People

Peter's research focuses on the adsorption of molecules on surfaces and how they can be induced to form structures with novel optical and electronic properties. Scanning probe microscopy is used extensively to study these phenomena.

Phil's research interests span a number of topical themes in nanometre scale science with a particular current focus on single atom/molecule manipulation. He is also a regular contributor to Nottingham's Sixty Symbols YouTube project which has, as of December 2012, attracted a little over 15 million views (across 200 videos).

Janette is a theoretical physicist working in nanoscience and condensed matter theory. Her research in nanoscience focuses on developing computationally-simple methods for simulating STM and AFM images of surface-adsorbed molecules which can then be compared with images obtained experimentally. She is particularly interested in images involving the fullerene molecule C₆₀, and investigating the effects of charging on these images. See her personal homepage for details of her research in other areas.

Ioan's research interest is the development of new optical and spectroscopic methods for studying biological materials at a nano and micro-scale. His main focus is the development of Raman spectroscopic techniques for investigations of live cells, cell membranes and other cellular components.

James' research explores self-assembly routes to complex inorganic molecules and supramolecular structures based on hydrogen-bonding and metal-coordination bonds such as those which hold a vast array of systems together in nature. He uses a wide range of surface science techniques from scanning probe including scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), to electron spectroscopy including core-level and valence band photoemission (XPS, UPS), x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS, NEXAFS) and resonant core-level techniques such as resonant photoemission (RPES).

James' research focuses on studying the physical properties of thin films of polymers and biopolymers. This involves studies of how long chain molecules such as polymers and proteins behave when they are confined in thin films that are smaller than the size of the molecules. The kinds of experiments that he's interested in are designed to probe the mechanical properties of these systems and also to learn about their molecular level motions.

Sam currently works as an EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellow in Professor Moriarty’s research group. His research involves measuring chemical interactions between single atoms and molecules to help understand, and drive, processes such as single atom/molecule manipulation. Sam shares his time between experimental measurements on our Low Temperature combined STM/AFM system (Createc GmbH) and theoretical modelling with the SIESTA density functional theory (DFT) simulation package.

Kenny's project involves multimodal spectral imaging for automated diagnosis in skin and breast cancer. He uses a range of machine learning techniques on Raman spectra obtained from human skin to make automated histopathology possible. This research tries to make surgery more efficient and more accurate.

Philipp joined Professor Moriarty's research group in May 2014 as a Marie Skłodowska Curie Research Fellow. After finishing his PhD at the University of Mainz (Germany), where he worked on molecular self-assembly on the insulating calcite(1014) surface, he investigated electronic properties of insulator-supported molecules at the University of Utah (USA) as an Alexander von Humboldt fellow. His research in Nottingham is centered on the characterization and exploitation of hybrid organic-silicon systems by tuning as well as evading the molecule-conductor coupling. He will use a combination of experimental scanning probe microscopy and photoelectron emission techniques combined with theoretical simulations using density functional theory.

Faris is developing new instruments based on Raman microspectroscopy, which will be used to investigate biological samples (cells, tissues etc). Currently he's working to improve the throughput of Raman sampling using software-controllable optics. This allows the profile of the laser beam used for Raman scattering to be controlled and shaped to the user's specifications.

Mike is currently working in the group as a Royal Society University Research Fellow. His research covers a variety of topics in the field of soft matter including protein aggregation; jamming of concentrated colloidal solutions; pattern formation and drop impact. A lot of this research centres around understanding the interactions of particles in a fluid: from nanoscale protein molecules to μm scale colloidal particles.

Bin is currently working on drying of thin colloidal film, studying how colloidal suspension behaves, crack formation, colloidal crystal structure of thin films. Her research interests also include surfactant and polymer self-assembly, mesoporous materials, interactions of peptides in lipid bilayers, and biodegradable polymer nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery.

Andy uses electrospray to deposit a range of nanostructures and dyes (for dye sensitised solar cells) onto surfaces. He analyses them using lab and synchrotron based X-ray techniques, including XPS, UPS, XAS, NEXAFS and RPES. Outside of university Andy tutors students for Physics, Chemistry and Maths A-levels and GCSEs.

Using noncontact AFM and STM, I am investigating the fullerene C60 on Sodium Chloride layers, concentrating in particular on charged fullerene ions. This is complemented by simulations of STM and AFM images to allow comparison between experimental results and theory.

Ioannis's project is 3D Atomic Manipulation. The aim of the project is to fabricate three-dimensional nanostructures via precise manipulation of Group XIV atoms (Si, Ge, Sn, Pb) on silicon surfaces using dynamic force microscopy.

Morten's PhD title is "Optimization of Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy using genetic algorithms". The project is focussed on using genetic algorithms to perform optimized atomic manipulation on surfaces for various tip geometries.

Alex’s PhD project involves investigating the formation of metal organic frameworks on surfaces using scanning tunnelling microscopy, X-ray diffraction and surface spectroscopy. His other work involves using both simulation and experimental observations to investigate the formation of supramolecular networks on surfaces.

Simons PhD project is titled "Single molecule imaging, spectroscopy and manipulation". In particular he is currently working on halogenated porphyrin molecules (Br4TPP) on the Cu(111) surface using a low temperature (5K), ultra-high vacuum (UHV) scanning tunnelling microscope (STM).

Rob's PhD project is entitled "High throughput selective electrospray deposition of complex molecules on surfaces under ultra-high vacuum" and is part funded by MolecularSpray (www.molecularspray.co.uk) who commercially produce portable electrospray systems. Electrospray is a novel method allowing the deposition, in high vacuum environments, of fragile molecules that would be damaged if conventional processes were used. Rob's time is split between developing electrospray as a technique and using photoelectron spectroscopy, both in the lab at Nottingham and at synchrotron facilities around the world, to study the molecules deposited using electrospray.

Andrew’s PhD is titled “Theoretical Modelling of the Scanning Probe Microscopy of the C₆₀ Fullerene”. Computational techniques are used to analyse the STM and AFM images of surface adsorbed C₆₀, and images where C₆₀ is adsorbed on the SPM probe. Furthermore, evidence of the Jahn-Teller effect may be observed in the STM images of the charged ions of C₆₀.

Simon has studied mechanical properties of porphyrin nanorings adsorbed on gold. He has fabricated graphene samples and studied the self-assembly of alkane-chains on graphene on different substrates. Simon also fabricated and characterised devices based on layered materials (InSe, BN, and graphene). He currently works at IMDEA Nanociencia in Madrid.