NCCR "MaNEP - Materials with Novel Electronic Properties" (2001-2013)

​NCCR Director: Prof. Øystein Fischer (2001-2013), Christoph Renner (2013)

Home Institution: University of Geneva

Research in the NCCR and major results

The NCCR Materials with Novel Electronic Properties - MaNEP - has brought together research groups from various Swiss academic institutions as well as industrial partners, thereby establishing a broad network across Switzerland. The main goal was to achieve improvements in the fundamental understanding and control of the electronic properties of new materials, with the long-term ambition to assess and exploit their technological potential. The NCCR played a central role in strengthening the Swiss condensed matter community. Significant progress has been achieved on all fronts, from a fundamental understanding of intrinsic physical mechanisms to a more practical level of new materials synthesis and applications. As examples, we can mention the quest for an understanding of the phenomenon of high-Tc superconductivity, one of the major challenges of contemporary physics. The exploration of the electronic properties of LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures, which has led to the discovery of superconductivity at the interface between two good band insulators, is among the most widely publicised research to which MaNEP has contributed. Fascinating new materials (graphene, pnictides), processes (atomic-scale material synthesis) and physical concepts (topological insulators) were discovered worldwide. The NCCR scheme has given MaNEP all the means and flexibility to adapt rapidly and make significant contributions to these emerging topics.

Overview of NCCR projects and of participating research groups (PDF)