Nanoscience

The world of nanoscience is defined by the study of the ultrasmall, specifically near the size of a nanometer, or a billionth of a meter. Carefully engineered systems at this scale, such as quantum dots and semiconductors, help enlarge the benefits of the quantum world by enhancing our control of quantum interactions.  

JILA's diverse nanoscience research encompasses investigations of innovative technologies, including nanoscale energy transport, nanostructures, and quantum devices. JILA’s study of these devices is aimed towards developing more efficient solar cells and data storage, and developing essential technology for the future of quantum computing.

Researchers in Nanoscience

Photograph of Eric Cornell. Eric Cornell
Focus: BEC, Precision Measurement, Molecules, Frequency Combs Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Henry Kapteyn Henry Kapteyn
Focus: Ultrafast Lasers & X-Rays, Imaging, Chemical Physics, Quantum & Optical Science, Nanoscience, Materials, Molecular Science Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Konrad Lehnert. Konrad Lehnert
Focus: Quantum Nanomechanics, Microwave Quantum Optics, Mesoscopic Physics Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Heather Lewandowski Heather Lewandowski
Focus: Cold Molecules, Chemical Physics Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of David Nesbitt David Nesbitt
Focus: Chemical Physics, Biophysics, Molecular Ions Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Margaret Murnane Margaret Murnane
Focus: Ultrafast Lasers & X-Rays, Imaging, Chemical Physics, Quantum & Optical Science, Nanoscience, Materials, Molecular Science Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Thomas T. Perkins Thomas T. Perkins
Focus: Biophysics, AFM, Optical Tweezers, Single Molecule Role: Experimentalist
Markus Raschke Markus Raschke
Focus: Ultrafast Nano-optics, Chemical Physics, Nanoscience Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Jun Ye Jun Ye
Focus: Cold Atoms and Molecules, Frequency Combs, Ultrastable Lasers, Precision Measurement Role: Experimentalist
Shuo Sun photograph. Shuo Sun
Focus: Quantum Optics; Nanophotonics; Solid-state Quantum Information Processing Role: Experimentalist

Recent Highlights in Nanoscience

An artistic representation of a "hot carrier" gold nanoparticle
Going for Gold: New Advancements in Hot Carrier Science

In a new ACS Nano paper, JILA and NIST Fellow David Nesbitt, along with former graduate student Jacob Pettine and other collaborators, developed a new method for measuring the dynamics of specific particles known as “hot carriers,” as a function of both time and energy…

The near-universal ability of EDTA to accommodate metal cations comes from its molecular flexibility, which allows it to respond to the chemical nature of the metal ion it binds.
How to Bind with Metals and Water: A New Study on EDTA

Metal ions can be found in almost every environment, including wastewater, chemical waste and electronic recycling waste. Properly recovering and recycling valuable metals from various sources is crucial for sustainable resource management and contributes to environmental cleanup. Because of the scarcity of some of these metals, such as rare…

Fluid-like heat flow in highly confined nanosystems
Turning Up the Heat in Quantum Materials

Quantum materials, a fascinating class of materials that harness the power of quantum mechanics, are revolutionizing modern science and technology. Quantum materials often possess exotic states of matter, such as superconductivity or magnetic ordering, that defy conventional understanding and can be manipulated for various technological…

More Research Highlights