Ultrafast Spectroscopy Group (ULTRAFAST) investigates the fundamental aspects of strongly correlated materials, such as superconductivity, nanomagnetism, multiferroics, charge density waves, and various types of charge ordering. The focus is on understanding the interplay between electrons, lattice, spin, and orbitals, as well as exploring transitions to excited states, with the goal of designing new functional materials
Research Areas and Techniques
Electronic Properties and Quasiparticle Dynamics
The group employs time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) to study the electronic structure and quasiparticle dynamics in low-dimensional systems, including thin films and 2D materials.
Terahertz (THz) Spectroscopy
Terahertz radiation enables the study of materials that are transparent in this spectral region and exhibit specific spectral features. Owing to its non-ionizing nature, THz spectroscopy makes it possible to investigate dynamic properties without damaging the samples.
Photo-induced Chemical Processes
Photo-induced reactions, such as energy transfer and photo-dehydration, are studied using femtosecond transient absorption and two-dimensional spectroscopy. The group explores molecules with potential biological activity, as well as charge carrier dynamics in semiconducting thin films.
Green Technologies
Research is also directed toward systems with promising catalytic properties, relevant for the transition to green technologies. This includes studies of the electronic structure of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) and semiconducting thin films with enhanced photocatalytic properties, which could potentially be used in the future production of so-called “green” hydrogen.
Group members:
dr. sc. Silvije Vdović, group leader, senior research associate
dr. sc. Vesna Mikšić Trontl, senior research associate
dr. sc. Damir Dominko, research associate
dr. sc. Tonica Valla, permanent senior scientist
dr. sc. Josip Jakovac, postdoc
Vedran Brusar, PhD student
Nikola Gredičak, PhD student