticated designs and high precision machining and assembly enable for first-class neutron optical devices. With such devices, neutrons are guided over more than 100 m, focused on the location of small samples of novel materials and the spin of the neutron is selected so that it offers an additional degree of freedom for the research work. In order to utilize the full performance of neutron optics, additional elements are implemented that enable efficient neutron shielding. Their materials (e.g. B₄C) are often difficult to process or produce in demanding geometries. We are developing the production of filaments from these materials for 3D printing and the printing process for various parts such as shielding masks, thin sheets, etc.

Short biography

Christian Schanzer, COO at SwissNeutronics since June 2006, oversees key account management, customer projects, and research collaborations. He manages strategic planning, process engineering, and production scheduling. His expertise lies in technology and product development in neutron optics and thin film coatings. Prior to this, Schanzer completed his PhD in physics at the Technical University of Munich in 2006. He conducted a postdoc in neutron optics at ETH Zurich from March 2005 to June 2006, focusing on the development of thin film coatings and research projects.

S3: Schönenberger Lecture

Evidence for multiple Andreev reflection in normal metal-superconducting-superconducting single-electron transistors

Multiple Andreev reflection (MAR) and Coulomb blockade (CB) are competing phenomena in superconducting single-electron transistors: While MAR fosters changing the number of island excess charges also with more than one elementary charge, CB suppresses such processes at small bias voltages. Despite substantial experimental effort over the years, up to now no unambiguous evidence for MAR processes in superconducting CB devices has been reported. To this end, we have experimentally investigated a novel device, a single-electron transistor with one superconductor-superconductor (SS) junction and a superconductor-normal junction (SN) [1]. The SS junction is realized as a mechanically controllable break junction, such that different conductance regimes and coupling strengths can be studied in the same device, while the SN junction is a classical oxide tunnel barrier with fixed properties. We find clear evidence for the presence of MAR processes in the current-voltage characteristics, both in the subgap regime as well as for bias voltages where single-quasiparticle tunneling is possible and MAR is suppressed in single junctions.

[1] L. Sobral Rey et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 057001 (2024)

Short biography

Elke Scheer is a Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Konstanz. She earned her PhD in Physics from the University of Karlsruhe in 1995. From 1996 to 1997 she was a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre d’Etudes Saclay in France and later at the University of Karlsruhe until 2000. Since then, she has been a Professor at the University of Konstanz. From 2003 to 2009, she served as the Director of the Zukunftskolleg at the University of Konstanz. Scheer has been honored with several awards, including the Gustav Hertz Prize from the German Physical Society in 1999 and the Alfried Krupp Prize for Young University Teachers in 2000. She also received the Tina Ulmer Teaching Award from the University of Konstanz in 2012 and the Max-von-Laue Kolloquium award in 2022.

S2: Molecular Machines

Designing photo- and electro-active molecular machines

Artificial molecular machines and motors are multicomponent synthetic species that exhibit stimuli-induced movements of their parts. In this context, photonic and redox stimuli represent highly appealing modes of activation, particularly from a technological viewpoint. Optical and electrical stimulation may be carried out without the formation of waste; moreover both photons and electrons can supply the energy necessary for the functioning of the machine (“writing”) and provide information about its state (“reading”).

We have explored several strategies to operate artificial molecular machines with light and electrons. In particular, integration of photo- and electro-active units within the molecular components of (pseudo)rotaxane and catenane architectures enabled their autonomous and out of equilibrium operation.

Short biography

Serena Silvi, currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Bologna, investigates supramolecular systems, focusing on artificial molecular machines and photochromic systems. She earned her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Bologna in 2006, under the supervision of Prof. Alberto Credi. Following her doctorate, she collaborated with Prof. Vincenzo Balzani's laboratory before assuming a permanent position in 2008. Serena has been teaching since 2009, contributing significantly to courses in Inorganic Chemistry, Photochemistry and Molecular Nanotechnology. She is currently the Director of the Master in Photochemistry and Molecular Materials. She has presented her work at numerous conferences globally. Additionally, she actively participates in various scientific committees and has held positions such as Secretary and Treasurer of The Italian Group of Photochemistry.

S4: Bio-nano advanced materials & Systems

On the Interaction of Artificial Cells with Mammalian Cells

Bottom-up synthetic biology aims to design life-like units (aka artificial cells) that can substitute for missing/lost cellular activity or to add non-native function to mammalian cells and tissue. Artificial cells are minimal, simplistic structures that imitate selected structural or functional aspects of living cells.

