1. Leading scientist: S. Žumer; Senior scientists: S. Kralj, H. van Midden, I. Muševič, J. Pirš, A. Prodan, M. Remškar, M. Škarabot, M. Vilfan ; Younger scientists: M. Conradi, G. Skačej, D. Svenšek, A. Šarlah, A. Vilfan, R. Žitko; PhD students: B. Črnko, M. Humar, M. Ravnik, U. Tkalec, M. Viršek, A. Vrečko; technicians: I. Kvasić, S. Mendizza, S. Pirš, E. Zupanič; 9 FTEs Physics of soft matter, surfaces, and nanostructures Jozef Stefan Institute University of Ljubljana

2. Research methods Collaboration (local & international) Dynanamic light scattering NMR & Relaxometry Magnetic field techniques Complex optical tweezers Microfluidics Tribology Calorimetry Lattice-Boltzman approach Experimental tecniques AFM STM Optical tweezers Ellipsometry Optical microscopy SEM &TEM Vapor deposition Lithography UHV techniques Nanoparticle detection Substrate preparations in clean room Electro-optical studies Theory, modeling & simulations Landau - de Gennes approach Topology Hydrodynamics Elastic theory Kinetic equations Transport equations Monte Carlo simulations Molecular dynamics Second quantization Numerical renormalization group To establish basic equipment nearly a milion € was invested in 2004-08.

3. Publications 2004-08 ~ 125 SCI papers (>15% - PRL, Advanced materials, Science) 19 chapters in monographs published by international publishers 3 edited books and proceedings published by international publishers (Springer, Taylor & Francis, and Kluwer) 7 international patents  ~ 2300 - 1998-2008 papers  ~ 7800 - all papers Citations

4. Structural forces and 2D colloidal structures →2008 Assembling of 2D colloidal crystals in nematics  Science 313, 954 (2006)  2 Plenary lectures at 21 th ILCC 06, Keystone, USA  Plenary lecture at 9 th ECLC 05, Lisbon, Portugal Laser trapping of low refractive index particles in nematic LC PRL 2004 2D dipolar colloidal crystal 2D quadrupolar colloidal crystal Colloidal assembly

5. 2D colloidal lattice with superstructure PRL 2008 Colloidal particles entangled by a nematic disclination line PRL 2007 ModelingExperiment Structural forces and 2D colloidal structures → 2008 Formation via I-N thermal quench → Entanglad chain: Entangled dimer Dipolar & quadrupolar layers Possible applications of 1D & 2D structures: Light guiding and beam stearing

6. Colloids, complex mesophases,... 2008 → 1D colloidal chain → nematic colloidal optical microresonators Application: Micrometer sized split ring resonator with negative resonant magnetic response Hierarchical structures → meta materials Entangled colloidal particles decorated by small conductive or dielectric particles Nematic colloidal wire assembling of superstructures Transport of light along fluorescent colloidal particles, tightly entangled by defect lines, could be controlled by light. Fluorescently-labelled colloidal microcavities, embedded in a liquid crystal.

7. Colloids, complex mesophases,... 2008 → 3D nematic colloidal structures: defect & disclination entangled Possible applications of 3D colloidal crystals in photonics and plasmonics Chiral nematic and blue phase colloids BP2 and colloidal particles Assembling & modeling

8. Colloids, complex mesophases,... 2008 → Modeling of the responsiveness to external stimuli: temperature, ultra-violet light irradiation, electric or mechanical field… colloids covered with nematic shells: topological defect and colloidal valence control; Patterned colloidal particles Magnetic particles Dedrimers as building bloks Fuctionalization of nematic elastomers PRL 2008 5nm Fuctionalization of colloidal particles

9. Motor proteins: Myosin V - mechanics, kinetics, coordination, branching behaviour ( Biophys. J 2008) Bio & bioinspired systems → 2008 → Active swimmers: 2 cilia Phys. Rev. Lett 2006 Novel motors (dynein) Biomimetic cilia N cilia, phase waves Beating patterns No. 1 ranked proposal to International Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) 2008 (collaboration: Leeds, Tokyo, Sendai, Ljubljana) maximum efficiency

10. Liquid Crystal Applications → 2008 Study of mechanisms affecting performances of LC light modulators : -Alignment surface influence on switching times -Ionic contamination/field screening/memory effects/degraded gray scale performance [J. Appl. Phys. 2x, 2006, Displays 2004, SPIE 2004, patent granted in EU and USA] Novel wide-view angel LC light modulators: Highly Twisted Light Shutters (HTLS) - Concept, computer modeling, compensation, LC blending, prototyping eye protective filters -Technology transfer to spin-off company Balder Ltd yielded the best filter on the market -[SID Digest 2003, 2005, J. Appl. Optics 2008, 3 patents granted in EU, USA] Spin-off company of IJS, Balder Ltd: -World recognized producer of eye protective filters: 60% increase of sales in USA in 2007 (10% total) Long term (  4 years) no. 1 supplier to Germany (>25%),…. -Breakthrough into the sales network of ESAB – No.1 producer of welding equipment in EU (2008) TN LCD HTLS

