Message from the Director 6 The Very Best of nanoGUNE 8 1 Researchers in Action 10 Nanomagnetism 12 Nanooptics 14 Self-Assembly 16 Nanodevices 18 Electron Microscopy 20 Theory 22 Nanomaterials 24 Nanoimaging 26 2 State-of-the-art Infrastructure 28 3 Scientific Outputs 32 Highlighted publications 34 Conferences, workshops, and schools 56 Invited Talks 58 Seminars 63 ISI Publications 66 Cooperation agreements 72 4 Industry Overview 74 5 Connecting with Society 78 6 Organization and Funding 82 nanoPeople 90 Message from the Director Advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology are nowadays at the heart of the technological development of our soci- ety. Our current ability to observe and control matter at the atomic and molecular scale (the nanoscale) will allow, in the next few decades, the design of new objects and the devel- opment of more efficient and less expensive manufacturing processes in a great variety of industry sectors. At CIC nanoGUNE Consolider, it is our mission to carry out world-class nanoscience research, thus contributing to the creation of the necessary conditions for the Basque Country (and the humanity, in general) to benefit from a wide range of nanotechnologies: confronting new scientific challenges through cooperation with other research and technological agents in the Basque Country and worldwide, building bridges that fill the gap between basic science and technology, as well as promoting high-level training and out- reach activities. In the launching period 2007-2010, we were successful in putting together a state-of-the-art infrastructure and Jose M. Pitarke Director Donostia – San Sebastian, December 2012 Message from 6 the Director five research groups that have been making outstanding and technological agents in the Basque Country, several contributions in various fields of nanoscience and nano- technology-transfer activities have been initiated within our technology, and we also succeded in launching our first industrial environment, and we are now in the process of start-up company, Graphenea, with the mission of produc- launching new spin-off companies. ing and commercializing graphene (a nanomaterial consist- ing of one single layer of carbon atoms) and developing A world-class research team, state-of-the-art facilities, graphene-based technologies. close collaboration with other research laboratories and with industry, and a commitment to our society define our During the last two years, we have opened three new re- way of understanding scientific research. In this exciting search groups, all led by scientists of international recogni- journey, we have benefited from the generous support of tion, thereby bringing our activity to a cruising speed and a good number of individuals and public institutions, espe- placing the Basque Country at the forefront of nanoscience cially the Basque Government, our International Advisory research. So far, we have opened new areas of strategic re- Committee, and all outstanding researchers and employ- search in the fields of nanomagnetism, nanooptics, self-assem- ees who have believed in our project and have contributed bly, nanodevices, electron microscopy, theory, nanomaterials, so much to it. and nanoimaging, with a team of more than 70 researchers, including graduate students, post-docs, technicians, and visi- Being a small center in a small country, we will keep com- tors, all coming from 21 different countries worldwide. peting and collaborating with many other research labora- tories around the world, with the expectation that we will The bases have also been set for the creation of an effec- always find the niche for us to offer something different. tive framework of cooperation among existing research This is the big challenge of the small. ‘‘We are now approaching a cruising speed,, Message from the Director 7 The Very Best of nanoGUNE 86 1 359 7.1 ISI publications citations average impact factor 8 73 65 research groups researchers invited talks 42 70 9 guest researchers seminars conferences and workshops organized nanoGUNE personnel 83 69 Researchers from 59 21 45 countries: Argentina 1 Germany 7 Poland 2 26 Belarus 1 Greece 1 Romania 1 Brazil 1 India 1 Russia 3 Chile 2 Italy 7 Spain 28 10 China 6 Latvia 1 Thailand 1 Croatia 1 Pakistan 1 USA 1 France 2 Peru 1 UK 4 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 8 Our mission is to perform world-class nanoscience research for the competitive growth of the Basque Country 35 1 2 cooperation new patent PhD theses accomplished agreements in place 24 350 200 PhD theses ongoing visitors from high-schools times in the media and universities 2 5 26 new spin-off projects contracts with companies grants awarded 10 Senior Scientists 17 Post-docs 24 Pre-docs 3 Master students 8 Guest Researchers 