Projects / Programmes
January 1, 2004
- December 31, 2008
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.02.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Physics |
|
| 2.09.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Electronic components and technologies |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| P260 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic and optical properties, supraconductors, magnetic resonance, relaxation, spectroscopy |
Liquid crystals, soft matter, optics, nonlinear optics, integrated optics, lasers, biomedical optics, laser medicine, optical tweezers
Researchers (18)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
The research program Light and Matter focuses on the investigations of optical phenomena in soft matter, and applications in optoelectronics, information technology and medicine. It consists of four parts. The first part involves surface interactions of liquid crystals and related partially ordered materials, on surface ordering of polymers, in particular photosensitive ones, and adsorbed large molecules studied by optical spectroscopy and nonlinear optical methods. Liquid crystal composites like holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystals will also be studied. The second part of research focuses on integrated optics and nonlinear optical elements and on holographic data storage. The third part involves studies of interaction of intense light with biological tissues and development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications for laser medicine. The fourth part includes research utiliying optical tweezers, including studies of stochastic resonance of brownian particles, exocytosis in cells and vesicles, and molecular motors.
Significance for science
Linear and nonlinear interactions of light with matter are in the center of currently one of the most active research fields within physics. Partly this is a consequence of an extraordinary usefulness of optical and spectroscopic methods not only in physics but also in chemistry, biology, material sciences and medicine. The other significant reason is a vast variety of optical phenomena which even after 50 years from the discovery of laser are not entirely understood. Last two decades have witnessed a large increase of technological importance of optical phenomena within matter in various fields e.g. transmission, processing and presentation of information, environmental measurements and medicine. Fast advance have also been seen in the soft matter research which includes systems ranging from partially ordered liquids to living cells. The proposed program is designed to cover topics from all mentioned fields and will in most aspects contribute to general knowledge in the form of publications in internationally recognized scientific journals. Research in the area of liquid crystals, holographic photo polymeric composites and non-linear optics will result in advances applicable to photonics – a technological field of utmost importance to the advancement of information technology e.g. data transmission, processing and presentation. Liquid crystal elastomers are considered as possible part of artificial muscle. Fluctuation dynamics measurements in these materials will provide basic and novel information on their behavior. Investigations of biosurfaces with femtosecond spectroscopic methods are currently underrepresented. We expect that a proposed program will result in new insights on interactions of biomolecules with surfaces and mechanisms of their spontaneous organization into different surface architectures. We expect to develop new methods of detection of functionally adsorbed biomolecules. The proposed research in the field of colloidal physics and colloidal manipulation will contribute to the advancement of the existing and development of new experimental methods for synthesis and characterization of complex colloidal systems. This research will also contribute to the increased basic knowledge on interparticle interactions within colloidal systems as well as open new ways to the development of micro lab processors based on micro fluidic technologies. Research in the field of clinical use of lasers in medicine will bring an original and globally important contribution to biomedical optics. Some research goals will enable optimization of parameters significant to increased success of the therapy and laser safety as well as the development of new therapeutical applications. New optical methods for non-invasive characterization of biological tissues (SFTR, VRS, LSI) could provide an important tool in the overall assessment of the therapy process and will potentially be used in individualizing the therapy.
Significance for the country
The importance of the research program Light and Matter lies in its established contacts with the leading research fields. These contacts should be further strengthened because photonics has a very important position in present science and technology. The following fields, which are covered by the programe, are very important for the Slovenian companies: liquid crystals, modern composite materials, biophysics and surface physics, laser physics applications in optoelectronics and medical physics. The program can be considered as a basis which allows the education of students at the highest level of competence. The accumulated knowledge and new graduated students will allow the Slovenian companies to participate in new European and international projects, both on research and on applied level. We want to stress that the proposed research activities present a tight connection between the basic and applied science and a very fast transfer of personnel is possible from the scientific to the technological know-how. The proposed research is additionally interesting for Slovenia because the internationally relevant results can be obtainde by relatively modest budget and equipment. We want to stress again, that the close collaboration with foreign institutes will be continued and the proposed research program will be an important contribution to international research. Optoelectronic industry in Slovenia is well-developped. Our close contacts with several companies have a long and successful history. We educate competent engineers and take care, that the level of knowledge is on the leading edge. This is important for the companies in order to compete on the global market. The research of the scientist in this group has already contributed to development of lasers, produced in Fotona d.d., and their applications. In the field of liquid crystal light switches, Balder is another example of successful collaboration in the past, but new research of polymer surfaces and liquid-crystal-systems will contribute to to improve their technologies even further. Research in nonlinear optics, laser systems and medical applications of lasers will continue to support the activities of Fotona and will hopefully find direct transfer into new products and technology. The research in biomimetics and molecular biophysics, which are a part of the proposed program, will be among the first in our country and will therefore present an important opportunity to develop a new field of bionanotechnology. Investigation of medical applications of lasers will be the start of new and propulsive interdisciplinary discipline called Biomedical Optics, which is highly promising in clinical praxis. On the way to such applications we will support the high-technology companies which produce instruments for medical optics and will also take care of specialized education courses. We believe, that with our support the Slovenian companies can develop and produce competing instruments, which will also allow efficient and safe laser treatment of new diseases. The topics of the proposed program are among the most important research fields on the international level. In this perspective it is very important that the university education in Slovenia continues to keep its pace on the research front. Like this, in combination with the advantages of Bologna process, our university education should become even more interesting not only for the Slovenian, but also for the foreign students and teachers. In the framework of the proposed program the researchers from the University and Institutes collaborate daily which is a guarantee for a successful transfer of knowledge from the research to the educational sector and vice versa.
Most important scientific results
Final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Final report,
complete report on dLib.si
