Research activities
The experimental techniques implemented within the framework of the research carried out at the LPMO are diverse but centered on spectroscopy ellipsometry and its variants such as imaging ellipsometry or ellipsometric porosimetry. These are techniques applicable to a very wide range of materials, but the group’s research is focused more precisely on the optical properties of plasmonic nanocomposites (NCP). This is a class of materials for which metallic nanoparticles are embedded in a dielectric or semiconductor matrix. In this more restricted context, the group’s expertise aims to manufacture, characterize and understand at the submicron scale the optical properties of NCPs obtained by chemical or physicochemical means.
This research orientation requires the parallel development of synthesis processes, analysis techniques such as spectroscopic ellipsometric imaging and data analysis methods derived from data mining and adapted to large datasets.
Current research also concerns the optical properties of materials used in renewable energy technologies (VO2, NiCrOx, WO3, etc.), the design of optical stacks for cold materials in line with the “COOLROOF” concept and nonlinear optical properties of nanoplasmonic materials (nonlinear refractive index and two-photon absorption coefficient).
Previous research topics relate to surface grafting of optical elements for use in biodetection techniques based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, micro- and nanoscopic aspects of surface wetting and hemocompatibility of polymers.
Our unit is also associated with the following UMONS research institutes :
