Consortium

Peter Banzer is an experimental physicist and head of the "Optics of Nano- and Quantum Materials" group at the University of Graz. Together with his research group, he investigates the interactions of structured light with structured matter on nanoscopic length scales. Tailor-made light fields represent an extremely fascinating field of research and pave the way for the investigation of novel fundamental effects and phenomena as well as the development of versatile applications in the fields of nanometrology, sensing, imaging and nanoscopy and beyond. In this context, the design as well as the optical properties of nano- and quantum materials play an important role, which also contribute to the development of novel material platforms.

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Selected method:

- Generation and control of complex, structured light fields on
macroscopic and nanoscopic length scales

- Specially designed experimental setups to study
structured light-matter interaction of individual
nanostructures

-- Momentum space polarimetry
-- Spectroscopy with structured light fields
-- Customized nanoscopic light sources
-- Optical trapping and manipulation with light

- Analytical and numerical codes for the theoretical description
of light-matter interaction

- Customized Raman spectroscopy

- Photoacoustic and laser-ultrasound based methods

Selected equipment:

- Laser scanning microscopes

- Nanoscanning microscopes

- Supercontinuum light sources with controllable spectral filters

- Beam shapers (phase, polarization)

- Etc.

Thomas Weiss is a theoretical physicist at the University of Graz, where he heads the Theoretical Nanophysics Group. His research focuses on theoretical nanooptics and includes topics such as resonantly enhanced light-matter interactions in chiral and achiral open systems, dielectric and plasmonic metasurfaces, optical fibers and waveguides. Possible fields of application are advanced sensors, integrated photonic circuits and enabling technologies for quantum devices.

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- Resonance states and resonance state development

- Proprietary and commercial methods for solving the
Maxwell equations

- Nonlinear pulse propagation in optical fibers and
waveguides

- Chirality and non-reciprocity in nanophotonics

Katalin Barta W. is Professor of Organic Chemistry and Renewable Resources at the Institute of Chemistry, Department of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, and heads the Department of Sustainable Catalysis. Research in the Barta group focuses on the development of sustainable catalytic methods for the valorization of renewable resources and platform chemicals derived from them. The research is fully committed to the principles of green chemistry. The methods focus in particular on depolymerization and functionalization approaches and the development of sustainable biorefinery systems with the aim of establishing links to the circular economy. The catalysis disciplines include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis as well as nanoparticle catalysis with current interest in single atom catalysis. The focus is on the development of robust catalytic systems that are compatible with the inherent complexity of renewable feedstocks. Consequently, nanoparticle catalysts are generated by various methods, including classical approaches of heterogeneous catalysis as well as the use of alternative reaction media such as ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents as stabilizing agents for catalytically active nanoparticle systems.

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- Agilent HEADSPACE GC-FID System

- Shimadzu Nexera HPLC-GPC/RI-UV/Vis

- Agilent HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS

- AGILENT GC/MS

- AGILENT FID

- V-730 Spectrophotometer JASCO

- AGILENT Cary 630 FTIR

- NETZSCH STA449F5 TG/DSC

- Pair of reactors (100-1000 mL)

A. Daniel Boese is a theoretical chemist at the Institute of Chemistry at the Karl-Franzens University of Graz. His research group focuses on the development of electron structure methods, their evaluation and application. Among other things, density functionals and modern embedding techniques are being developed in which several different methods are combined. Both nanotechnology and supramolecular chemistry are based on a good understanding and precise description of intermolecular interactions, in which the working group is particularly specialized. The areas of application are extremely diverse and range, for example, from the interactions between molecules in biological systems to interfaces such as the arrangement of molecules on surfaces and in molecular crystals in solids.

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- Theoretical Chemistry Computer Cluster
(approx. 600 CPUs)

- Programs to calculate Gas Phase Molecules
(TURBOMOLE, MOLPRO, Gaussian, Cadpac, Orca, DFTB+)

- Programs for Embedding Calculations
(QMPot, ChemShell)

- Programs to calculate Periodic Boundary Conditions
(VASP, DFTB+)

David Clases is head of the NanoMicroLab and deals with the analysis and use of nano- and microscale materials. The focus of his group is on element mass spectrometry and corresponding single particle analysis and imaging techniques. With these it is possible to create models with regard to the number, size, mass and elementary structure of discrete particles, as well as to localize and quantitatively describe micro- and nanostructures in complex systems. The methods developed are currently being used both to detect little-known particles in the environment and to characterize integrated structures in biological tissues.

