This project addresses key questions and challenges in modern
research on superconductors as important materials for energy
transport/storage and electronic devices. In any such application
the central issue is how to avoid motion of the Abrikosov
vortice s, which represent both energy loss and electrodynamic
noise. In this project we propose to use modern nanotechnological
methods and make systematic investigations of how artificially
created pinning centers in thin film superconductors can improve
vortex pinning and thereby the electromagnetic properties. Studies
of specific nano-structural patterns in 0, 1 and 2 dimensions are
proposed. We will use our unique high-resolution magneto-optical
imaging facility as main experimental tool, and combine the
exp erimental efforts with theoretical modeling. A large network of
international collaborators will allow us a rich supply of
state-of-the-art quality samples.