Structure at mesoscale and materials’ properties

Research of the structures at mesoscale and materials’ properties include the study of the low-energy excitations in disordered systems, from the glasses, especially metallic glasses, through the nanocrystallinic materials to the crystal systems with collective ground state such as charge or spin density wave where disorder appears at the level of superstructure. Additional development of the research in this field at the Institute of Physics is expected in the form of comprehensive and systematic study through the activities of the Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials and Sensing Devices (CEMS) with the research unit Science of Graphene and related 2D Structures is based at the Institute, while scientists from the Institute also participate in the research unit New Functional Materials.

The objective of CEMS is development of advanced materials and structure, especially those that can be applicable in other domains of fundamental as well as applied science. Institute of Physics participates in the research units of CEMS which are focused on preparation, characterization and functionalization of materials for new sensors, electronic and optoelectronic elements, solar cells and thermoelectric elements. These materials include 2D materials, such as graphene, which have functional properties which can be used in different heterostructures such as transistors. The other class of materials which are being studied includes a wide range of nanostructured oxides, semiconductors and metals. Despite the fact that research activities of CEMS are focused towards applications of different prepared materials, complete understanding of their functionality demand a wide range of characterization methods within the fundamental condensed matter physics. Since the significant new physical phenomena in the studied materials appear at mesoscale, through the interaction of a large number of particles, the characteristic excitations in these complex superstructures appear at low energies.  Study of these excitations is possible only at very low temperatures where the influence of the noncoherent thermal excitations on the response of the collective states is minimized. The activities within the KaCIF project will support the research and the characterization of the samples at very low temperatures and in very high magnetic fields through the use of new scientific equipment and specific low-temperature techniques developed within the KaCIF laboratories at the Institute of Physics.