We focus our efforts on hydrogel-based artificial cells equipped with a specific liver-like function and their integration and communication with mammalian cells. Specifically, In particular, the artificial cells support their living counterpart in fighting reactive oxygen species either by direct conversion or by deploying supportive nano-units. Further, we showed that HepG2 cell aggregates could be 3D bioprinted together with artificial cells to boost catalytic activity for at least 2 weeks. In addition, we illustrated that artificial cells can eavesdrop on a typical activity of a liver cell due to co-existence in a semi-synthetic tissue.

Our efforts illustrate the potential of nano-engineered artificial cells for tissue engineering purposes.

Short biography

Brigitte Städler has been a Professor at Aarhus University since April 2023, concurrently leading the Laboratory for Cell Mimicry, an interdisciplinary group working in the area of bottom-up synthetic biology focusing on nature inspired solutions to address medical challenges. Her research efforts combine organic and polymer chemistry with colloidal science and cell biology to assemble life-like units that can interact and support mammalian cells and tissues.

She earned her PhD in Material Science from ETH Zurich in 2007, followed by a post-doctoral project at the University of Melbourne until 2009. Prior to her current position, she held roles as Associate Professor and Assistant Professor at Aarhus University.

S7: 2D Materials

Scanning NV Magnetometry of Phase Transitions in the vdW Magnet CrSBr

Magnetic imaging using a single spin in diamond has proven to be an excellent tool for probing magnetism in van der Waals (vdW) materials with nanoscale resolution. We employ a scanning technique with single Nitrogen-Vacancy centers embedded in an all-diamond scanning probe to image nanoscale magnetization patterns in a range of 2D materials at cryogenic temperatures. In this talk I will discuss our most recent efforts of imaging a layered, antiferromagnetic 2D magnet, CrSBr, where we study spin textures down to the monolayer limit [1]. With our experiments we gain insight into different magnetic phases, domain formation and magnetic anisotropies in these systems. Our results pave the way for future fundamental experiments on low-dimensional magnetism including also dynamical phenomena such as spin-wave detection in vdW magnets.

[1] M. Tschudin et al., arXiv:2312.09279  (2023)

Short biography

Märta Tschudin is currently pursuing her PhD in the Quantum Sensing Group under Prof. Maletinsky at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Her research focuses on quantum sensing of two-dimensional magnets. Prior to her doctoral studies, she interned at Prof. Lily Childress's Quantum Defects Lab at McGill University, Canada. Märta Tschudin holds an M.Sc. in Physics from the University of Basel, where she investigated magnetism in two-dimensional CrI3 for her master thesis.

AS2: Applied Industrial Nanotechnology

Combining "soft" and "tough" at the nanoscale: chemistry- and physics-based deposition methods to enhance coating performance

The combination of atomic layer deposition (ALD), molecular vapor deposition (MLD), and physical vapor deposition (PVD) creates an unparalleled materials factory, offering multiple variations of coatings with superior properties. These techniques, traditionally used in their respective fields, have the potential to revolutionize the field when used together.  Our hybrid growth reactor environment can fabricate complex coatings with hundreds of multilayers each at nanometer thickness scale from the ALD and PVD materials library. The interfaces of such multi-nanolayered coatings strongly influence their properties. We will show examples of hybrid organic-inorganic materials with brittle-to-ductile phase transition and multi-nanolayered coatings, resulting in novel materials with improved mechanical properties. Notably, a 200-fold nanolayered metal-ceramic coating demonstrates significantly improved hardness and yield strength.

Short biography

Ivo Utke received his PhD in 1995 at Humboldt University, Berlin. After 9 years at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, he joined Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, in 2004. He heads the group “Low Dimensional Materials” employing ALD, MLD, PVD, and focused electron/ion beam assisted CVD for novel film materials and 3D architectures. He has >130 publications and co-founded the start-up SwissCluster commercializing ALD and ALD/PVD hybrid reactors.

AS3: Advanced Manufacturing

Operando X-ray diffraction and imaging during laser powder bed fusion

Over the past decade, synchrotron X-ray diffraction and imaging techniques have emerged as powerful tools for studying rapid transient phenomena within and around the melt pool during laser-based additive manufacturing (AM) processes. These measurements necessitate specialized sample environments that are compatible with synchrotron beam lines while closely mimicking the conditions found in industrial AM devices. This presentation showcases the approach undertaken at PSI to address this challenge. A miniaturized device have been successfully developed to enable operando laser-powder bed fusion experiments, seamlessly integrating with synchrotron X-ray diffraction/imaging. This work presents its design and implementation. Furthermore, its utility in capturing key transient phenomena is demonstrated. Specifically, operando X-ray diffraction is shown to track phase transformations and thermal history in various alloys and multi-materials. Fast X-ray radiography allows tracking the formation of defects, melt pool evolution, and chemical mixing. The operando results are correlated with the nano- and microstructure via electron microscopy and nano-indentation.

