Heiner Linke

Research

My research group uses experimental and numerical methods to study transport phenomena far from thermal equilibrium. One focus is on nanoelectronic systems, where we investigate non-linear quantum transport phenomena, symmetry breaking, and efficient energy conversion between heat, light and electricity. We also develop artificial protein motors, study the interaction of protein motors with nanostructures, and explore fluid motion driven by ratchet phenomena.

A common theme of these research projects is the physics of ratchets and Brownian motors: the interplay of nonequilibrium, asymmetry, and thermal motion to create directed transport. A major aim is the development of new paradigms for energy-efficient computing and for efficient energy conversion.

Major projects

I currently coordinate five major projects:

• ERC Synergy Project (2021 - 2027): Artificial Motor Proteins: toward a designed, autonomous protein motor built from non-motor parts. Jointly with Birte Höcker (University Bayreuth) and Paul Curmi (University of New South Wales). An international team of three PIs aims to build the world's first artificial, autonomous protein motors.
• Swedish Research Council Research Environment (2020 – 2025): Single molecule bioanalytical sensing for precision cancer diagnostics. Jointly with Christelle Prinz (Physics, LU), Thoas Fioretos (Medicine, LU) and Fredrik Höök (Physics, Chalmers).
• Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation project: Nanothermodynamics of optolectronic semiconductor devices (2017 – 2021).  A team of 10 co-PIs develops and tests novel paradigms for energy-conversion devices that use nanoscale effects for better performance. See project website.
  Read "Electricity from the sun with ideas from nature’s motors" at the Wallenberg Foundation's site
• The EU Horizon 2020 COFUND doctoral project GenerationNano (MSCA funded 2020 - 2024).  Co-funding for a total of 14 PhD students in all parts of NanoLund. See link to the first call for applications. 
• The FET-Open EU project Bio4Comp - Parallel Network-based Biocomputation (2017 – 2021) . The project’s aim is to develop a highly energy efficient, parallel computer capable of solving otherwise intractable combinatorial problems.
  See website of the Bio4Comp project

Previously, I coordinated the following major projects:

PhD4Energy, Nanoscale Materials for Energy: Fundamentals, Applications and Safety, MSCA funded 2014-2018
Funding for 14 PhD students at Lund University.

ABACUS - Parallel computing based on designed networks explored by self-propelled, biological agents, EC funded 2014-2016

Human Frontiers Science Program (HFSP): Artificial protein motors. Partners: Nancy Forde (SFU Vancouver), Deek Woolfson (Univ. Bristol) and Paul Curmi (UNSW Sydney),  funded 2008 – 2010.

Teaching

• Project Nanoengineer, 15 ECTS  (VT 2019, VT 2020)
• FAFA55 Kvantfysikaliska koncept, 9 ECTS (HT12, HT13, HT14, HT15, HT16, HT17, HT18)
  Course page of FAFA55 Kvantfysikaliska koncept
• FAFA10 Kvantfenomen och Nanoteknik, 9 ECTS (HT09, VT11)
• FFFA01 Nanovetenskap och nanoteknik - en introduktion, 7.5 ECTS (HT10)