Engineering of surfaces and interfaces of nanostructures remains a central goal of modern solid state physics and chemistry, since atomically controlled interfaces play a key role in the performance of nanodevices. Limitations in characterisation and theoretical modelling tools have been a major obstacle to the development of controllable device interfaces. Technology is now entering a period of convergence between theory and characterisation tools, traditional spectroscopic techniques are being combined with microscopy to characterise individual nanoobjects.
In the first part of this talk we will discuss nanoscale spectroscopy using polarized X-rays by NEXAFS-TXM. We present image stacks and polarization-dependent NEXAFS spectra from individual titanate nanoribbons. The full-field transmission X-ray microscope (TXM) installed at the beamline U41 in BESSY II (Berlin Germany) generates high-resolution, large-area NEXAFS data with high collection rate. This new high-resolution NEXAFS-TXM technique opens the way to advanced nanoscale science studies.
Novel X-ray optics is also revolutionising the well-established X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy allowing the characterisation of isolated nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes or graphene. In the second part of the talk we will discuss recent results on doping of carbon nanostructures recorded at the beamline ESCAMICROSCOPY at Elettra (Trieste-Italy).

Nanoscale spectroscopy with polarized X-rays by NEXAFS-TXM(2012) Nature Photonics 6, 25-29
Nitrogen implantation of suspended graphene flakes: Annealing effects and selectivity of sp2 nitrogen species(2014)Carbon, 73, pp. 371-381.
Fluorination of suspended graphene(2017)Nano Research (just accepted)
Nitrogen ion casting on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes: Tip and sidewall chemical modification(2014)Carbon, 77, pp. 319-328