ETH - Micro and Nano Science Platform - Key Projects (a selection)

Multiscale Energy Conversion		Prof. Dr. Reza S. Abhari (Turbomachinery) Efficient energy conversion is fundamental in the operation of large-scale facilities as well as for the manufacture of nano-sized devices. For instance, miniature sensors are designed to map the highly unsteady flow in turbomachines, or laser-produced plasmas are investigated as candidate radiation sources enabling EUV nano-lithography.
Fabrication of Si-glass microreactors		Prof. Dr. Alfons Baiker (Catalysis and Reaction Engineering) and Prof. Dr. Philipp Rudolf von Rohr (Transport Processes and Reactions) Microreactor suited for reactions in supercritical CO2 and in situ spectroscopic analysis. Reaction behavior and the state of catalysts are monitored by fiber-optics based Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopy lines written with the AFM.
InP-GaAsSb double heterojunction		Prof. Dr. Colombo Bolognesi (Terahertz Electronics) 0.2 μm InP/GaAsSb double heterojunction bipolar transistor fabricated by electron beam lithography and exhibiting cutoff frequencies approaching 600 GHz with a breakdown voltage of > 4V. The epitaxial layers were grown by MOVPE.
Nanopatterned Surfaces		Prof. Dr. François Diederich (Organic Chemistry) STM images of nanoporous self-assembled molecular monolayers with different pore-to-pore distances. Supramolecular synthons attached to a porphyrin core direct the geometry of the molecular network on the surface, while additional interacting groups adjust the interpore distance of the supramolecular assembly.
Manipulation of particles and cells using acoustic forces		Prof. Dr. Jürg Dual (Mechanical Systems) Standing pressure fields, created by exciting a fluid contained in a cavity at a resonant frequency, are used to gather particles in lines or more complex patterns. Automated single particle manipulation is possible, by combining acoustic trapping and mechanical gripping (collaboration with IRIS).
Double quantum dot in a ring		Prof. Dr. Klaus Ensslin (Nanophysics) Double quantum dot in a ring geometry defined by AFM nanolithography. The electrons live in a potential landscape which is very similar to the yellow lines written with the AFM.
Bits to Energy		Prof. Dr. Elgar Fleisch (Information Management) The Bits to Energy Lab is a research initiative dedicated to study the benefits of Ubicomp technologies for sustainable development, namely by making the resource footprint of products and services more transparent, and investigating changes in user behavior as well as the impact on enterprises.
Micro Solid Oxide Fuel Cells as Battery Replacement		Prof. Dr. Ludwig J. Gauckler (Nonmetallic Inorganic Materials) Ceramic thin film for micro solid oxide fuel cell application characterized with FIB prepared TEM lamella. Three layer free-standing membranes reach power density of up to 150 mW/cm² at 550°C.
From Microwave to Optics		Prof. Dr. Christian Hafner (Computational Optics) Simulations using accurate material properties are useful for examining electromagnetic scaling effects. Comparisons are made between numerical results and experiments using a scanning nearfield optical microscope (SNOM), and an upscaled SNOM operating at microwave frequencies.
Single walled CNT NEMS sensor characterization		Prof. Dr. Christofer Hierold (Micro- and Nanosystems) Single-walled carbon nanotube NEMS and sensor characterization, demonstrating sub-microwatt room temperature NO2 gas sensing. Zero-level packaging (oxide coating of carbon nanotube) for long term stability and noise reduction.
DC-DC Converter for Systems on Chip		Prof. Dr. Qiuting Huang (Integrated Systems, Analog & Mixed-Signal Design) To adapt the lithium-ion battery of a mobile phone (typically 3.6V) to the on-chip one (1.2V), a voltage regulator has to be inserted. The project features a DC-DC converter in 0.13µm CMOS technology, providing a 1.2V output voltage with reduced interference noise suitable for integration into a transceiver circuit.
Quantum Optics of Solid-State Emitters		Prof. Dr. Atac Imamoglu (Quantum Photonics) We investigate quantum optics of solid-state zero dimensional emitters, such as quantum dots or defects, embedded in photonic nano-structures. We are particularly interested in understanding physical properties that distinguish these solid-state systems from their atomic counterparts. Controlling quantum dynamics of quantum dot spins for applications in quantum information processing is one of our principal goals.
Semiconductor active and passive Photonic Crystals		Prof. Dr. Heinz Jäckel (High Speed Electronics and Photonics) Photonic Crystals (PhCs) are used for ultracompact (down-scaled to a few wavelengths) optical devices for optical VLSI OICs, e.g. for power splitters with arbitrary splitting ratios. The unique properties of PhCs allow for a very short device combined with a broad bandwidth. The device is fabricated by etching arrays of high aspect ratio holes and grooves into the InP semiconductor.
