ERC Funds Groundbreaking Single-Molecule Device Research Using Atom Manipulation

IBM Research scientist Dr. Leo Gross, University of Regensburg professor Dr. Jascha Repp, and University of Santiago de Compostela professor Dr. Diego Peña Gil have been awarded an ERC Synergy Grant for their project “Single Molecular Devices by Atom Manipulation” (MolDAM). The grant provides up to €9 million over six years for this interdisciplinary effort.

MolDAM brings together physicists and chemists to master the manipulation of individual molecules and chemical bonds. The goal is to build, with atomic precision, novel molecules and nanostructures using scanning probe microscopy, and to observe chemical reactions in real time.

Project Vision

Inspired by physicist and Nobel laureate Richard Feynman’s vision, MolDAM seeks to construct matter atom by atom. By steering chemical reactions with the tip of a scanning probe microscope, the team aims to capture bond formation and atomic rearrangements as never before, generating “movies” of reactions using ultrafast laser pulses.

Additionally, the project will investigate single‑electron dynamics within custom‑built structures, enabling studies of electron transfer, carrier generation, recombination, and redox processes at the molecular level. This will provide unprecedented insight into how molecules behave when their individual atoms are placed in controlled configurations.

Impact

Atomically defined molecular devices studied on their natural length and time scales will deepen our fundamental understanding of chemistry and physics. The findings will influence fields ranging from chemical synthesis and light‑harvesting to molecular machinery and next‑generation computing.

Inventing What’s Next

Stay up to date with the latest announcements, research, and events from IBM Research through our newsletter.

Sign up