Research Groups

The Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM) is pursuing world-leading research programs in several major areas. These programs exploit the unique electronic, magnetic, structural, chemical, and optical properties of individual, assembled and ordered nanostructures.

The CNM also works with its partner user facility at Argonne, the Advanced Photon Source (APS), to provide access to world-leading and unique characterization methods. As a principal component of its mission, the center capitalizes on the brilliance of the APS for a Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline. The capabilities and focus of the CNM complement those of the other U.S. Department of Energy Nanoscale Science Research Centers.

Electron and X-ray Microscopy

We achieve unprecedented understanding of materials properties at the nano to atomic scale with high spatial, energy, and temporal resolution.

Nanofabrication and Devices

We fabricate, integrate and manipulate nanostructures, including incorporation—under cleanroom conditions—of elements that couple mechanical, optical, and electrical signals to produce working nanofabricated structures.

Nanophotonics & Biofunctional Structures

We use ultra-fast-spectroscopy and advanced microscopy to understand optical energy transduction and quantum sensing, and also create nature-inspired assemblies for energy conversion, transport, and biosensing.

Nanoscale Synthesis and Characterization

We design and study atomic-scale to meso-scale materials with implications for energy, the environment, and coherent information transfer and sensing.

Theory and Modeling

We use a variety of levels of theory, including electronic structure, molecular dynamics, electrodynamics and quantum dynamics, as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence approaches, to understand and predict nanoscale phenomena.