Multiscale Methods for BioNanosensors		Prof. Dr. Petros Koumoutsakos (Computational Science) Enhancing the efficiency of a hybrid model to couple continuum and atomistic descriptions, for the simulation of dense liquids.
Nanoimprinting of gold pillars		Prof. Dr. Jörg F. Löffler (Metal Physics and Technology) Gold pillars with diameters of 160 nm produced by direct nanoimprinting in a silicon mold for optical and mechanical investigations.
Capacitive Micro Force Sensors for Biological Applications		Prof. Dr. Bradley Nelson (Robotics and Intelligent Systems) The application of capacitive multi-axis micro force sensors for the investigation of biological structures and organisms has helped open new avenues in biological research. Application areas include protein fiber characterization, measurement of drosophila flight dynamics, force controlled cell injection and characterization of magnetically actuated microrobots for drug delivery.
Hydro-gel carriers		Prof. Dr. Sven Panke (Bioprocesses) Hydro-gel carriers with two individually labeled biosensors. The system is under development and should allow ultrahigh throughput species-species interaction studies. A potential application is screening for new antibiotics.
Local Magnetic Field Generation		Prof. Dr. Danilo Pescia (Microstructure) In-plane spin polarization images of 4.5ML thick Co elements (5μm and 10μm in diameter) evaporated on Cu(001) before (a) and after (b and c) local current injection in the center of the elements. The magnetization directions are indicated by the arrows (d).
Dielectrophoretic integration of CNT		Prof. Dr. Dimos Poulikakos (Thermodynamics) An individual carbon nanotube deposited on four platinum electrodes which are electrically isolated from each other. Four platinum solder points decrease the electrical contact resistance between the electrodes and the carbon nanotube.
Nanoparticle synthesized		Prof. Dr. Philipp Rudolf von Rohr (Transport Processes and Reactions) Microfluidic devices are promising reactors to reach the nanoparticle systhesis with controlled properties and allowing a high screening of different operating conditions. Palladium nanoparticles have beend synthesized from an organometallic decomposition route in a two phase flow microreactor.
Label-Free Detection of Non-fluorescent Nano-Objects		Prof. Dr. Vahid Sandoghdar (Nano-Optics) Interferometric imaging of single, unlabeled, SV40 Viruses (45 nm diameter) bound to a microscope cover glass and immersed in water. Detection of non-fluorescent objects is only limited by the roughness of the substrate and the potential presence of other scatterers.
Photochemical and Radical Reactions in Microreactors		Prof. Dr. Peter H. Seeberger (Biochemistry) In continuous flow based micro devices photochemical and radical reactions are faster, cleaner and safer than the reactions in flask.
Chemical separation using nanomagnets		Prof. Dr. Wendelin J. Stark (Functional Materials Laboratory) Carbon coated cobalt nanoparticles serve as a basis to magnetically functionalize molecules during synthesis, enabling their recovery from reaction mixtures within seconds by application of an external magnetic field.
Multifrequency AFM		Prof. Dr. Andreas Stemmer (Nanotechnology) Multifrequency AFM bases on simultaneous use of several cantilever eigenmodes, which extends the imaging possibilities. Based on this technique we developed a Kelvin probe method, that allows to acquire surface potentials and topography in a single scan.
Sensor Button		Prof. Dr. Gerhard Tröster (Wearable Computing) Autonomous sensor button powered by a solar cell allows on-line context recognition using accelerometers, light sensor, microphone and microprocessor. Low power techniques in design and programming result in an energy consumption of less than 20 µJ per classification.
Superconducting coplanar waveguide resonator		Prof. Dr. Andreas Wallraff (Quantum Devices) Superconducting coplanar waveguide resonator and input coupling capacitor. The superconductor is either evaporated and lifted off aluminium or sputtered and reactive-ionetchedniobium. Quality factors of the resonancecan reach 1 million at low temperature (20 mK).
Fully Coupled Electro-opto-thermal Simulation of a Microlaser (VCSEL)		Prof. Dr. Bernd Witzigmann (Integrated Systems, Computational Optoelectronics) Simulation of light emitters for communication, sensing and lighting, example: fully coupled electro-opto-thermal simulation of a Microlaser (VCSEL). Right face: optical intensity, left face: temperature distribution (colormap) and the electrical current flow (streamlines).
Improving Geometric Calibration Methods R-Test		Prof. Dr. Konrad Wegener (Machine Tools and Manufacturing) A new method for separating different errors despite their interdependencies is presented for multi-axis machining centers. Furthermore, the measurement uncertainty of the identification of an error is quantified which makes possible a systematic planning and improving of the calibration procedure.

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