Vanmaekelbergh Lab

Current Grants

• Dutch NWO: Introducing spin-orbit coupling and superconductivity into 2D electronic model systems with Dirac carriers (2019-2023)
• Dutch NWO: Superficial superstructures: control of colloidal ordering at interfaces (2016-2022)
• ERC Advanced Grant FIRST STEP, nr. 692691 (2016-2022)
• ERC Advanced Grant, Horizon 2020, “Synthesis of 2-D semiconductors with honeycomb nanogeometry and study of their Dirac-type band structure and opto-electronic properties (FIRSTSTEP)” (2017-2022)

Previous Grants

• NWO-ECHO “Nanoperiodic semiconductors from colloids that react as atoms” 2013-2018
• FOM Program “Designing Dirac carriers in honeycomb semiconductor superlattices” 2013-2018
• NWO-TOPPUNT “Superfacial superstructures” 2016–2021
• STW-IWT “Quantum-dot based luminescent solar concentrators” 2016-2021
• ITN-Marie Curie, Horizon 2020, “Nanophotonics by nanocrystals, from integration to single photon operation (Phonsi)” 2014-2019

PhD thesis students

Jara Vliem, Synthesis and characterization of topological quantum materials, j.f.vliem@uu.nl

Just Promoted

• Maaike van der Sluijs (June 2024)
• Jesper Moes (May 2024)
• Tim Prins (December 2023)
• Annelies van der Bok (July 2023)
• Thomas Gardenier (April 2022)
• Bas Salzmann (March 2022)
• Jette van den Broeke (November 2021)
• Saoirsé Freeney (August 2021)
• Christiaan Post (May 2021)
• Annalisa Brodu (September 2019)
• Marlou Slot (July 2019), now working as a postdoc at NIST, Gaithersburg.
• Joep Peters (March 2019)
• Maryam Alimoradi Jazi (March 2019), now working as a postdoc in the group of Arjan Houtepen, TU Delft.
• Federico Montanarella (January 2019)
• Carlo van Overbeek (March 2018)
• Jaco Geuchies (October 2017), now working as a postdoc in the group of Arjan Houtepen, TU Delft.
• Nadine van der Heijden (September 2017)
• Joost van der Lit (March 2016), now working in ASML, Eindhoven
• Freddy Rabouw (September 2015), now working as an assistant professor at the Utrecht University
• Dominika Grodzińska (2014), now working at ASML, Eindhoven
• Francesca Pietra (2014), now working as a science consultant in Imperial College London

Research Team, staff

• Dr. Daniël Vanmaekelbergh, group leader, D.Vanmaekelbergh@uu.nl
• Dr. Ingmar Swart, Senior Staff, group leader STM, I.Swart@uu.nl
• Ing. Stephan Zevenhuizen, Technical Support, S.J.M.Zevenhuizen@uu.nl
• Peter van den Beld, Technical Support, p.m.vandenbeld@uu.nl

