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Recently, researchers belonging to ALF, have been working in the development of a miniaturized spectrometer in collaboration with the European Space Agency, the Department of Physics and Swiss Nanoscience Institute (University of Basel), the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences (ETH Zurich), the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) and the Optics and Photonics Technology Laboratory (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL). The device belongs to the family of ultracompact Fourier Transform spectrometers, and it consist of a LiNbO3 chip in which a monomodal waveguide was fabricated with an optimized design to produce a light flux in the vertical direction. In the upper part of the chip a nano-detector (gold nanowire) was placed perpendicularly to the waveguide, together with a quantum dot HgTe nanolayer. The gold nanowire acts as scattering element, sensing the light confined in the waveguide. The nanolayer creates a photocurrent that can be measured. An external mirror placed at the output of the waveguide enables the creation of a standing wave that is monitorized by the nano-detector. The controlled motion of the mirror produces a spatial swept of the standing wave, thus obtaining the measurement of the confined intensity, from which the spectrum is extracted by Fourier transform.

Scheme of the device

After fabrication, it has been demonstrated the efficient operation with resolution better than 50 cm^-1 in the near infrared. The active part of the device has a tiny volume as small as 100 μm×100 μm×100 μm, and it could be integrated in the new generation of ultrasmall satellites.

More information at:

M. Grotevent et al., “Integrated photodetectors for compact Fourier-transform waveguide spectrometers” Nature Photonics 17, 59 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-022-01088-7

14 June, 2023 admin ALF results, Review No comments

Seminar: Attosecond Quantum Technologies for Advanced Materials Metrologies (Henry Kapteyn)

Next June 19 at 09:00 in classroom III of the Trilingual building, Henry Kapteyn from JILA from University of Colorado Boulder will give the seminar: Attosecond Quantum Technologies for Advanced Materials Metrologies

Next-generation nano and quantum devices have increasingly complex 3D structure. As their dimensions shrink, their performance is often governed by interface quality or precise chemical, interfacial or dopant composition. However, correlating their structural and functional properties is challenging.

High harmonic quantum light sources provide an exquisite source of short wavelength light, with unprecedented control over the spectral, temporal, polarization and orbital angular momentum (OAM) of the emitted waveforms, from the UV to the keV photon energy region. These advances are providing powerful new tools for near-perfect x-ray functional imaging, and for engineering the illumination to achieve high-fidelity imaging – akin to the vortex beams used in visible super-resolution imaging.

Seminar’s poster can be downloaded here.

13 June, 2023 admin Seminar No comments

OP Session – Detection of new chiral phenomena in nanomaterials

José Caridad from the Department of Applied Physics of the University of Salamanca and principal investigator of the CHIROTRONICS project (ERC Starting Grant 101039754), will give the seminar entitled “Detection of new chiral phenomena in nanomaterials” on June 9 at 09:00.

The seminar will take place in room VII of the Trilingual Building at the University of Salamanca.

7 June, 2023 admin OP Session No comments

Launch of the FASLIGHT network

The Research Network “Fundamentals and Applications of Structured Light” FASLIGHT has already started.

This network has emerged within the framework of the «Redes de Investigación» call within the framework of the Programa Estatal para Impulsar la Investigación Científico-Técnica y su Transferencia, del Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023. The action will last 2 years, starting in June 2023 and has received €20,300 in funding from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and the Agencia Estatal de Investigación.

The objective of the FASLIGHT network is to create a Spanish structured light network, uniting scientific groups with diverse experience in fundamental and applied physics, but with common points in the use of structured light. For this it is intended:

Establish a collaboration framework beyond the already existing bilateral collaborations under the umbrella of structured light, in which research groups from various fields of specialization can share their work, discuss novel ideas and promote new collaborations.
Activate new collaborations between Spanish groups that make use of structured light and explore potential collaborations between distant research fields.
Promote the international visibility of Spanish groups that work within the framework of structured light.
Motivate future project proposals, including European funds such as Marie Curie ITN, PATHFINDER, etc., and national and regional funds.
Promote the use of structured light as a key transformative technology in Spain.