Short biography

Steven Van Petegem is a senior scientist in the Structure and Mechanics of Advanced Materials group at the Paul Scherrer Institute. He completed his PhD at the Ghent University, focusing on nanocrystalline metals. In 2003, he joined the Neutrons and Muons division at PSI where he worked in various roles including beam line scientist at the Small Angle Neutron Scattering instrument SANS-I and at the neutron diffractometer POLDI. In 2015, he moved to the Photon Science Division where he is currently leading a team with particular focus on metal additive manufacturing, employing advanced X-ray and neutron diffraction techniques alongside imaging methodologies, electron microscopy and mechanical testing. Since 2022, he teaches at the EPFL.

S8: Nanotechnology for health sciences

The very first events of the dynamic interactions of particles and biomolecules: an X-ray perspective

Nanoparticle (NP) colloidal stability plays a crucial role in biomedical application in particular for safety and efficiency. NP agglomeration is considered as a possible process in NP solutions, which drastically affects colloidal stability. This process is triggered by changes in the physicochemical properties of the surrounding media, such as ionic strength, pH value, or the presence of competing biomolecules.

Despite different available characterization methods for nanoparticles, there is a lack of information about the underlying mechanisms at the very early stage (seconds to minutes) of dynamic behaviors, namely changing in NP size distribution and structure while placing them from a stable colloidal solution to a new media like biological fluids.

In this study, an advanced in situ approach is presented that combines small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and microfluidics, allowing label-free, direct, time-resolved, and dynamic observations of the early stage of silica, gold and iron-carbohydrate NP interaction/agglomeration initiated by environmental changes.

Short biography

Peter Wick has been the Head of Particles - Biology Interactions Laboratory at Empa since 2014. He got his PhD degree in 2002 at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland and was 2023 appointed as Adj Prof at ETHZ. His general research interest is to study the interactions of nanomaterials with human tissues including barrier tissue in vitro and ex vivo with the purpose to obtain detailed mechanistic understanding about their uptake, accumulation, biotransformation, transport and effect on different types of cells or entire tissue. He has published more than 150 papers, was member of the advisory board of the Swiss Action Plan on Nanomaterials, he is member of the EDQM working group for NBCs, and coordinator of the Swiss National Contactpointnano.ch.

S4: Bio-nano advanced materials & Systems

Programmable Synthesis and Supramolecular Self-assembly of Stable DNA Nanoparticles

The unique enzyme terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) can synthesize both natural and unnatural polynucleotides in a template-independent manner. We harness this ability in a reaction we termed TdT-catalyzed enzymatic polymerization (TcEP) to form and self-assemble stable DNA nanoparticles. We demonstrate the use of TcEP for the synthesis of aptamer-containing polynucleotides and micelles that deliver the cytostatic nucleobase analog, 5-fluorouracil (5FU). We found that the micelles exhibit high nuclease resistance and significantly greater tumor cell cytotoxicity than free drug. Furthermore, we used TcEP to initiate polymerization on the surface of DNA origami nanostructures (DONs). We achieved spatiotemporal control of polynucleotide brush growth and cleavage on DON surfaces by combining TcEP with restriction enzyme cutting. Finally, we show how we use TcEP to modify DON surfaces by growing hydrophobic, non-natural polynucleotide brush patches to drive origami self-assembly into mesoscale structures. Overall, our research provides guidance for constructing DNA nanoparticles for drug delivery applications and presents an innovative pathway for generating stable and programmable polynucleotide brush-functionalized DNA nanostructures.

Short biography

Stefan Zauscher, currently a professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Duke University, earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1999. His post-doctoral journey led him to delve into nano-mechanical and nano-tribological characterization at Duke University. Zauscher's research at the intersection of surface and colloid science, polymer materials engineering, and biointerface science has contributed significantly to biomolecular sensors and devices. In addition to his role as a faculty member, he serves as the Director of the Duke Materials Initiative (DMI) since February 2019. Notable awards include Fellow of the American Vacuum Society (AVS) and the Dean of the Graduate School Award for Inclusive Excellence in Graduate Education at Duke University.