May 2012 – Congratulations to 
March 2012 - 
February 2012 - Temperatures below -10°C and strong winds have united to produce amazing pieces of art along lake Geneva, here in Versoix.
November 2011 – One dimensional charge density wave discovered by scanning tunneling microscopy in CaC6, a superconducting graphite intercalate compound. Collaboration with the 
September 2011 - MaNEP and the University of Geneva are celebrating 100 years of superconductivity. 
July 2011 – A one dimensional electronic state has been uncovered along the core of a self assembled endotaxial Si nanoline at the Si(001):H surface, with a range of promising properties to explore 1D physics. 
May 2011 – The anisotropic surface stress induced by Bi-nanolines is found to block the formation of embedded structures and stabilizes the nucleation of manganese silicide islands which grow in a preferred direction, forming nanowires on Si(001). 
March 2011 – The oxygen migration scenario for electroresistive switching in manganites gets new support. Mobile oxygen adatoms and defects have been observed by scanning tunneling microscopy with atomic resolution at the surface of PrSr2Mn2O7. Collaboration with the 
November 2010 - Migrating surface charges can simulate the giant piezoresistance observed in silicon nano- and micro-structures. See also comments in 
September 2010 – A promising Silicon only template for nanoscale patterning has been self assembled into the Si(001) surface. This work has been selected by the 
May 2010 – Congratulations to 
April 2009 – The PhysiScope draws the attention of Nature Materials. See also the 
April 2008 – Giant piezoresistance observed in a metal silicon hybrid structure. See also Overview
Our research is focused on low dimensional physics and correlated electron systems. Among the scientific topics is the question of the interplay between ordered electronic phases and superconductivity, and the fabrication of a one dimensional model system to probe exotic quantum properties emerging in such low dimensions. Investigated materials include self assembled single atom wires, graphitic materials, charge density wave systems and manganites.
The prime experimental techniques are scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) in combination with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Currently, we are operating one combined STM/AFM in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) and variable temperature. This Omicron LT-STM system is equipped with RHEED, LEED, XPS, a dedicated hydrogen cracker and a range of deposition sources. In early 2012, we are expecting delivery of a new variable temperature UHV combined STM/AFM including a 3 Tesla magnetic field and base temperature of 1.2 Kelvin. Finally, a home-built UHV scanning probe instrument dedicated to local spin detection is under development.
We are also actively developing the scanning probe technique itself, this includes building novel scan heads, a novel spin polarised STM scheme and an all electric cantilever deflection sensors.