Digital Matter?: Towards Mechanised Mechanosynthesis
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Sch of Physics & Astronomy
Abstract
Computer-controlled chemistry at the single molecule level, a field very much in its infancy, represents arguably the most exciting and, to many, definitive example of the power and potential of nanotechnology. Recent ground-breaking work in Germany and the US has shown that it is possible to drive chemical reactions and to synthesise molecules via interactions driven by a scanning probe. In the UK, the nanoscience groups at Nottingham, Birmingham, and Oxford have demonstrated that atomic/molecular manipulation strategies pioneered at low temperatures can be extended to a room temperature environment. The focus of this fellowship application is to develop next-generation protocols for scanning probe manipulation capable of automated atom-by-atom assembly of, ultimately, three dimensional nanostructures. Our goal is to programme the assembly of matter from its consitutent atoms. This exceptionally challenging objective has the potential to revolutionise key areas of 21st century science including nanofabrication, materials processing, surface chemistry, and the study of low dimensional electron systems.
Organisations
- University of Nottingham (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Sheffield (Collaboration)
- KING'S COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- University of Sussex (Project Partner)
- Institute for Molecular Manufacturing (Project Partner)
- La Trobe University (Project Partner)
- King's College London (Project Partner)
Publications
Sweetman A
(2009)
qPlus atomic force microscopy of the Si(100) surface: Buckled, split-off, and added dimers
in Applied Physics Letters
Sharp P
(2012)
Identifying passivated dynamic force microscopy tips on H:Si(100)
in Applied Physics Letters
Jarvis SP
(2013)
Structural development and energy dissipation in simulated silicon apices.
in Beilstein journal of nanotechnology
Sweetman A
(2012)
Effect of the tip state during qPlus noncontact atomic force microscopy of Si(100) at 5 K: Probing the probe.
in Beilstein journal of nanotechnology
Sweetman A
(2015)
Nano-contact microscopy of supracrystals.
in Beilstein journal of nanotechnology
Sweetman A
(2014)
Uncertainties in forces extracted from non-contact atomic force microscopy measurements by fitting of long-range background forces.
in Beilstein journal of nanotechnology
Chiutu C
(2011)
Measuring Si-C60 chemical forces via single molecule spectroscopy.
in Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
Sweetman A
(2012)
Imaging and manipulation of the Si(100) surface by small-amplitude NC-AFM at zero and very low applied bias.
in Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal
Jarvis S
(2015)
Simulated structure and imaging of NTCDI on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 : a combined STM, NC-AFM and DFT study
in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter
Sweetman A
(2014)
Unique determination of "subatomic" contrast by imaging covalent backbonding.
in Nano letters
| Description | The key objectives of the grant were to develop new methods of controlling the manipulation of single atoms using scanning probe microscopy. We have developed protocols for the manipulation of single atoms on silicon surfaces using chemical force alone. A highlight of our research was the demonstration of the smallest ever mechanically-activated switch -- two atoms -- being flipped between two states. |
| Exploitation Route | They're published in the literature. We have a strong commitment to open access publishing to make our publicly-funded work as widely accessible as possible. In addition, Nottingham Physics & Astronomy has a strong track record in public engagement via, for example, YouTube (Sixty Symbols) and a variety of other online and "real world" channels. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
| URL | http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/physics/research/nano |
| Description | A variety of academic and public engagement activities have resulted from EP/G007837/1. This was a Leadership Fellowship grant which focused on the development of new protocols for the imaging and manipulation of single atoms and molecules. The work was fundamental research. There was no commercial driver, nor any focus on delivering commercially exploitable results (as is entirely appropriate for fundamental science). The PI has a very strong commitment to public engagement and outreach and the results from G/007837/1 have featured in a variety of fora: 1. Two videos for the popular Sixty Symbols YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/sixtysymbols). Sixty Symbols is described in an article (written by the PI) in Physics World in February 2014: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~ppzstm/pdfs/Moriarty_youtube.pdf The videos in question are listed as specific outputs below and have together accrued 230,000 views to date. 2. Results from EP/G007837/01 have been used in a 1st year undergraduate module (Frontiers in Physics) at the School of Physics & Astronomy, and, indeed, formed the basis of an exam question on the 2013-2014 paper. 3. Work on automated optimisation of scanning probes won a Silver Prize at the 2012 HUMIES awards. See http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/computerscience/news/humies-silver-award-for-nat-krasnogor-and-colleagues.aspx |
| First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
| Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | ACRITAS - Actuation and Characterisation at the Single Bond Level |
| Amount | £3,361,470 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ACRITAS |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 10/2012 |
| End | 09/2016 |
| Description | AtMol EU network |