11 Technicians 10 Management & Services nanoGUNE personnel on 31 December 2012 9 1 Researchers in Action 8 Research Groups 73 Researchers Nanomagnetism Nanooptics Self-Assembly Nanoimaging Nanodevices Nanomaterials Theory Electron Microscopy 10 Researchers in Action 11 Nanomagnetism at a glance,, Nanomagnetism ‘‘ In the Nanomagnetism Group, we devise novel ma- tion methodologies can be scaled up for large-scale, terials and nanostructures to achieve control over precise industrial materials metrology. their magnetic properties at the nanoscale and we develop processes to fabricate them. In addition, we Our research has also achieved relevance for the bio- design, build, and utilize advanced magnetic charac- medical industry. We have designed magnetic struc- terization techniques for studying such systems with tures, with which we demonstrated that it is possible a particular strong emphasis on magneto-optical to remotely manipulate magnetic nanoparticles, car- techniques. In parallel, we develop theoretical and rying molecules or living cells in liquid biocompatible computational models for achieving a quantitative environments. Moreover, we have recently managed nanoscale understanding of magnetic materials and to transfer these lab-type magnetic structures into nanostructures. microfluidic channels defined on a chip for applica- tions in biotechnology, nanochemistry, and nanomed- Our group has been consolidated over the last icine. One outcome of this work is a collaborative two years, and, as a result, several relevant scientific project with Hospital Donostia, the University of achievements have been accomplished. For instance, the Basque Country, and Regennia (Basque Country, we have been able to achieve precise tuning of key Spain) for the purpose of utilizing this approach in properties controlling the magnetic-field response regenerative medical treatments. of nanostructured materials such as the exchange- bias effect and magnetic anisotropy. These are vital Apart from the above-mentioned collaborations, properties; future progress in the field of magnetism we work together with FEI and numerous universi- and its technological applications will be reliant on ties worldwide, such as the universities of Hamburg their precise control. The materials we make are of (Germany), Nancy (France), California San Diego relevance for the electronics industry, especially for (USA), Federico Santa María (Chile), Milano (Italy), the magnetic storage industry, and our characteriza- Singapore, and Daejeon (Korea). Andreas Berger Paolo Vavassori Research Director Ikerbasque Research Professor and Group Leader and Group Coleader Researchers in Action 12 Nanomagnetism Nanomagnetism Andreas Berger Paolo Vavassori Research Director and Group Leader Ikerbasque Research Professor and Group Coleader PhD in Physics in 1993, RWTH Aachen University PhD in Physics in 1994, Politecnico di Milano (Italy) (Germany) Post-doctoral researchers Guest Researchers* Marco Donolato, Bioftalmik Fellow (until 31/10/12) Claudio Gonzalez, UTFSM-Chile pre-doc (until 13/12/12) Juan González, nanoGUNE Fellow Maxim Ilin, UPV/EHU post-doc (until 30/06/11) Ondrej Hovorka, Marie Curie (until 31/03/11) Veli Mikko Kataja, Aalto University pre-doc (until 30/04/12) Anandakumar Sarella, nanoGUNE Fellow Hans-Peter Oepen, Ikerbasque Visiting Professor (until 30/09/11) Anna Suszka, nanoGUNE Fellow Fabio Saccone, UBA-CONICET Professor (until 01/07/11) Andrea Torti, University of Milano pre-doc (until 31/12/12) Pre-doctoral researchers Patricia Wolny, Bioftalmik Fellow (until 31/05/12) Jon Ander Arregi, FPI Fellow, Study of ultrafast magnetization dynamics in thin-films and nanostructures for technical applications * One-month stay minimum Lorenzo Fallarino, nanoGUNE Fellow, Fabrication and magnetic characterization of Co-based magnetic alloy films, multilayers, and nanostructures Olatz Idigoras, PFPI fellow, Magnetization reversal in magnetic films, multilayers, and nanostructures Nicolo Maccaferri, nanoGUNE Fellow, Magneto-optical activity in spatially confined geometries José María Porro, PFPI Fellow, Fast magnetization dynamics near magnetic ordering temperatures Master Students Eric Beitia, UPV/EHU (until 30/09/12) Andrea La Porta, University of Ferrara (until 13/06/11) Tindara Verduci, University of Ferrara (until 13/06/11) Undergraduate Students Irati Alonso, UPV/EHU (until 12/08/11) Eneko Bergaretxe, UPV/EHU (until 12/08/11) Ane Etxebarria, UPV/EHU (until 31/08/12) Usue Palomares, UPV/EHU (until 31/08/12) Technician Cesar Rufo Marie Fertin Interacting nanomagnets in a so-called square artificial spin-ice configuration: topography & magnetic images Researchers in Action Nanomagnetism 13 Nanooptics We have visualized graphene ‘‘ plasmons,, Since 2008, we have been following three