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The Micro and Nanostructured Materials Lab (NanoLab) at the Department of Energy of Politecnico di Milano (Italy)

 

The Micro and Nanostructured Materials Lab (NanoLab) at the Department of Energy of Politecnico di Milano is focused on the nanoscale design, production and research of novel materials. The NanoLab’s mission is the synthesis and study of novel materials for the understanding of fundamental physical phenomena and for technological applications.

The interest in micro and nanotechnology involves many fields: physics, chemistry, electronics and materials mechanics. It is based no the ability to develop technologies to study and to tailor the properties of the condensed matter at a nanometric scale. Due to charge and atomic vibration carrier confinement, nanometric structures show peculiar properties not exhibited by structures with larger dimensions. Moreover, in the nanoscopic world, these properties can be accurately modulated through dimension control, according to the laws of quantum solid-state physics. A detailed understanding and a fine control of the physical phenomena down to the nanoscale open the way for the development of novel materials with a potential impact in different technological fields (e.g. energy production and storage, heterogenous catalysis, sensing, etc.). In this context, the laboratory’s research work is focused on the growth and the study of nanostructures and of nanostructured materials, obtained by bottom-up techniques.

The Lab has developed a bottom-up nanotechnolgy approach for the synthesis and research of nanostructured films and surfaces, atomic clusters and nanostructures, based on competences of physics of matter (solid state physics, surface science and plasma physics). Materials are fabricated by physical vapour depostion (PVD) techniques such as Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) and evaporation. Morphological, structural and electronic properties are investigated by scanning probe microscopy (AFM/STM/STS) techniques and vibrational spectroscopies (Raman and surface Brillouin scattering), also for model surfaces and systems. Models and theory for Inelastic light scattering, solid state physics and plasma support the experimental activities.

Particular attention is given to understanding the relationship between atomic and nanoscale structures, functional properties and the development of novel materials with tailored properties for specific applications.

The Lab was established in the Nuclear Engineering Department at Politecnico di Milano in 1992 with Raman and Brillouin laser spectroscopies related to the study of vibrational, structural and elastic properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films, heterostructures and nanostructured systems. In 2001, thanks to an official agreement on nanotechnologies between Politecnico di Milano and Universita’ di Milano, the lab established a strict collaboration with the Molecular Beams and Nanocrystalline Materials Laboratory. Since 2003 the Micro and Nanostructured Materials Lab and 4 other laboratories at Politecnico di Milano constitute the NanoEngineered Materials and Surfaces – NEMAS Center entitled by the Italian Ministery of University and Research – MIUR as a center of excellence in nanoscience and nanotechnology.

More information:

Dra. Valeria Russo

Micro and Nanostructured Materials Lab

Department of Energy

Politecnico di Milano (Italy)