Molecular precision chemical sensor

The aim is to build ultra-sensitive sensors where atomic or molecular precision is the basis of their operation.
At present we are working in the design and characterization of novel 1D and 2D architectures for:
  • Molecular fluorescence- based Ion sensors.
  • Superconductor based- radiation sensors.
  • Nanostructured Graphene-based Gas sensors.
  • Plasmonic sensors.
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    Main resposibles:     CELIA ROGERO & MARTINA CORSO

    Molecular fluorescence- based Ion sensors

    The final goal is the development of a chemical sensor, able to capture Ba2+ dication. This sensor is under exploration as potentially unique tools in the field of neutrino particle physics. The application of such chemosensors to the field of particle physics is totally novel and requires experimental demonstration of their suitability in the ultra-dry environment of a xenon gas chamber.
     In this project we explore the ion chelation mechanism of fluorescence molecules in contact with a surface to determine how the molecule-surface interaction affects the final emission of the organic molecules.

    Key Publications:

  • “Ba+2 ion trapping using organic submonolayer for ultra-low background neutrinoless double beta detector ” P. Herrero,et al. Nature Comm. 13, 7741(2022)
  • “Fluorescent bicolour sensor for low-background neutrinoless double β decay experiments ” I. Rivilla,et al. Nature 583, 48–54 (2020)

    • Superconductor based- radiation sensors

    In the context of the SUPERTED project we are developing a SUPERconducting ThermoElectric Detector of electromagnetic radiation. This allows the building of new ultrasensitive detectors with large pixel arrays. These detectors will not be hampered by excess heating, which is causing problems in the present-day superconducting detectors.
     Our role is to grow the multilayer heterostructures composed of alternative layers of ferromagnetic material (Eu) and superconductor (Al). The size of the layers will be of the order of nanometers and will be the active part of the detector.
    Key Publications
  • “Superconductor-ferromagnet hybrids for non-reciprocal electronics and detectors” Z.Geng, et al. arXiv preprint arXiv:2302.12732(2023)
  • “Coexistence of superconductivity and spin-splitting fields in superconductor/ferromagnetic insulator bilayers of arbitrary thickness” A. Hijano, at al. Research3,023131(2021)
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    Nanostructured Graphene-based Gas sensors

    An emerging subfield of chemical and bioanalytical analysis is the development of chemical sensors based upon 1D or 2D covalent structures.
    Our main aim in this line is the design of hibrid gas sensors that combines graphene based structures with functional reactive groups. The structures will be covalently formed on the substrates.

    Key Publications
  • “Chemical Stability of (3,1)-Chiral Graphene Nanoribbons” Alejandro Berdonces-Layunta, James Lawrence, Shayan Edalatmanesh, Jesús Castro-Esteban, Tao Wang, Mohammed S. G. Mohammed, Luciano Colazzo, Diego Peña, Pavel Jelínek, and Dimas G. de Oteyza, ACS Nano 15, 5610-5617 (2021)

    • Plasmonic sensors

    Surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor has a high sensitivity to detect molecular binding events and changes in molecular conformation. In this project we grow perfectly defined silver layers with atomic precision. We also demonstrate sharp near-infrared plasmons in lithographically patterned wafer-scale atomically thin silver crystalline films.

    Key Publications
  • "Plasmonics in Atomically-Thin Crystalline Silver Films", Z. M. Abd El-Fattah, V. Mkhitaryan, J. Brede, L. Fernández, Q. Guo, C. Li, A. Ghosh, A. Rodríguez Echarri, D. Naveh, F. Xia, J. E. Ortega, and F. Javier García de Abajo, ACS Nano 13, 7771-7779 (2019)
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    More information

    celia.rogero@csic.es

    +34 943015804

    Paseo Manuel de Lardizábal 5

    20018, Donostia, Spain