The FASLIGHT network is made up of the following 15 nodes:

Grupo de Aplicaciones del Láser y Fotónica, represented by Luis Plaja Rustein, from the Universidad de Salamanca (USAL).
Estructuras fotónicas no lineales, represented by Albert Ferrando, from the Universitat de València (UV).
Engineering physics group, represented by Ángel Paredes, from the Universidad de Vigo (UVigo).
Attosecond and ultrafast x-ray optics (AUXO), represented by Antonio Picón, from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (AUM)
Grupo de Fotónica Aplicada / Applied Photonics Group, represented by David Novoa from the Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU).
Grupo de Investigación de Óptica (GROC-UJI), represented by Enrique Tajahuerce, from the Universitat Jaume I (UJI).
Grupo de investigación en luz estructurada de la Universidad de Zaragoza, represented by Francisco Javier Salgado Remacha, from the Universidad de Zaragoza (UZ)
Quantum Nanophotonics Laboratory, represented by Gabriel Molina Terriza, from the Materials Physics Center.
Grupo de Tecnología Óptica y Optoelectrónica – TecnOpto-UMH, represented by Ignacio Moreno, from the Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche (UMH)
Grupo de luz estructurada UCM: Control espacial/temporal de haces láser continuo/pulsado y sus aplicaciones, represented by Jose A. Rodrigo Martín-Romo, from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Laboratorio de Óptica (LOUM), represented by Juan Manuel Bueno, from the Universidad de Murcia (UMU).
Grupo Photonics4Life, represented by María Teresa Flores Arias, from the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC).
Grupo Theory for Quantum Technologies Group (TQT group), represented by Miguel Ángel García March from the Universitat Politécnica de València (UPV)
Grupo de Sistemas Complejos (GSC), represented by Miguel Ángel Porras, from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
Grupo Quantum Atom Optics (QAOS), represented by Verònica Ahufinger, from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).

1 June, 2023 admin Awards and honours, FASLIGHT_en, News No comments

Announcement of defense of doctoral thesis – Javier Prada-Rodrigo

On June 8th, Javier Prada Rodrigo will present his doctoral thesis entitled “Formation and characterization of surface micro- and nanostructures in polymers and polymeric nanocomposites prepared by irradiation with pulsed nano- and femtosecond lasers” and directed by the doctors D. Pablo Moreno Pedraz and Dª. Esther Rebollar González.

The defense act will take place at 11:30 a.m. in the Francisco de Vitoria classroom of the Escuelas Mayores Building.

31 May, 2023 admin ALF results, News No comments

Announcement of defense of doctoral thesis – Miguel López Ripa

On May 26, Miguel López Ripa will present his doctoral thesis entitled “Development of ultra-stable characterization techniques for ultrashort laser beams” and directed by doctors D. Íñigo Juan Sola Larrañaga and Mr. Benjamin Alonso Fernandez.

The defense act will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the Francisco de Vitoria classroom of the Escuelas Mayores Building.

29 May, 2023 admin ALF results, News No comments

Published the list of winners of the V Photo Contest “Día de la Luz”

On the occasion of the celebration on May 16 of the International Day of Light, the list of winners of the V “Day of Light” Photographic Contest organized by the Master’s Degree in Physics and Technology of Lasers (USAL – UVA) has been published. These entities and organizations also collaborate:

the ATTOSTRUCTURA project (funded by the European Innovation Council in the framework of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 research program on innovation under the grant agreement ERC 851201).
the Salamanca Local Section of the Royal Spanish Society of Physics.
the Spanish Society of Optics SEDOPTICA.
the magazine Óptica Pura y Aplicada.
the University Association OSAL Student Chapter.
the Supernova University Association.
the Physics League University Association.

The complete verdict can be read on the website of the Master’s Degree in Physics and Technology of Lasers.

Below you can see the 4 award-winning photographs.

Many thanks to all the participants and congratulations to the winners.

