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Self-assembly, the process by which interacting components form well-defined and often intricate structures, is typically thought of as a spontaneous process arising from equilibrium dynamics. When a system is driven by external…

Single-particle heat engines at atomic and colloidal scales obey the universal thermodynamic bounds on work and efficiency. Here, we translate these principles to the macroscale by building an athermal Stirling engine whose working medium…

Directed self-assembly (DSA) of block-copolymers (BCPs) is one of the most promising developments in the cost-effective production of nanoscale devices. The process makes use of the natural tendency for BCP mixtures to form nanoscale…

Despite decades of research, the ultimate goal of nanotechnology--top-down manipulation of individual atoms--has been directly achieved with only one technique: scanning probe microscopy. In this Review, we demonstrate that scanning…

Self-assembly is a fundamental concept in biology and of significant interest to nanotechnology. Significant progress has been made in characterizing and controlling the properties of the resulting structures, both experimentally and…

We have developed a controlled and highly reproducible method of making nanometer-spaced electrodes using electromigration in ambient lab conditions. This advance will make feasible single molecule measurements of macromolecules with…

Plasmonic nanopores are extensively investigated as single molecules detectors. The main limitations in plasmonic nanopore technology are the too fast translocation velocity of the molecule through the pore and the consequent very short…

There are two paradigms to study nanoscale engines in stochastic and quantum thermodynamics. Autonomous models, which do not rely on any external time-dependence, and models that make use of time-dependent control fields, often combined…

The development of efficient artificial nanodevices poses challenges which are of fundamental and technological nature. Recent progress has been made in the context of finite-time thermodynamics. A central question in finite-time…

The ability to rapidly manufacture building blocks with specific binding interactions is a key aspect of programmable assembly. Recent developments in DNA nanotechnology and colloidal particle synthesis have significantly advanced our…

Conducting submicron particles are well-suited as filler particles in non-conducting polymer matrices to obtain a conducting composite with a low percolation threshold. Going to nanometer-sized filler particles imposes a restriction to the…

The structural control of silicon nanocrystals is an important technological problem. Typically a distribution of nanocrystal sizes and shapes emerges under the uncontrolled aggregation of smaller clusters. The aim of this computational…

We propose and analyze a scheme to interface individual neutral atoms with nanoscale solid-state systems. The interface is enabled by optically trapping the atom via the strong near-field generated by a sharp metallic nanotip. We show that…

We demonstrate that a controlled and homogenous distribution of isolated nano-particles can be achieved in deposition by employing a single stage deposition technique, utilizing a commercial ultrasonic humidifier to produce micrometer scale…

Tailoring spin coupling to electric fields is central to spintronics and spin-based quantum information processing. We present an optimal micromagnet design that produces appropriate stray magnetic fields to mediate fast electrical spin…

Nano-size objects like metal clusters present an ideal system for the study of quantum phenomena and for constructing practical quantum devices. Integrating these small objects in a macroscopic circuit is, however, a difficult task. So far…

We discuss the application of dipole blockade techniques for the preparation of single atom and single photon sources. A deterministic protocol is given for loading a single atom in an optical trap as well as ejecting a controlled number of…

We present a scheme for remotely addressing single nano-objects by means of near-field optical microscopy that makes only use of one of the most fundamental properties of electromagnetic radiation: its polarization. A medium containing…

Nanoscale phase-control is one of the most powerful approaches to specifically tailor electrical fields in modern nanophotonics. Especially the precise sub-wavelength assembly of many individual nano-building-blocks has given rise to…

Interparticle interactions and bulk properties of colloidal suspensions can be substantially modified by addition of nanoparticles. Extreme asymmetries in size and charge between colloidal particles and nanoparticles present severe…