NanoSoft Laboratory

The research activity is mainly related to the various aspects of nano science and nanophotonics with a key focus on spectroscopic characterization (Raman, SERS, TERS) and on optical trapping and manipulation (optical twezers) of nanostructures. These studies have applications in many various fields such as environmental monitoring of plastic pollution, active materials, metasurfaces and characterization of extra-terrestrial particles. Acoustic trapping, which use ultrasounds to confine particles, allows to extend laboratory studies also to millimetric and submillimetric particles.

The activities:

• SERS from colloidal nanoparticles (nanospheres, nanorods, nanostars).
• Polarization SERS with nanoantennas.

• Engineering of plasmonic properties of linear nanoantennas.

• Low-cost Fiber-SERS sensors based on silver colloidal nanoparticles.

• TERS – Tip Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

• AFM/STM.

• Optical tweezers for force sensing.
• Raman Tweezers
• Optical forces on nanostructures (carbon nanotubes, graphene, polymeric nanofibers, micro/nano-plastics, silicon nanowires, plasmonic nanoparticles and aggregates).
• Acoustic Trapping