(Co) promotor of PhD theses

dr. Maaike van der Sluijs (June 19, 2024) Nanomaterials in Two Dimensions: Mechanistic Insights into the Formation and Synthesis of Superlattices and Nanosheets ISBN 978-90-393-7694-2
dr. Jesper Moes (May 3, 2024) From atom to edge: The influence of a magnetic field on nanoscale systems ISBN 978-90-393-7671-3
dr. Tim Prins (December 4, 2023) From atoms to photons: Formation and photophysical properties of nanomaterials ISBN 978-90-393-7611-9
dr. Annelies van der Bok (July 3, 2023) Luminescent Nanocrystals: Line broadening and formation mechanisms ISBN 978-94-6473-137-8
dr. Thomas Gardenier (April 19, 2022) Experiments and simulations for artificial electronic lattices ISBN 978-94-6423-698-9
dr. Bas Salzmann (March 16, 2022) Playdough for Chemists: Transformative cadmium and lead chalcogenide nanoplatelets and quantum rings ISBN 978-94-6423-685-9
dr. Jette van den Broeke (November 1, 2021) Topology, flat bands and magnetic fields in artificial electronic lattices ISBN 978-94-6423-497-8
dr. Saoirsé Freeney (August 25, 2021) Sculpting on the Nanoscale: Investigating Artificial Atoms, Molecules and Lattices ISBN 978-94-6423-403-9
dr. Christiaan Post (May 19, 2021) Designer materials on demand: Honeycomb semiconductors by lithographic design ISBN 978-94-6419-191-2
dr. Annalisa Brodu (September 16, 2019) Exciton Dynamics in InP Quantum Dots: Fine Structure and Radiative Recombination Processes ISBN 978-94-6380-468-4
dr. Marlou Slot (July 10, 2019) Patterning atomic flatland: Electronic lattices crafted atom by atom ISBN 978-90-393-7153-4
dr. Joep Peters (March 27, 2019) Building up: The chemical structure of lead chalcogenide nanocrystals and superlattices ISBN 978-94-028-1420-0
dr. Maryam Alimoradi Jazi (March 25, 2019) Superlattices in charge Band occupation and electron transport in 2D PbSe and CdSe superlattices ISBN 978-94-028-1395-1
dr. Federico Montanarella (January 28, 2019) A Self-Assembly Tale: Collective structural and optical phenomena in supraparticles of nanocrystals ISBN 978-90-9031426-6
dr. Carlo van Overbeek (March 7, 2018) Superstructure assembly 2D by oriented attachment of PbX nanocrystals ISBN 978-94-6295-850-0
dr. Jaco Geuchies (October 2, 2017) Connecting the dots: Shedding light on the self-assembly of semiconductor nanocrystals with synchrotron X-ray scattering techniques ISBN 978-94-629-5684-1
dr. Nadine van der Heijden (September 13, 2017) Stacking it up: Exploring the limits of ultra-high resolution atomic force microscopy ISBN 978-94-6295-678-0
dr. Joost van der Lit (March 23, 2016) Non-contact AFM and STM studies of molecular systems on weakly interacting surfaces: Can't touch this! ISBN 978-94-6295-334-5
dr. Freddy Rabouw (September 28, 2015) Before there was light: Excited state dynamics in luminescent (nano)materials ISBN 978-90-39363-97-3
dr. Mark Boneschanscher (June 4, 2014) Study of Two-Dimensional Materials with Honeycomb Geometry ISBN 978-90-8891-877-3
dr. Francesca Pietra (February 17, 2014) Colloidal CdSe/CdS heteronanorods: Synthesis, Self-Assembly and Optical properties ISBN 978-90-393-6087-3
dr. Wiel Evers (November 14, 2012) Entropy driven and reaction driven self-assembly of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals ISBN 978-90-393-5856-6
dr. Dominika Grodzińska (September 26, 2012) Colloidal PbSe/CdSe Heteronanocrystals. Atomic configuration, electronic structure and optical properties ISBN 978-90-393-5831-3
dr. Zhixiang Sun (January 09, 2012) Atomic and Electronic Structure of Quantum Dots Measured with Scanning Probe Techniques ISBN 978-90-393-5684-5
dr. Joep Pijpers (May 12, 2010) Carrier Dynamics in Photovoltaic Nanostructures ISBN 978-90-77209-41-7
dr. Lucian Jdira (November 10, 2008) Electronic properties of semiconductor quantum dots: a scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy study ISBN 978-90-902-3517-2
dr. Rolf Koole (October 15, 2008) Fundamentals and Applications of Semiconductor Nanocrystals: A study on the synthesis, optical properties, and interactions of quantum dots.... ISBN 978-90-393-4919-9
dr. ir. Karin Overgaag (October 1, 2008) Electronic coupling in self-assembled nanocrystal arrays, a scanning tunneling microscopy study ISBN 978-90-393-4891-8
dr. Arjan Houtepen (June 6, 2007) Charge injection and transport in quantum confined and disordered systems ISBN 978-90-393-4568-9
dr. Bert van Vugt (March 28, 2007) Optical properties of semiconductor nanowires ISBN 978-90-9021628-7
dr. Floris van Driel (June 7, 2006) Light sources in semiconductor photonic materials ISBN-10 90-393-4250-4 ISBN-13 978-90-393-4250-3
dr. François Reincke (January 26, 2004) Assembly of charged gold nanocrystals at electrodes and liquid/liquid interfaces ISBN 90-393-3577-X
dr. Aarnoud Roest (June 4, 2003) Electronic properties of assemblies of ZnO quantum dots ISBN 90-393-3324-6
dr. Alexander Germeau (January 31, 2003) Effects of spatial confinement on conduction electrons in semiconductor nanostructures ISBN 90-393-3232-0
dr. Erik Bakkers (September 25, 2000) Charge Transfer between Semiconductor Nanocrystals and a Metal ISBN 90-393-2451-4
dr. Addy van Dijken (October 6, 1999) Optical Properties and Quantum Confinement of Nanocrystalline II-VI Semiconductor Particles ISBN 90-393-2164-7
dr. Petra de Jongh (September 27, 1999) Photoelectrochemistry of Nanoporous Semiconductor Electrodes ISBN 90-393-2163-9
dr. Jao van de Lagemaat (September 7, 1998) Electrochemistry of large bandgap chemically resistant semiconductors ISBN 90-393-1687-2
dr. Geert Schoenmakers (September 19, 1996) Charge transfer reactions at wide bandgap II-VI semiconductor electrodes ISBN 90-393-1395-4
dr. Ben Erné (September 20, 1995) High quantum yield III-V photoanodes ISBN 90-393-0879-9
dr. Gerko Oskam (February 24, 1993) Electrochemical properties of metallized III-V semiconductors ISBN 90-393-0215-4
dr. André de Wit (October 15, 1992) Photoelectrochemistry of II-VI semiconductors ISBN -