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• Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)
  • ICP-MS, ICP-MS/MS, ICP-ToF-MS
• Single particle analysis
  • Single particle analysis using SP ICP-MS
  • Non-target screening of unknown nano-/microparticles
  • Description of particle concentrations, sizes and structure
  • Analysis of almost all elements of the periodic table in individual particles
  • Analysis of elements that are difficult to access, including carbon, fluorine, sulphur and phosphorus
  • Use of statistical models for particle classification
• Coupling techniques
  • Element imaging using LA-ICP-MS
    • Resolution (5 µm) and quantification of element distributions
  • AF4-ICP-MS
    • Size-based separation of particles with element-selective detection
  • LC-ICP-MS for speciation analysis
• Immuno-mass spectrometry
  • Use of metal-labeled antibodies
  • Imaging of protein distributions
  • Use of functionalized nanostructures
• Ultra-trace analysis
  • Trace element analysis with detection limits in the pg/g (ppt) range

Leonhard Grill is an experimental physicist and head of the working group "Single-Molecule Chemistry" (details on nano-lab.uni-graz.at) in the Physical Chemistry Department of the University of Graz. His scientific interest lies in the investigation and targeted manipulation of single molecules on surfaces using scanning probe microscopy (STM and AFM) in order to gain a fundamental understanding of physical and chemical processes. In particular, molecules with specific mechanical, chemical, electronic, electrical or optical functions are used to investigate molecular motion, chemical reactions or molecular switches, for example, or to produce molecular networks and wires in a targeted manner.

- Ultrahigh vacuum and low temperature experiments

- Scanning probe microscopy (STM and AFM)

- Single-molecule manipulation

- Photoelectron spectroscopy

- Low energy electron diffraction

Andreas Hohenau is an experimental physicist working in the research field of plasmon nanooptics and surface-enhanced ray scattering. His work focuses on research into the strongly enhanced interaction of light with molecules and colloidal quantum dots in the vicinity of plasmonic nanostructures. Besides the fundamental scientific interest, the research results are also important for the development of e.g. optical (bio-) sensors with improved sensitivity.

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- nanofabrication

- (near field) optical microscopy

- (single molecule) optical spectroscopy

- time correlated single photon counting

- ultrafast photoemission

Ulrich Hohenester is a theoretical physicist at the Institute of Physics at the Karl-Franzens-University Graz. His research focuses on the theoretical description and simulation of light and light-matter interactions at the nanoscale, especially in the field of plasmonics. He works closely with experimental groups, for example with the nanooptics group of Joachim Krenn, and is co-author of the toolbox MNPBEM for the simulation of plasmonic nanoparticles, which is used by many research groups worldwide.

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Sandro Keller is an experimental biophysicist and head of the Biophysics Department at the Institute of Molecular Biosciences (IMB) at the University of Graz. His research group investigates the dynamics and interactions of membrane proteins, which play key roles in cellular information exchange and mass transport and are attractive targets for active substances. In order to study membrane proteins in detail, the working group develops and uses new nanotechnological processes and numerous biophysical approaches and methods. In particular, so-called native nanodiscs are used, with the help of which membrane proteins can be investigated under well-defined conditions that are nevertheless similar to the natural environment - namely in a nanoscopic lipid bilayer.

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Selected methodn:

- Design and functionalization of new compounds using
organic synthetic chemistry to produce nanodiscs with improved
properties

- Development and application of biophysical methods to investigate
the properties of proteins and lipids in nanodiscs

- Use of nanodiscs to answer biomolecular
questions, such as research into
protein interaction networks and targets
for drug discovery

Selected equipment:

- Fluorescence spectroscopy: stationary and time-resolved, at
ensemble and single molecule level

- Circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD)

- Infrared spectroscopy (IR)

- Calorimetry: isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and
differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)

- Chromatography: preparative and analytical, for proteins,
polymers and small molecules (SEC, GPC, IMAC etc.)

- Light scattering: static light scattering (SLS) and dynamic
light scattering (DLS)

- microfluidic diffusion sizing (MDS)

- Hypothesis-based modeling of biomolecular interactions

Georg Koller is an experimental physicist at the Institute of Physics, Surface and Interface Physics Group, at the Karl-Franzens University of Graz. His scientific focus is on the growth and characterization of organic nanostructures on metallic and oxidic surfaces and their interfaces from molecular sub-monolayers to application-relevant layer thicknesses. The experimental approach is based on ultra-high vacuum preparation methods and characterization by means of electron spectroscopic and imaging methods, with a special focus on experiments at synchrotron radiation sources. Potential applications of the investigated conjugated organic materials range from organic photovoltaics to catalytic systems.

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- Ultrahigh vacuum techniques

- Physical vapor deposition of ultrathin metal oxide
and organic films

- Heteroepitaxy of inorganic/organic and organic/organic systems

- Photoelectron spectroscopies with a focus on angle-resolved
UV spectroscopy (ARUPS) and photoemission orbital
tomography (POT)

- Inverse photoelectron spectroscopy

- Experiments with synchrotron radiation
(X-ray absorption spectroscopy, ARUPS)

Stefan Kowarik heads the "Advanced X-ray scattering" working group in the Department of Physical Chemistry at the University of Graz. With the help of surface-sensitive X-ray scattering (XRD, GIXRD, XRR, GISAXS), processes such as nucleation or crystal growth are investigated on an atomic scale with time resolution and in situ. Another focus is on light-matter interactions, e.g. in the investigation of photoswitchable molecules or the optical control of crystal growth and polymorphism.

