Photothermal and nonlinear effects in new photonic materials

• Grant number: 24/23680-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Tomaz Catunda
• Grantee: Lucius Borges de Souza
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The main objective of the project is the study of the luminescence mechanisms of ion doped solids, with emphasis on the study of new nanomaterials. Emphasis will be given to nanomaterials such as rare earth doped nanoparticles, glasses doped with semiconductor quantum dots with or without the addition of rare earth ions. We are also interested in the study of active media subjected to high excitation density and the physical origin of the associated nonlinear effects. Several spectroscopic techniques will be employed, particularly the methodologies developed in the group using Nonlinear and Photothermal Spectroscopy. In particular, we intend to improve the luminescence Z-scan method, which seems very promising for the quantitative study of several types of luminescence mechanisms and presents high sensitivity. The main proposed research lines are: ultra-sensitive Thermal Lens (TL) spectroscopy; TL and Z-scan measurements in doped solids, Z-scan of Luminescence and Nanomaterials.