9A Nano-inspection and characterization

Programme Director: Prof. dr. Joost Frenken

This programme is aimed at the development of novel techniques and methodologies to image or otherwise locally characterize (probe) geometrical, electronic, magnetic, optical, mechanical, chemical, etc. properties of structures and materials on the nanometer scale. Explicitly excluded are methods that merely have (sub)-nanometer spatial resolution in a single direction but otherwise integrate over substantially larger distances. Typical techniques that qualify according to this definition are electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy and advanced photon-based techniques with sufficient spatial resolution. Since this program serves to generate enabling technology for application in other areas of nanotechnology, special emphasis is given to those developments that involve the specific application areas of NanoNextNL.

In the Netherlands the unique situation exists that apart from several excellent science groups, we have a wide variety of industries (from large, established world-leaders to promising young SME’s) that are strongly contributing to economic growth in the area of High-Tech systems. In this programme we have united all the main Dutch players in this field. The program has been set up as close collaboration between academia and industry and aims for a very significant level of valorization.