ESiM Project News

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From September 11 to 13, 2024, the ESiM consortium members gathered in Erlangen for a pivotal project meeting. The event offered a valuable opportunity for partners to review the progress made so far and to strategize for the upcoming phases. Key discussions during the meeting focused on the preparation for the upcoming of the 2nd periodic report, the identification of further promising participants for Industry Days and detailed reviews of the technical work packages, which are central to the project’s success.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to drive the project forward!

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ESiM @Dresden Long Night of Science 2023
ESiM PhD student explains the functioning of scanning tunneling microscopy to a guest

 

On June 30, 2023, from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM, the TUD Dresden partner opened its state-of-the-art laboratory in the Barkhausen building to the public as part of the Dresden Science Night 2023. This annual event, a tradition in Dresden since its inception in 2003, aims to bring science and research closer to the public by offering a behind-the-scenes look at various scientific institutions and their work.

Overall, the Dresden Science Night 2023 saw a remarkable turnout, attracting over 30,000 visitors across the city. The event featured a wide range of activities and presentations from numerous research facilities, universities, and institutions, all dedicated to fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of scientific endeavors.

 

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The science outreach event “Moderne Physik am Samstagmorgen” (Modern Physics on Saturday Morning) offers a unique platform for researchers to share cutting-edge scientific insights with a broader audience. This initiative aims to bridge the often-wide gap between advanced research topics and the general public, making complex ideas more accessible and engaging.

At the June 2024 lecture, Dr. Sabine Maier from Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) captivated attendees with a presentation on the latest developments in molecular materials, a rapidly advancing area of physics with numerous real-world applications. A key focus was on the potential of molecular rotors on surfaces, a technology that could revolutionize fields such as nanotechnology and materials science. These molecular rotors, which can change properties in response to external stimuli, hold promise for future innovations in computing, sensing, and information storage.

The interaction with attendees provided a valuable opportunity for citizens to directly connect with researchers, fostering a better understanding of the scientific processes and technologies shaping the future. “Moderne Physik am Samstagmorgen” exemplifies how initiatives like ESiM’s outreach efforts can demystify advanced scientific topics, inspire curiosity, and encourage a more science-literate society.

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The second ESiM workshop, titled "Functioning Molecular Photoswitches for Energy Storage and Beyond," took place successfully in Barcelona from April 23 to 26. The event comprehensively explored various facets of photoswitches for energy storage, including molecular design, spectroscopy, computational methods, supramolecular systems, and functional devices. It provided a platform for global scientists to gather and share their work, featuring presentations from both emerging and established researchers.

Link

Watch our conference video here (external link)!

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Sabine Maier (left) & Meike Stöhr (right)

ESiM is pleased to announce the addition of FAU and UPC to its consortium partners. The European Commission has confirmed the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona, Spain, and the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) in Germany as new participants in the ESiM project. Sabine Maier and Meike Stöhr from FAU, both esteemed experts in scanning probe microscopy and the investigation of low-dimensional molecular arrangements on surfaces, will assume the responsibilities previously held by Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RUG).

Meanwhile, UPC will enhance the molecular synthesis efforts of the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), thereby reinforcing the involvement of ESiM's experienced Principal Investigator, Kasper Moth-Poulsen, who has dual affiliations. The entire ESiM consortium eagerly anticipates fruitful collaboration with these prestigious institutions and extends a warm welcome to the new Principal Investigators!

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The ESiM project consortium convened in San Sebastian from October 17-18, 2023, hosted by project partner CSIC. During the meeting, consortium members reviewed the progress made in the project and strategized the upcoming phases. Key discussions included the preparation for an upcoming workshop in Barcelona on "Functioning Molecular Photoswitches for Energy Storage and Beyond," scheduled for April 2024. This workshop aims to delve into the latest advancements and applications of molecular photoswitches in energy storage, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among leading experts in the field.

Notably, the meeting marked the first participation of new consortium partner FAU, providing them with the opportunity to gain better insights into the project and its objectives.

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Audience during the ESiM Worskhop "Crossroad of Maxwell Demon"

 

The two-day workshop, held at CEMES-CNRS in Toulouse, France, on the 1st and 2nd of March 2023, brought together 19 invited speakers from across Europe. The event focused on cutting-edge research in nano/micro-systems and electronic devices capable of addressing single objects at the nanoscale, such as atoms and molecules. Key topics included cold-trap experiments and theoretical studies, both with and without supporting surfaces.

This workshop marked a significant milestone as it was the first time that interdisciplinary science communities gathered to share insights on subjects like intramolecular and quantum thermodynamics, as well as the motive power of single molecules.

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The ESiM project successfully held its second meeting at the cutting-edge PICO LAB at CEMES-CNRS in Toulouse on February 27th and 28th, 2023. Over these two engaging days, principal investigators, postdoctoral researchers, and PhD students came together to discuss initial findings and meticulously prepare for the project’s first EU review.

Following the meeting, participants engaged in the "Crossroad of Maxwell Demon" workshop, which took place on March 1st and 2nd in Toulouse. This workshop provided an invaluable platform for deeper discussions on the implications of the project’s findings, fostering collaboration and innovation among researchers. The combination of the meeting and workshop highlights the ESiM project’s commitment to advancing research and developing a robust network within the scientific community.

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A collaboration between 4 ESiM partners (TU Dresden, IPF Dresden, CNRS Toulouse, CSIC San Sebastian) has shown that a zwitterionic single-molecule machine can work in two different ways under bias voltage pulses. It is a unidirectional rotor while anchored on the surface. It is a fast drivable molecule vehicle (nanocar) while physisorbed.

In the same experimental conditions, the ESIM partners investigated the inelastic tunneling excitation producing the movement for both the unidirectional rotation of the rotor and the directed movement of the nanocar. The work represents an important step towards the realization of single-molecule machines, converting electrical energy in selected movement.

The work is published in ACS Nano as Article ASAP, DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c12128

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.2c12128

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From Wednesday, June 22, until today, collaborators of the ESiM Project (Energy Storage in Molecules) convened in Dresden for their inaugural meeting. Project partners from Germany, Spain, France, and The Netherlands showcased their individual work packages and outlined the roadmap for the 4-year initiative.

Led by Dr. Francesca Moresco of the cfaed SMM Group, the European Pathfinder Open project ESiM aims to harness intramolecular properties, such as rotations and conformational changes, for energy storage. ESiM focuses on storing and releasing energy within specific intramolecular degrees of freedom. The project integrates theory and simulation, molecular design and synthesis, scanning probe microscopy and manipulation, solid-state physics, and nanotechnology.

ESiM kickoff meeting - group photo of the project collaborators