In this experimental research activity ultrafast time-resolved optical spectroscopy is employed to study the ultrafast processes that occur in condensed phase materials following intense optical excitation by ultrashort laser pulses. By utilizing the general pump-probe methodology the ultrafast electronic, lattice and magnetic interactions taking place in solids in the picosecond and the femtosecond temporal regime are investigated. Novel bulk and nanostructured photonic materials have high priority in our research with potential in modern applications such as nanocircuits, ultrafast nonlinear optical switches, high efficiency devices, energy, nanocatalysts, spintronics etc. The physics of semiconductors metals and dielectrics in confined geometries and nanostructures that exhibit novel combined optoelectronic and magnetic properties, hybrid and nanosructured materials with applications in environmental-friendly photonic devices are investigated. Strongly correlated metal oxide systems with electron correlations and combined optic and magnetic properties are in the front line of the research interest.
Education
- Batchelor’s degree in Physics, Un. Crete, Greece, 1996
- Master’s degree in Physics, Un. Of Crete, Greece, 1998
- PhD degree in Physics, Un. Crete, Greece, 2002
Career
- Marie Curie individual fellowship and postdoctoral research, Freie Un. Berlin, 2002-2007
- Greek Military Service 2007
- 2007-2008 postdoctoral research, FORTH-IESL
- 2008, Junior Researcher, FORTH-IESL
- 2011, Assistant Researcher, FORTH-IESL
- 2014, Principal Researcher, FORTH-IESL
Interests
- Ultrafast dynamics in solid state systems and condensed phase materials
- Electronic correlations in strongly correlated systems
- Nanocrystals, nanoparticles, nanostructures
- Plasmonic materials
- Reduced dimensionality systems
- Temporal Pulse Shaping applications and coherent control of ultrafast processes
- Ultrafast processes during light-surface interaction and ablation
- Lasers for Clean Energy Applications
Other
Laboratory Description
The FLASS (Femtosecond Laser Spectroscopy in Solid State) laboratory is a unique laboratory for the Greek research community based on an amplified laser source which delivers pulses of laser light at a repetition rate of 1 kHz, central wavelength at 785 nm, with maximum energy per pulse 0.8 mJ and minimum pulse duration of 25 fs. Secondary optical sources include non-collinear optical parametric amplifiers which can provide a broad range of selectable wavelengths spanning the region from the near UV to the near IR (~250nm-1500nm). Additionally a Spatial Light Modulator in a 4f optical configuration is used to modulate the temporal shape of the laser pulses in a temporal window extending to 14 ps. Together with a pump-probe workstation and the proper analysis instruments (spectrometer, monochromator, CCD imaging camera, lock-in amplifier etc.) we can perform state-of the art pump-probe time-resolved all-optical spectroscopy at a variety of condensed matter systems such as metals, (wide band gap-) semiconductors, quantum wells, thin films nanocrystals and reduced dimensionality systems. Also, the laboratory employs an additional dual-purpose workstation consisting of: 1) direct laser-surface writing for microstructure and nanostructure formation on metal, semiconductor and dielectric surfaces and 2) LIFT (Laser-Induced Forward Transfer) workstation for micro-confined deposition of thin films onto selected surfaces and substrates.