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- X-ray reflectivity

- Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction

- Synchrotron grazing incidence X-ray scattering

- In situ UHV measurements -150 - 450 °C, during material
evaporation or laser illumnination

- In situ measurements of the solid-liquid interface

Joachim Krenn heads the experimental nanooptics working group at the Karl-Franzens University of Graz. His research focuses on the elementary processes of the interaction of light with matter, in particular the optical properties of plasmonic nanostructures. The experimental methods include nanolithography, optical near-field microscopy and spectroscopy, as well as electron spectroscopy and ultrafast photoemission in several research collaborations.

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- nanofabrication

- (near field) optical microscopy

- (single molecule) optical spectroscopy

- time correlated single photon counting

- ultrafast photoemission

Georg Pabst is an experimental biophysicist at the Institute of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Graz. His scientific work deals with biological membranes as interaction sites of lipids, proteins and membrane-active agents in the sense of complex nanostructured multifunctional interfaces for diverse (patho)physiological processes. The aim is to gain an in-depth understanding of the physics of these systems using simplified functional models in order to advance the development of membrane-active agents (drugs). A number of biophysical methods are used, in particular elastic scattering methods such as X-ray and small-angle neutron scattering.

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- Small-Angle X-ray and Neutron Scattering (SAXS/SANS)

- Differential Calorimetry (DSC)

- Dilatometry

- Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)

- Data Modeling

Peter Puschnig is a theoretical physicist at the Institute of Physics at the Karl-Franzens University of Graz. His research group is primarily concerned with the calculation of structural and electronic properties of materials based on ab-initio calculations within the framework of density functional theory. Crystalline solids, such as metallic alloys or molecular crystals, are studied as well as interfaces between organic molecules and inorganic surfaces and nanostructures such as nanotubes or nanoribbons. Of particular interest to the NanoGraz consortium are its simulations of typical methods of surface physics, such as scanning probe microscopy or angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, which establish a close link to the experimental investigations.

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- Calculations in the context of density functional theory
(e.g. VASP code)

- Quasiparticle band structure from many-body perturbation theory
(GW approximation)

- Excitonic effects in optical spectra
(Bethe-Salpeter equation)

- Time-dependent density functional theory for the description of
photoemission processes

- Own developments for photoemission tomography

Eva Roblegg is a pharmaceutical technologist at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy. Her work focuses on the investigation of oral barriers and biological processes in order to gain a fundamental understanding of interactions with nanosystems. This knowledge is used to develop therapeutic micro- and nanovehicles that deliver drug candidates to the site of action in a targeted and safe manner. The working group focuses on oral diseases such as oral mucositis.
Research focus: oral biological barrier systems (mouth, intestine), nanoparticle interactions, drug delivery vehicles, new manufacturing technologies (nano-printing, nano-extrusion)

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- Ex-vivo models to study penetration/permeation of nanoparticles

- In-vitro models to study nanoparticle interactions with
biological barriers (cytotoxicity, cellular uptake mechanisms)

- Development and characterization of nano carriers for drug delivery
(polymeric and lipid systems, nanocrystals)

Martin Sterrer is head of the Surface Physics group at the Institute of Physics at the University of Graz. His fields of research include model catalysis on oxide-supported metal nanoparticles, the investigation of processes at solid-liquid interfaces, and adsorption studies on metal and oxide surfaces, using methods such as scanning tunneling microscopy, photoemission spectroscopy and vibrational spectroscopy.

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- Preparation of model catalysts and inorganic-organic hybrid systems

- Ultra-high vacuum technology

- Scanning probe microscopy/spectroscopy

- Photoemission spectroscopy (XPS, ARUPS) and tomography

- Vibrational spectroscopy (IRRAS)

- Thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS)

- Diffraction of low-energy electrons (LEED)

- Electrochemical methods (cyclic voltammetry)

Svetlozar Surnev is an experimental physicist in the field of surface physics. His research focuses on the characterization of oxide nanostructures on metal surfaces. He is the author of more than 100 publications and has given more than 10 invited talks at international conferences. He has participated in two NFNs and currently has an independent project. He has supervised 4 PhD students in the last 5 years.

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- Ultrahigh vacuum techniques

- Physical vapor deposition of ultrathin oxide films

- Electron spectroscopy (XPS, UPS, AES, HREELS) and diffraction
(LEED) techniques

- Scanning probe microscopy with atomic resolution (STM, AFM)

Andreas Zimmer is Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy at the Karl-Franzens-University. For more than 20 years, his research group has been investigating drug delivery systems for the targeted transport of drugs to the site of action (drug targeting). To this end, potential drugs are produced in the form of nanoparticles by means of self-assembly or prefabricated nanoparticles made of various biomolecules (e.g. peptides, proteins, lipids) are loaded with drugs. Zimmer's working group focuses on researching novel application routes for oligonucleotides, siRNA or microRNA for various therapeutic targets. Currently, microRNA systems for influencing fat metabolism are being investigated. Earlier studies also included cancer and viral infections.

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