Over the years, we have developed a comprehensive research infrastructure that covers the three main pillars of nanofabrication, modeling and experimental characterization. This page illustrates some of the setups and instruments in the lab.
Hybrid optical trapping and dielectrophoresis platform
This platform combines a 4-π microscope with different optical sources used for trapping, together with low frequency generators for dielectrophoresis. This instrument can also be used for Raman measurements.
Optical tweezers
We have several other platforms for optical trapping.
This custom made system includes different light sources and can be used to trap particles from above or from beneath. A high speed camera records the particle motion, which is then analyzed off-line.
This commercial optical tweezer is used for education purposes and for the development of nano-motors actuated by light.
Nonlinear optics laboratory
This platform includes different sources for the generation of short pulses of light, as well as pump-probe experiments. A custom-made confocal scanning microscope enables the efficient automated measurement of series of samples.
Computing infrastructure
We have a dedicated farm of servers for our modelling activities, based on DELL PowerEdge servers with up to 1 TB RAM and RAID data storage.
Cleanroom
We fully rely on the EPFL MicroNanotechnology Center, an outstanding platform that is second to none, with state-of-the-art equipment and extremely competent support staff who train each user to fabricate their own nanostructures.
We also have in the NAM a small wet chemistry lab that is equipped with all the needed for experiments, including centrifuge, oven and spin-coater.