Background

The scientific goal of the EUROCORES Programme SONS is to develop cross-disciplinary research at the interface between Chemistry, Materials Science, Nanoscience, Physics and Electrical Engineering.

This research programme concerns the utilization of supramolecular interactions for the synthesis and positioning of functional assemblies, macromolecules, dendrimers, liquid crystals, tailor-made polymers and inorganic nanoparticles.
Self-organization is a process in which a supramolecular organization is established in a complex system of interlocking components. The mechanism that produces the organization is determined by the competing interactions between the components. The hierarchy of interactions determines the hierarchy of levels in the final nanostructured material.
Thus self-organizing compounds allow a defined and well-controlled construction of ordered architectures on a nanometer-scale.

Molecular self-assembled architectures may find applications in advanced technologies such as new chip technologies (DNA probes, lab-on-the-chip), sensors transistors, data storage, light-emitting diodes, communication technologies, magnetic information storage, photovoltaic cells, and molecular motors and machines.

The second call for Proposals of SONS was launched in May 2005, and seven Collaborative Research Projects (CRPs) were selected for funding bringing together 51 research groups from 15 countries, with a total budget of almost 8 Mio Euros.

The SONS Programme fosters pan-European collaborative research, networking and training as well as dissemination of scientific results and activities developed in the frame of this programme.