The present activities all take place in experimental condensed matter physics, with emphasis on nanomaterials. The central theme is the manipulation of electrons, atoms, and light in nanostructured materials, with an eye on photoelectronic applications .
The largest activity is undertaken by the Physics of Devices group (prof. dr. R.E.I. Schropp). Structural, optical, and electrical properties of amorphous and nanocrystalline semiconductors are investigated and optimized at interfaces as well as in the bulk of these materials. The thin films, including photonic enhancements, are incorporated in multilayer optoelectronic devices, with emphasis on efficient and low cost solar cells.
New European Research Project on Thin Film Silicon Solar Modules.
New multi-million Euro grants for innovative solar cell research.
The Atom Optics group (prof. dr. P. van der Straten) focuses on creating and understanding fundamental excitations in condensed matter model systems with many-body interactions. The key challenge of this group is to create the first atom laser producing a continuous matter wave, a potential work horse in modern condensed matter physics like the optical laser.
The Ultrafast Dynamics group (prof. dr. J.I. Dijkhuis) explores fundamental nonlinear physics of nano-acoustic solitons, high-density electron-hole plasma’s, and polaritons in nanolasers. Modification and ablation of materials by laser-induced shock waves is the applied part of the rearch program.
The Section Nanophotonics is part of the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science. The mission of the Institute is to facilitate and promote the research of the participating groups with a special focus on the partially overlapping subfields: colloids, catalysis and nanophotonics. The Institute aims to perform research in these fundamental focus areas at the highest international level and use this knowledge in more applied projects to arrive at a sustainable society and is therefore placed in the focus area Earth and Sustainability.
The Section Nanophotonics is led by:
prof. dr. R.E.I. Schropp (Section Chair)
prof. dr. J. Dijkhuis (Section Vice Chair)