29 May, 2023 admin Awards and honours, News No comments

Lasers and nanostructured polymers and compounds: influence of properties and parameters

A study of the formation of Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) using near-infrared femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films deposited over gold substrates has been carried out. We report the influence of the gold substrate roughness and the PET film thickness on LIPSS formation and analyze it in terms of the features of the electric field distribution obtained by computer simulations using COMSOLTM. We obtain LIPSS with periods close to the irradiation wavelength as long as the aforementioned substrate and film parameters remain below certain threshold values, in particular for polymer thicknesses below 200 nm and substrate roughness of few nm. However, experiments show the impossibility of LIPSS formation for rough substrates as well as thick films above these threshold values. In our numerical simulations, we notice the generation of Surface Plasmon Polariton (SPP) in the film-substrate interface that gives rise to a periodical field pattern on the surface of the thin film. This periodicity is broken for a certain level of substrate roughness or film thickness. Moreover, the evolution of the period of the SPP as the substrate roughness and film thickness change for given laser parameters is qualitatively in good agreement with the experimental LIPSS period (below but close to the irradiation laser wavelength). In conclusion, the experimental findings are explained by the formation and behavior of SPP in the thin film-substrate interface. On these grounds, we propose that, for our case of study, this SPP formation and the subsequent inhomogeneous rise in temperature induced by the periodic field on the surface of the sample is the leading mechanism contributing to LIPSS formation.

More information at:

Prada-Rodrigo, J., Rodríguez-Beltrán, R. I., Ezquerra, T. A., Moreno, P., & Rebollar, E. (2023). Influence of film thickness and substrate roughness on the formation of laser induced periodic surface structures in poly(ethylene terephthalate) films deposited over gold substrates. Optics & Laser Technology, 159, 109007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optlastec.2022.109007

25 May, 2023 admin ALF results, Review No comments

Post-doc position on theory of structured attosecond pulses applied to ultrafast magnetism

The University of Salamanca (Spain) invites application for a 2-year Postdoc position starting in September 2023. The position is part of the project ATTOSTRUCTURA, “Structured attosecond pulses for ultrafast nanoscience”, funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant agreement No. 851201), supervised by Dr. Carlos Hernández-García, and with a duration of 5 years.

Application deadline: May 20^th 2023

Project information

The postdoctoral researcher will enrol the project “Structured attosecond pulses for ultrafast nanoscience” at the Laser Applications and Photonics Research group (ALF-USAL) at University of Salamanca (https://laser.usal.es/alf/en/home/). ALF-USAL is an interdisciplinary Optics research group with expertise in both theory (strong-field physics, nonlinear optics, ultrafast phenomena, attosecond science) and experiments (ultrashort pulse characterization, pulse shaping, photonic crystals, ultrashort micro-machining). Some of the recent results have been published in high impact factor scientific journals:

Some of the recent results have been published in high impact factor scientific journals:

-“Generation of extreme-ultraviolet beams with time-varying orbital angular momentum”, L. Rego, K. M. Dorney, N. J. Brooks, Q. Nguyen, C-T. Liao, J. San Román, D. E. Couch, Allison Liu, E. Pisanty, M. Lewenstein, L. Plaja, H. C. Kapteyn, M. M. Murnane, C. Hernández-García, Science 364, eaaw9486 (2019). Highlighted in the media:

Physicists discover croissant-shaped twists of light. National Geographic (USA)
Twisted light gains angular momentum through ‘self-torque’. PhysicsWorld (UK)
Descubierta una nueva propiedad de la luz. El País (Spain)
Físicos españoles descubren una nueva propiedad de la luz. El Mundo (Spain)

-“Controlling the polarization and vortex charge of attosecond high-harmonic beams via simultaneous spin-orbit momentum conservation”, K. M. Dorney, L. Rego, N. Brooks, J. San Román, C-T. Liao, J. L. Ellis, D. Zusin, C. Gentry, Q. Nguyen, J. M. Shaw, A. Picón, L. Plaja, H. C. Kapteyn, M. M. Murnane, C. Hernández-García, Nature Photonics 13, 123–130 (2019).

-“Extreme-Ultraviolet Vector-Vortex Beams from High Harmonic Generation“, Alba de las Heras, Alok P. Pandey, Julio San Román, Javier Serrano, Elsa Baynard, Guillaume Dovillaire, Moana Pittman, Charles Durfee, Luis Plaja, Sophie Kazamias, Olivier Guilbaud, Carlos Hernández-García, Optica 9, 71-79 (2022).

