• WELCOME

    We are an experimental research group investigating the electronic and magnetic properties of matter on the nanoscale, and developing strategies to manipulate them with atomic precision.

    READ MORE

  • WELCOME

    Our current research activities focus on metal-organic and graphene-based heterostructures, as well as two dimensional electron gases in the presence of superlattice structures.

    READ MORE

  • WELCOME

    We are based at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), which is located on the campus of the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona.

    READ MORE


Welcome

We are an experimental research group investigating the electronic and magnetic properties of matter on the nanoscale, and developing strategies to manipulate them with atomic precision. Our current research activities focus on metal-organic and graphene-based heterostructures, as well as two dimensional electron gases in the presence of superlattice structures. We are based at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), which is located on the campus of the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona.

Our Research

Our research activity is focused on the electronic and magnetic properties of low dimensional systems and hybrid organic/inorganic heterostructures. Combining scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy(STM/STS) with other non-local spectroscopies (XPS/ARPES, XAS/XMCD), we study the correlation between structural, electronic and magnetic properties in order to manipulate them with atomic precision.

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Job Offers

Molecular electronics and magnetism

Ligand and coordination chemistry can be used to design metal-organic molecules with an endless portfolio of physical properties. The pristine molecular properties are however, in most cases strongly modified in the presence of an interface. In our group we investigate how the interfacial interaction affects the molecular properties, and examine different manipulation strategies to control the molecular charge and spin, such as electron doping or the use of magnetic templates.

Graphene nanoarchitectonics

The unique properties of graphene, such as its gapless relativistic band structure and pseudospin magnetic character, have made this carbon-based material the focus of extremely numerous and diverse investigations during the last years. Such an extensive interest originates from the possibility of realizing graphene-based optolectronic and spintronic devices.

Manipulating electrons with step superlattices

Scattering processes affect electron dynamics, transport and quantum confinement. Hence, understanding the mechanisms behind different scattering phenomena is of paramount importance both for fundamental knowledge and the design of novel electronic nanodevices.

Publication Highlights

Atomically Sharp Lateral Superlattice Heterojunctions Built-in Nitrogen-doped Nanoporous Graphene

M. Tenorio , C. Moreno, P. Febrer, J. Castro-Esteban, P. Ordejón, D. Peña, M. Pruneda, and A. Mugarza, Advanced Materials 34, 2110099 (2022)

Tuning the Magnetic Anisotropy of Lanthanides on a Metal Substrate by Metal–Organic Coordination

S. O. Parreiras, D. Moreno, B. Cirera, M. A. Valbuena, J. I. Urgel, M. Paradinas, M. Panighel, F. Ajejas, M. A. Niño, J. M. Gallego, M. Valvidares, P. Gargiani, W. Kuch, J. I. Martínez, A. Mugarza, J. Camarero, R. Miranda, P. Perna, D. Écija, Small 17, 2102753 (2021).

Molecular Approach for Engineering Interfacial Interactions in Magnetic/Topological Insulator Heterostructures

M. G. Cuxart, M. A. Valbuena, R. Robles, C. Moreno, F. Bonell, G. Sauthier, I. Imaz, H. Xu, C. Nistor, A. Barla, P. Gargiani, M. Valvidares, D. Maspoch, P. Gambardella, S. O. Valenzuela, A. Mugarza, ACS Nano 14, 6285-6294 (2020).

Band Depopulation of Graphene Nanoribbons Induced by Chemical Gating with Amino Groups

J. Li, P. Brandimarte, M. Vilas-Varela, N. Merino-Díez, C. Moreno, A. Mugarza, J. Sáez Mollejo, D. Sánchez-Portal, D. Garcia de Oteyza, M. Corso, A. Garcia-Lekue, D. Peña, J. I. Pascual, ACS Nano 14, 1895-1901 (2020)

Bottom-up synthesis of multifunctional nanoporous graphene

C. Moreno, M. Vilas-Varela, B. Kretz, A. Garcia-Lekue, M. V. Costache, M. Paradinas, M. Panighel, G. Ceballos, S. O. Valenzuela, D. Peña, and A. Mugarza, Science 360, 199-203 (2018)