We congratulate Cristian Borja-Peña on being awarded third prize for best poster at the recent ChemOnTubes 2026 conference in Prague (Czech republic). Cristian is PhD student in project C05 of CRC 1772 under the supervision of Dr. Antonio Setaro. 

At the conference, Cristian presented his work entitled “Confinement-Induced Excitonic Phenomena in Molecular Chains Encapsulated in Carbon Nanotubes.” His research focuses on carbon nanotubes as a versatile platform for creating confined molecular architectures with tunable optical and electronic properties. By encapsulating organic molecules within nanotubes, a one-dimensional alignment is enforced, enabling the formation of extended molecular chains and giant J-aggregates that exhibit collective excitonic states.

Within CRC 1772, this project occupies a distinctive position, as it directly addresses nanotube-based systems as model environments for confinement. These hybrid structures provide an ideal platform to investigate fundamental light–matter interactions in reduced dimensions, thereby complementing and extending the broader research themes of the CRC.

In addition to enabling collective excitonic behavior, confinement within carbon nanotubes enhances the stability of molecular chains by shielding them from environmental perturbations. This aspect underlines the broader relevance of the work for potential applications in optoelectronics, sensing, and energy storage.

The systems are investigated using a comprehensive set of optical spectroscopy techniques, including photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, and Raman scattering, alongside complementary methods to assess nanotube filling. This integrated approach allows for a detailed understanding of how confinement influences molecular organization and emergent optical properties.

We are very proud of Cristian’s achievement. The award not only recognizes the quality and originality of his research but also recognizes his ability to communicate scientific results within the scientific community.