Optical Properties of Nanostructures Group at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM)

The fabrication of nanostructures requires a deeper understanding of the physical phenomena involved at this scale. This is the main research focus of the Optical Properties of Nanoestructures Group at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM).

The main research interest include:

- Optical properties of nanoparticles and Surface Enhanced Spectroscopies

- Optical and Electronic properties of surfaces

-  Casimir effect in real materials at the nanometer scale

Low-dimensional quantum structures have shown to have unique optical and electronic properties, which have been employed in the fabrication of new opto-electronic devices. In particular, the shape and size of low-dimensional structures are crucial parameters to determine their physical properties. It is well known that the distribution of electronic states on a nanostructure depends on its size, and the confinement potential acting on the electrons is associated to its shape. Therefore, the exact knowledge of the size and shape of a nanostructure is of decisive importance in the development of the science and technology at the nanometer scale.

Furthermore, the characterization of these parameters is an important issue in both fundamental research and in technological applications, covering growth and characterization to device processing. The chiral nature of the clusters, which means they exist in distinct right-handed and left-handed variations, dramatically affects the way in which they absorb polarized light. This optical effect had been predicted theoretically to occur in metal nanostructures, and it has been observed experimentally in a special class of clusters.

Cecilia Noguez is the group leader of a team with more of 10 highly specialized researchers. The group also collaborates with other nanotechnology research groups at the UNAM in the field of Nanocomposites, Casimir effect and MEMS and NEMS or Nanoclusters.

More information:

Ariadna Sanchez

Instituto de Fisica

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico

www.unam.mx