-“Necklace-structured high harmonic generation for low-divergence, soft X-ray harmonic combs with tunable line spacing”, Laura Rego, Nathan J. Brooks, Quynh L. D. Nguyen, Julio San Román, Iona Binnie, Luis Plaja, Henry C. Kapteyn, Margaret M. Murnane, Carlos Hernández-García, Science Advances 8, eabj7380 (2022).

Job profile

The candidate will explore the application of ultrashort structured pulses in ultrafast magnetism, an emerging field that is opening exciting scenarios in laser-matter interaction at the most fundamental level, merging the fields of Optics and Magnetism. The candidate will count not only with the collaboration of the theory research team at ALF-USAL (Dr. Luis Plaja, Dr. Julio San Román, Dr. Enrique Conejero and Dr. Carlos Hernández-García), but also with the collaboration of the research group on simulation of magnetic nanostructures SINAMAG at USAL, in particular with Prof. Luis López-Díaz and Dr. Rocío Yanes.

Successful candidates will have the possibility to consolidate their own independent research lines and to promote collaborative research among the following research lines:

Development of theoretical simulations of strong-field laser-matter interactions.
Development of theoretical models to describe the interaction of ultrafast structured laser pulses with gases and solids.
Implementation of high-performance computing simulations of strong-field laser-matter interaction.
Theoretical study of the ultrafast generation of magnetic textures (such as skyrmionic structures or vortices) using structured laser pulses.

Job Functions

To develop and implement theoretical models of laser-matter interaction along the described research lines.
To conduct independent research as well as in collaboration with other members of the group.
Co-advise undergraduate and Master students at University of Salamanca.

Candidate Requirements

Ph.D. in Physics, Chemistry or related Engineering degree, at the date of recruitment, with experience in theoretical Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, Photonics, Magnetism and/or Condensed matter physics.
Advanced skills in developing and implementing theoretical simulations of strong field laser-matter interaction, ultrafast magnetism and/or condensed matter physics.
Demonstrable team working skills.
Advanced level of English.
Candidates should be able to demonstrate a promising track record of achievements appropriate to their research field and career stage. CVs will be evaluated taking into account the overall track record of the researcher in relation to their level of experience.

Contract conditions

Dynamic and international working environment.
Training and access to a wide range of scientific facilities.
Soft skills training.
Employment conditions:
- - Two-years full-time employment contract.
  - Gross salary of 2.750 €/month.
  - Starting date: September 2023.
Research Project: ATTOSTRUCTURA, “Structured attosecond pulses for ultrafast nanoscience”, funded by the European Research Council (ERC)
Workplace: Laser Applications and Photonics Research group (ALF-USAL) at University of Salamanca (https://laser.usal.es/alf/en/home/), Spain.

Interested candidates should send a CV (maximum 4 pages), a personal statement with interests and reasons for applying, and two recommendation letters to Dr. Carlos Hernández-García at alf@usal.es.

For further information and inquiries see Euraxess web page, or contact Dr. Carlos Hernández-García at alf@usal.es.

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process is governed by the principles of publicity, equality, merit, and ability, constituting the effect one selecting body composed of representatives of the group of research of USAL.

The selection process will consist of two phases:

Analysis phase and curricular value of all nominations received, classified on the basis of better adaptation of the Curriculum vitae to the profile established and compliance with the requirements.
Personal interview: the three candidates with the highest scores in the Phase 1 will be selected for a personal interview.

SELECTION COMMISSION

The selection commission will be made up of Dr. Carlos Hernández-García, and two members of the research team Laser Applications and Photonics Research group (ALF-USAL) at Universidad de Salamanca.

More information about the project, the position and the application process can be found Euraxess web page.

20 April, 2023 admin Attostructura_En, Job position, Post_Eng No comments

+Fisica – Espectroscopía de bolsillo

On April 25, our colleague Iñigo Sola will give the talk “Espectroscopia de Bolsillo” within the +Fisica program. It will take place at 1:00 p.m. in classroom III of the Trilingual Building at the University of Salamanca..

19 April, 2023 admin Seminar No comments

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