Research directions

The research activity of the department is focused on development of knowledge based materials and techniques  application driven involving multi~ and cross-disciplinary areas converging to optospintronics

ADVANCED MATERIALS

Heusler and half-Heusler families and  Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors (DMS) 

Phosphate glasses  doped with II-VI semiconductors, III d transitional ions, rare earth ions for optoelectronics as bulk and as thin films 

Micro and nano metal organic complexes with rare earth elements embedded in polymer hosts 

Photonic materials based on amorphous and crystalline GaN thin films;

Photonic structures consisting of multi-layers of SiO_x+P₂O₅ / ITO / SiO_x+P₂O₅ /ITO;

Composite materials ceramic/polymer with applications in information technologies;

Plasmonic structures for medical applications

TECHNIQUES 

Non-conventional methods to produce bulk  materials:

Travel Solvent and Travel Heater methods as well as Vertical Gradient Freeze to grow  bulk Heusler and half Heusler materials (NiMnSb, Co2Mn(Si, Ge, Ga, Sn, Sb)  Co₂Mn X_(1-x)Y_x and Co-based DMS, particularly studied for their applications in spintronics;

Wet method to produce bulk phosphate glasses

Sol-gel

Thin film and multilayer deposition

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD)

Spin coating

Characterisation 

Magneto-optical Kerr effect 

Change and heat transport analysis 

Structure and optical properties  through FTIR,  UV-VIS-NIR, fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy

RHEED

Development of Raman spectroscopy techniques for medical diagnostic and treatment monitoring