Spectroscopy of Nanostructures group

Head: Sebastian Maćkowski

The group specializes in performing wide range of optical spectroscopy and microscopy measurements of nanoscale systems including metallic nanoparticles, natural photosynthetic complexes from algae, bacteria and plants, semiconductor nanostructures, as well as combinations thereof.

Nikon laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscope and Nikon wide-field fluorescence microscope both enable fast and efficient inspection of emitting properties of layered samples, both LED, OLED, and solar cell samples containing metallic nanoparticles. Both systems are equipped with high sensitivity CCD imaging detectors. The spatial resolution of both setups can be as high as 300 nm which allows for imaging individual nanostructures and correlating their positions with subsequently acquired fluorescence images. Home-built confocal optical microscope coupled to a solid immersion lens and piezoelectric translation stage can be used for advanced fluorescence experiments on layered structures that are not suitable for oil immersion microscopy. This highly flexible apparatus is equipped with CCD detectors for imaging and spectra detection, as well as ultra sensitive silicon APD or ultrafast photodiode, for fluorescence maps and fluorescence transients in picosecond time domain, respectively. High quality, spectrally selective polarizers can be coupled to the setup for studying polarization properties of hybrid nanostructures.
Research is mainly focused on improving natural photosynthesis via coupling with metallic nanoparticles/plasmon resonances, as well as coupling with components of organic electronics. High resolution optical spectroscopy and microscopy allows for elucidating basic mechanisms and processes that occur at the nanoscale thus enabling thought-over optimization of possible devices.