Background
What is EuroNANOCHEM?
The ability to control chemical reactions has been a longstanding goal of chemical physics. Current methods used to control chemical pathways and hence the synthesis of many materials are based on thermodynamics with both the rate and products of a chemical reaction controlled largely by the temperature of the media in which the chemistry occurs. In order to develop chemistry on the micro/nanoscale it is necessary to develop new methodologies that allow chemical control of individual molecules.
Such ‘single molecule engineering’ requires both selective bond cleavage to control local site chemistry and the development of techniques that permit the chemistry to be manipulated spatially on the nanoscale to allow novel molecular architectures to be developed. Recent research has revealed that it is possible to control the excitation and dissociation of molecules using both light (generated from ultrafast lasers) and electrons (e.g. low energy beams or free electrons in a plasma) which, when coupled with the spatial resolution gained from scanning tunnel microscopes, may provide a route for developing such nanoscale chemical control. Such research is expected to underpin several new technologies in the 21st century, for example the development of nanolithography - one of the first commercial examples nanotechnology - in which chemical structures may be designed and constructed from single molecules on a surface. Furthermore, molecular site selectivity induced by both electrons and photons has been found to play a key role in radiation damage of biomolecular systems opening possibilities to develop new methods of radiotherapy. Electron and photon induced chemistry may also explain the dynamics of molecular synthesis in the interstellar medium and plays a key role in heterogeneous chemistry in the terrestrial atmosphere.
Electron induced functionalization of a diamond surface using CH3CN
Why a EUROCORES Programme on EuroNANOCHEM?
European groups have been at the forefront of this research, pioneering new methodologies in both theory and experiment. However, Europe’s research efforts in chemical control remains fragmentary and Europe currently lacks the infrastructure to bring together and coordinate the research skills of the three main research communities (femtosecond chemistry; electron driven processing; scanning tunnel microscopy) with necessary cross-disciplinary skills needed for the development of such research. This is in notable contrast to comparable research programmes in the USA and Japan. The Department of Energy, USA recently organised major reviews of such research leading to a more structured interdisciplinary research programme as part of its core nanotechnology initiative. Similarly in Japan research into processes related to such technology have been co-ordinated for over 10 years by joint academic/industry forums and several ‘Centres of Research Excellence’ have been established to develop this field. Thus, despite the innovation and pioneering research of the European research community, the development and commercialization of such research is being increasingly exploited outside the EU. EuroNANOCHEM seeks not only to support pioneering research of the highest quality but will provide the mechanisms by which such interdisciplinary collaboration may be fostered and ensure that the EU will retain and develop a vibrant research community capable of providing international leadership in the new and exciting field of chemical control
Keywords: chemical control; femtochemistry, electron processing, STM, physical chemistry