Winfried Teizer

Spin Hall and spin-diagonal conductivity in the presence of Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling

We investigate the spin-current linear response conductivity tensor to an electric field in a paramagnetic two dimensonal electron gas with both Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling in the weak scattering regime. In the ususal case where both spin-orbit-split bands are occupied, we find that the spin-Hall conductivity depends only on the sign of the difference in magnitude of the Rashba and Dresselhaus coupling strengths except within a narrow window where both coupling strengths are equal. We also find a new effect in which a spin current is generated in the direction of the driving field whenever the Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling is nonzero. We discuss experimental implications of this finding taking into account the finite mobility and typical parameters of current samples and possible experimental set ups for its detection.

Enhanced magnetic anisotropy of Mn12-acetate

Abstract Thin films of the single molecule magnet [Mn 12 O 12 (CH 3 COO) 16 (H 2 O) 4 ]·2CH 3 COOH·4H 2 O (Mn 12 -acetate) have been fabricated on a Si-substrate by the dip-and-dry method, a simple and robust technique. Atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterizations reveal that homogeneous, thin films of a few molecular layers with smoothness at the molecular level are deposited. Significant changes in magnetic properties of Mn 12 -acetate exposed to the same solvent were observed in zero field-cooled and field-cooled magnetization, as well as AC-susceptibility measurements. The blocking temperature was found to increase to T B > 10 K at low magnetic fields, indicating an enhanced magnetic anisotropy.

Molecular motor-powered shuttles along multi-walled carbon nanotube tracks.

As a complementary tool to nanofluidics, biomolecular-based transport is envisioned for nanotechnological devices. We report a new method for guiding microtubule shuttles on multi-walled carbon nanotube tracks, aligned by dielectrophoresis on a functionalized surface. In the absence of electric field and in fluid flow, alignment is maintained. The directed translocation of kinesin propelled microtubules has been investigated using fluorescence microscopy. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of microtubules gliding along carbon nanotubes.

Surface manipulation of microtubules using self-assembled monolayers and electrophoresis.

We integrate microtubule (MT)-resistant self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with lithographically patterned electrodes to control MTs in a cell-free environment. Formed through a facile, one-step assembly method, the poly(ethylene glycol) trimethoxysilane SAM prevents MT adsorption on both silicon substrates and Au microstructures without casein. We characterize the SAM using ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy and compare it with other MT passivation techniques. The SAM retains its passivating ability when used as a substrate for electron beam lithography, a key feature that allows us to pattern microtubules on lithographically defined Au structures. Moreover, by combining the SAM-passivated Au microelectrodes and DC electrophoresis, we demonstrate reversible trapping of MTs as well as capture and alignment of individual MTs.

Nanopatterning of Mn12-acetate single-molecule magnet films

We report the fabrication of the artificial nanopatterns of Mn12-acetate films using e-beam lithography. Scanning electron micrographs and atomic force micrographs of the patterns reveal the minimum lateral size (∼50nm), height, and surface morphology of the patterns. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data indicate the presence of Mn12-acetate in the patterned structure. The thin film material indicates magnetic properties consistent with Mn12-acetate, supporting the conclusion that the lithographic chemicals used in this study do not interfere with the core properties of Mn12-acetate. The successful fabrication of Mn12-acetate nanopatterns enables a range of possibilities for designed hybrid systems with three-dimensional positional control on the nanometer scale.

Behavior of Kinesin Driven Quantum Dots Trapped in a Microtubule Loop

We report the observation of kinesin driven quantum dots (QDs) trapped in a microtubule loop, allowing the investigation of moving QDs for a long time and an unprecedented long distance. The QD conjugates did not depart from our observational field of view, enabling the tracking of specific conjugates for more than 5 min. The unusually long run length and the periodicity caused by the loop track allow comparing and studying the trajectory of the kinesin driven QDs for more than 2 full laps, i.e., about 70 μm, enabling a statistical analysis of interactions of the same kinesin driven object with the same obstacle. The trajectories were extracted and analyzed from kymographs with a newly developed algorithm. Despite dispersion, several repetitive trajectory patterns can be identified. A method evaluating the similarity is introduced allowing a quantitative comparison between the trajectories. The velocity variations appear strongly correlated to the presence of obstacles. We discuss the reasons making this long continuous travel distances on the loop track possible.

Functional localization of kinesin/microtubule-based motility system along metallic glass microwires

We report an approach using metallic glass microwires for functional organization of kinesin/microtubule-based molecular motility systems along a quasi-one-dimensional track. The molecular motility system assembled along a metallic glass microwire exhibits the typical kinesin-powered gliding motion of microtubules, while the variance of the gliding direction depends on the wire diameter. As a result of the geometrical boundary condition given by the wire tracks, the angle within which the orientations of gliding microtubules fall becomes narrower for smaller wire diameter. Such behavior supports the feasibility of using microwires as a simple and flexible means of spatial regulation of the molecule-based in-vitro motion. Furthermore, the metallic glass wires interact with microtubules, the negatively charged polyelectrolyte, by creating electric fields. We experimentally demonstrate how the electric field-induced forces act as an additional control parameter in the wire-based manipulation of the molecular...

Interaction and spectral gaps of surface plasmon modes in gold nano-structures

The transmission of ultrashort (7 fs) broadband laser pulses through periodic gold nano-structures is studied. The distribution of the transmitted light intensity over wavelength and angle shows an efficient coupling of the incident p-polarized light to two counter-propagating surface plasmon (SP) modes. As a result of the mode interaction, the avoided crossing patterns exhibit energy and momentum gaps, which depend on the configuration of the nano-structure and the wavelength. Variations of the widths of the SP resonances and an abrupt change of the mode interaction in the vicinity of the avoided crossing region are observed. These features are explained by the model of two coupled modes and a coupling change due to switching from the higher frequency dark mode to the lower frequency bright mode for increasing wavelength of the excitation light.

The assembly of kinesin-based nanotransport systems

At the nano-scale many proteins act as biological actuators for rotation or translation. Among these proteins, the building blocks of self-assembled, highly efficient natural motors, kinesin is considered a promising tool in the development of synthetic nanorobots. Conversion of chemical energy into mechanical work, harnessed by the hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate, propels kinesin along a cytoplasmic system of fibers, known as a microtubule. Even though recent efforts were made to engineer tailor-made artificial nanotransport systems using kinesin, no systematic study investigated how these systems can be organized from the bottom up using the surface plasmon resonance technique. Here, we show that it is possible to quantitatively evaluate how each component of such nanoscopic machines is sequentially assembled by monitoring the individual association of its components, focusing specifically on the kinesin association to microtubules as well as the cargo-kinesin association. Furthermore, the kinetic ...

Variation of the density of states in amorphous GdSi at the metal-insulator transition

We performed detailed conductivity and tunneling mesurements on the amorphous, magnetically doped material