Carmen Munuera is a Tenured Scientist at the Materials Science Institute of Madrid, ICMM-CSIC, Spain. She is the head of the Scanning Probe Microscopy laboratory of the 2D Foundry group and is expert on the advanced modes of the technique, such as Kelvin Probe, Piezo Force and Magnetic Force Microscopy. Her research focuses on the characterization and manipulation of functional properties across diverse systems, with a particular emphasis on nanostructures and interfaces. The systems investigated during her research trajectory range from self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and molecular switches to complex oxide heterostructures and superconducting materials. Presently, her primary research focus revolves around the exploration of 2D materials and heterostructures. Utilizing Scanning Probe Microscopy, she conducts in-situ characterizations of these systems and devices under challenging conditions, such as in-operando or under strain, scrutinizing the induced effects at local scale.
Carmen Munuera
Recent AFM-related papers:
Biography: Carmen completed her undergraduate studies in Physics at the University of Seville, Spain, earning her Bachelor's degree, along with the Extraordinary Bachelor's Award from the Faculty of Physics. She pursued her doctoral training at the Institute of Materials Science in Madrid (ICMM-CSIC), obtaining in 2007 the PhD title from the Autonomous University of Madrid. Her doctoral research, supervised by Prof. Carmen Ocal, focused on the relationship between functional and structural properties in self-assembled monolayers, utilizing the Scanning Probe Microscopy technique.
She carried out a first postdoctoral stay at the Material Science Institute in Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) where she helped Prof. Ocal setting up the SPM laboratory of the current “Group of Physical Chemistry of Surfaces and Interfaces”. In 2008 she became a postdoctoral fellow at Max-Planck Institute for Metal Research, in Stuttgart. Her research interests reoriented after this postdoctoral stage, focusing on the nanoscale study of complex oxides heterostructures and the novel properties arising at the interfaces in these systems.
In 2010 she moved back to the ICMM joining the group of Prof. Mar García-Hernández, to set up a three axis vector magnet system for cryogenic scanning probe microscopy. This system was crucial to her investigation and motivated her interest in one of her actual research lines: the characterization and manipulation by MFM of the vortex lattice in layered superconductors.
Since 2017, she has been part of the 2DFoundry group at ICMM, heading the Scanning Probe Microscopy laboratory and focusing on the study of van der Waals materials.
Carmen's research contributions have been consistently recognized, with fellowships obtained through open and competitive calls supporting her various research stages (FPU, Postdoctoral MEC, Juan de la Cierva and Ramón y Cajal) In 2011, she was honored with the Young Scientist Award from the Royal Science Academy of Seville for her outstanding research work.
Twitter: @CarmenMunuera1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-munuera-lopez-306b27200/
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