University studies

• "Kandidaat" in science (chemistry), Rijksuniversiteit Gent, Belgium,
  July 1978, cum laude.
• "Licentiaat" in science (chemistry), Rijksuniversiteit Gent,
  July 1980, cum laude.
  Thesis: "Kinetic study of competitive photoelectrochemical reactions at III-V semiconductor electrodes".
  Supervisor: prof. W. Gomes, Dept. of Physical Chemistry.
• Ph.D. in science (chemistry), Rijksuniversiteit Gent,
  January 1984, cum laude.
  Thesis: " Investigations on the mechanism of photoelectrochemical reactions at n-type III-V semiconductor electrodes".
  Promotor: prof. W. Gomes, Dept. of Physical Chemistry.

Career

• "Aspirant" of the "Nationaal Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek",
  from 1-10-1980 to 3-4-1985 ( interrupted for military service from 4-6-1984 to 3-4-1985 ).
• Scientific researcher of the "Nationaal Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek",
  from 4-4-1985 to 1-4-1987.
• Postdoctorate in the Department of Condensed Matter of the Utrecht University (The Netherlands),
  from 1-4-1987 to 1-4-1989.
• Assistant Professor in the Department of Condensed Matter of the Utrecht University,
  from 1-4-1989 to 1-4-1991.
• Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry, Group Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Utrecht University,
  from 1-4-1991 to 1-12-2002.
• Professor, Chair Chemistry and Physics of Nanostructures, Dept. of Chemistry, Science Faculty,
  from 1-12-2002 to present.

Chemical synthesis

• Colloidal nanocrystals, II-VI, IV-VI compounds, e.g. PbSe, CdSe, ZnO, …
• Colloidal 2-D nanoplatelets of CdTe and CdSe
• Self-assembled nanocrystal superlattices
• In-situ monitoring of self-assembly processes with X-ray scattering methods in the synchrotron of Grenoble
• 2-D semiconductors with honeycomb nano-geometry and Dirac-type valence – and conduction bands
• Molecular structures on atomically flat surfaces
• Artificial 2-D electronic superlattices based on CO-molecules organised on flat metallic substrates, such as Cu(111)

Advanced synthesis facilities

HAADF-STEM image of a PbSe nanocrystal (Nanoletters 2013)

HAADF-STEM image of a PbSe honeycomb structure (Science 2014)

Phase transitions of an interfacial monolayer of PbSe nanocrystals, finally resulting in a square superlattice (Nature Materials 2016)

Atomic force microscopy, scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy

• Atomic structure of graphene nanoribbons studied with AFM
• Molecular self-assembly on a Au (111) substrate
• Moulding the surface state of Cu (111) with CO-manipulation
• Tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy of individual quantum dots
• Tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy of semiconductor superlattices

Energy levels and electron-phonon coupling in CdSe QDs by STS (Phys. Rev. Lett 2009, Chem. Rev. 2016)

Graphene nanoribbon on Au(111), left AFM picture of the atomic structure, right STM picture of a given orbital (Nature Communications 2013)

Optical spectroscopy on ensembles and the single molecule level

• Exiton polaritons in single ZnO nanowires
• Radiative versus Auger recombination in single CdSe quantum dots
• Delayed exciton emission in CdSe/(Cd, Zn, S) quantum dots and CdSe/CdS platelets
• Exciton fine structure of InP quantum dots

ZnO nanowires, lasing with interference from the two ends of a single ZnO nanowire (similar to the Young two-slit experiment) Nano Letters 2008

Light emission and whispering gallery mode from a CdSe supra particle on a bed of ZnO nanowires, ACS Nano 2015