| Amount | £303,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AtMol |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 12/2011 |
| End | 12/2014 |
| Description | Mapping molecular force fields and energy landscapes with picometre resolution |
| Amount | £145,790 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | F/00 114/BI |
| Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2011 |
| End | 02/2014 |
| Description | ACRITAS network |
| Organisation | King's College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I have added only one partner (because I am not going to enter each individual partner, of which there are 24, by hand). The research funded by the Leadership Fellowship established Nottingham as a credible and internationally competitive dynamic force microscopy group. This led directly to the funding of a EU-funded 24 partner (11 core partners, 13 associated partners) network, ACRITAS. See www.acritas.eu for more details including a list of the academic and non-academic partners. |
| Collaborator Contribution | See www.acritas.eu |
| Impact | See www.acritas.eu |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Collaboration with King's College London |
| Organisation | King's College London |
| Department | Department of Physics |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This project is a collaborative effort between Nottingham and King's College London, where KCL (Prof. Lev Kantorovich et al.) carries out the theoretical calculations used to support and inform the experimental work at Nottingham. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Density functional theory calculations. |
| Impact | A large number of publications have resulted from the Nottingham-KCL collaboration. These are listed as part of the outputs for each project. The Nottingham-KCL activity has also fed directly into a number of videos for the Sixty Symbols YouTube channel. Again, those outputs are listed for each of the relevant grants. |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | University of Sheffield |
| Organisation | University of Sheffield |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This was a sandpit project so there was a direct collaboration with the University of Sheffield (Ashley Cadby and co-workers). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Optical spectroscopy expertise. Complementary experience with public engagement. |
| Impact | Publication in Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. Giants of the Infinitesimal -- http://giantsoftheinfinitesimal.com/ |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Atomic Switch video for Sixty Symbols |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBmBMmuUBMk A video for the Brady Haran/University of Nottingham Sixty Symbols YouTube channel (see www.youtube.com/sixtysymbols ) which describes a key result of the Leadership Fellowship research programme: the ability to (chemo)mechanically switch the conformation of a single chemical bond. The video has accrued more than 63,000 views at the time of writing (November 2014). See comments under video. Note that "What do you consider to be the most important impact of this activity?" drop-down menu below is very limiting. Most important impact in all of our public engagement work is enthusing an audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| URL | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBmBMmuUBMk |
| Description | Flipping the world's smallest light switch |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Pop sci article published at the Science website on our dimer flipping work [Sweetman et al. , PRL 2011] http://news.sciencemag.org/chemistry/2011/03/flipping-worlds-smallest-light-switch. Considerable number of e-mails about work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://news.sciencemag.org/chemistry/2011/03/flipping-worlds-smallest-light-switch |
| Description | Giants of the Infinitesimal |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | See http://giantsoftheinfinitesimal.com/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010,2011,2012,2013 |
| Description | Membership of Institute of Physics Science Board |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Membership of Institute of Physics Science Board . Awarding Body - Institute of Physics, Name of Scheme - Membership of Science Board Changes in IOP policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013,2014 |
| Description | Membership of International Steering Committee for International NC-AFM conference series. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
| Results and Impact | As a direct result of the "Digital Matter" research programme, the PI was asked to join the steering committee for the International NC-AFM conference series. The International NC-AFM conference is the most important meeting in the field of dynamic force microscopy. "Membership of a Panel or Group" seemed to be the most appropriate category under which to report this.. Awarding Body - Steering Committee of International NC-AFM conference series, Name of Scheme - Not applicable. Invitation to join Steering Committee Conferences were organised. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013,2014 |
| Description | Resolution Frontiers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Introductory level discussion of scanning probe techniques. Article in Physics World. I get involved with public engagement and outreach to inform and enthuse. I do not attempt to log these activities. Indeed, attempting to log and quantify "impact" is likely to be counter-productive in many cases. Note that the "What do you consider to be the most important impact of this activity" question below is far too limiting. Need to be able to select multiple boxes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| URL | http://nanotechweb.org/cws/article/indepth/44336 |