PLD Lab

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has become one of the most powerful methods to obtain a wide class of materials in the thin film form. The technique is based on the removal of material (ablation) from a target by means of a collimated beam of high energy laser (excimer, CO2, Nd:Yag laser). Research activity at the IPCF-CNR is mainly devoted to the growth by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation in ambient gas of silver and gold nanoparticles (NPs). Several surface morphologies can be realized from isolated NP arrays up to percolated films.

Activities:

• SERS detection of and quantification of drugs of interest for Parkinson and epilepsy disease;
• Sensor for the detection of volatile molecules (NPT);
• Ad hoc substrates (polishing paper sheets) decorated with silver and gold NPs for removal and detection of very small quantities of organic dyes from the surface of works of art;
• Functionalization of the substrates with chiral molecules for the realization of chirality selective sensors;
• Functionalization of Silicon Nanowires (SiNWs) for the realization of highly sensitive SERS substrates, laser desorption ionization mass spectroscopy substrates and catalytic active SiNWs decorated with PLD deposited Au and Cu NPs;