11. Liquid Crystal Applications 2008 → Research of basic mechanisms affecting shutter performances: - anchoring energy of LC mono-layers on surfaces, - influence of adsorbed water molecules on the anchoring energy, High light-efficiency LCD light shutters: - Polarizer free LCD light shutters: Multilayer CLC light shutters & electrically controlled polarizing filters (EU FP7 – pilot protection; invitation of EADS, FOI, Fraunhofer), - Ultra-high speed OCB light shutter for medical application (cooperation with Japanese company Yamamoto). Invitation to participate in ISO work group for “Eye protection standard” (ISO/TC94/SC6/WG2 in WG4): Only three World best producers were invited: 3M, Sperian, Balder! Nematic biosensor based on anchoring strength sensor: regular array of micrometer scale wells in a solid substrate filled with a nematic LC that are exposed to dispersions of biological molecules.

12. Inorganic nanotubes → 2008 WS 2 “nanobuds” Nano Letters 2008 MoS 2 peapods - “mama”- tubes Advanced Matter. 2007 Possible applications: tribology catalysis composite materials Synthesis and characterization of new hybrid nanomaterials Josef Stefan Institute “Spin-off” company development, synthesis and commercialization of new nanomaterials Detection of nanoparticles in air Prototype based on our inovative idea Participation in legislation process in nanosafety EU projects: -Industrial FOREMOST (lubricants) - Industrial NANOSAFE2 (detection of oparticles) - IMPART (nanosafety) - 3 national patents - 2 PCT patent applications - Adv. Matter. 2004, 100 citations!

13. Drop of friction using MoS 2 “mama”-tubes Hybrid nanomaterials for use in tribology, solar cells, polymer composites and in catalysis. MoS 2 “mama”-tubes in TBAP Photovoltaic effect in visible light Kalin, SF-UL - Collaboration in legislation for safe nanotechnology - Preliminary monitoring of polution with nanoparticles at exposed locations in Slovenia Synthesis of new hybrid inorganic nanomaterials Development of a new generation of a prototype for detection of nanoparticles; - patent application - cheap portable detector - commercialization Inorganic nanotubes and nanoparticles 2008 → Electrical mobility diameter Nanotoxicity data for public use Nanoparticle size distribution before and after opening a hard coating reactor (IonBond, UK)

14. Synthesis of ordered surface nanostructures → 2008 Cu(111), T=9K1nm STM single atom manipulation Transport properties of nanostructures & Kondo effect Low temperature STM addapted for single atom precision. 2 software packages have been developed : “SNEG” calculates in the framework of the 2nd quantization formalism. “NRG Ljubljana” efficient implementation of the numerical renormalization group technique. Applications to clusters of impurities (quantum dots) 1 PRL, 6 PRBs

15. Atoms & Surfaces 2008 → Spintronics using NMR-LT STM Joint programme of developing a combined NMR-Low temperaqture STM instrument Manipulation and spectroscopy of single/cluster atom magnetic impurities Effects of single atom magnetic impurities on the surfaces of superconductors and magnets, the magnetic interaction between impurity pairs and local properties of larger impurity clusters will be studied. Chemical identification of single atoms, based on local spin NMR measurements.

16. International impact Last 4 years 30 invited and plenary talks at international meetings 4 organizations of international meetings 4 memberships in international conference boards 2 memberships in boards of international societies Editorial work for European Physics Journal E 9 partnerships in EU projects 350 000 € New Samsung Mid-Career Award of the International Liquid Crystal Society (I. Muševič 2008) President of the International Liquid Crystal Society (4 years starting July 2008- S. Žumer) 3 partnerships (JSI-Muševič, FMF-UL-Žumer, Balder-Pirš) out of 9 in HIERARCHY ITN EU project starting September 2008 (4 years) - close to 1 000 000 € for Slovenian partners Partnership in No. 1 ranked proposal to International Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) 2008 (collaboration: Leeds, Tokyo, Sendai, Ljubljana - A. Vilfan)

17. National relevance Indirect effects:. Strog research is crucial for good university education 7 PhDs completed (one foreign student) 9 employments (industry 2, university 2, research 2, government 2, education 1) Internationally competitive research as a cure for brain drain International promotion of the country Direct effects via stimulation and support to technological development: direct collaboration (Balder, Fotona, Iskra Mehanizmi,…) industrial projects (270 000 €) spin-off company Balder Ltd - the best eye protection filters new spin-off company Nanotul Ltd devoted to the commercialization of inorganic nanotubes Recognition of the relevance: The Zois award for outstanding achievements: Muševič 2006; 3 Jozef Stefan Golden Emblem Prize: Žitko 08, Svenšek 06, and Kočevar 04

18. Conclusions  Synergy of approaches: experiments, applications, simulations and theory institutional (IJS in FMF UL): lab facilities & source of new researchers personal (IJS, UL, UM, Balder, Nanotul) international (formal and informal collaboration)  Internationally competitive research with leading roll in some segments  Priority fields: nanotechnology, biotechnology & technology for informatics A 10% increase in funding would enable: postdoc position, redistribution between research and teaching loads. This would enable a full scale realization of our ambitious goals.