Nanomaterials and Nanostructures Diagnostics Center
1. Educational and Production Capabilities
The Megalaboratory supports the educational process by including hands-on training of students and graduate researchers in various fields of nanotechnology and materials science. It is also used to carry out research and production projects focused on the diagnostics of nanomaterials and the fabrication of nanostructures.
2. Specialist Training
The Megalaboratory trains specialists in nanotechnology, materials science, solid-state physics, and instrumentation. Students gain proficiency with advanced research equipment and participate in studies involving the synthesis and analysis of nanomaterials and nanostructures.
3. Research Directions (with student and graduate participation)
• Development and characterization of thin-film coatings using magnetron sputtering;
• Structural analysis of materials by X-ray diffractometry;
• Investigation of optical properties of materials using ellipsometry;
• Surface characterization of materials by atomic force microscopy;
• Microscopic analysis of nanostructures using scanning electron microscopy;
• Study of material interactions with high-power femtosecond laser radiation.
4. Laboratory Equipment
The laboratory is fully equipped with the following hardware:
• Magnetron sputtering system for depositing thin films with tailored properties, enabling precise control over layer thickness, chemical composition, and crystalline structure;
• X-ray diffractometer for analyzing crystalline structure, lattice parameters, phase composition, and texture;
• Ellipsometer for measuring optical characteristics of thin films, such as thickness and refractive index, and analyzing multilayer coatings to determine their optical properties;
• Atomic force microscopy class for nanoscale surface imaging, enabling high-accuracy characterization of the surface topography and mechanical properties of materials;
• Scanning electron microscope (SEM) for high-resolution surface imaging and elemental analysis via energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS);
• High-power femtosecond laser system (average pulsed power: 7 W) for experiments in laser ablation, spectroscopy, and high-precision nanostructure fabrication, enabling studies of ultrafast dynamic processes.
5. Specific Instrumentation
In addition to standard computing resources, the laboratory features:
• VacCoat DST3 thin-film magnetron sputtering system;
• DRON-7 X-ray diffractometer for structural analysis of materials;
• LEF-777 ellipsometer for optical property measurement;
• A class equipped with NT-MDT atomic force microscopes for surface studies of materials;
• Jeol scanning electron microscope for nanostructure analysis;
• Avesta high-power femtosecond laser system (7 W pulsed power) for laser–material interaction studies.
6. Researcher Community and Academic Engagement: pathway to success and international recognition.
The Nanomaterials and Nanostructures Diagnostics Center comprises three laboratories: Femtosecond Optics for Nanotechnology; Ultrafast Dynamics of Ferroics; and Physics for Neuromorphic Computing.
Under the guidance of RAS Academician Aleksandr Sergeyevich Sigov, Professor Yelena Dmitrievna Mishina, and RAS Professor Aleksandr Pavlovich Pyatakov, the center conducts cutting-edge research in ferroelectric, multiferroic, and magnetic materials. Its mission includes:
• developing high-speed devices for future quantum computers and femtosecond-control technologies;
• developing terahertz radiation control methods;
• establishing novel operating principles for electronic devices;
• applying advanced techniques for ultrafast information management.
Our team, composed of students, graduate researchers, and leading scientists, integrates fundamental research findings into real-world applications. From the very beginning of their studies, students are offered a unique opportunity to directly immerse themselves in research using femtosecond lasers as well as atomic force and nonlinear microscopy techniques. They explore the physics of ferroics, participate in interdisciplinary projects, and contribute to the development of energy-efficient devices for next-generation electronics and computing systems.
Regular participation in Russian and international conferences, along with publication of scientific papers, enables students to hone their professional skills and build global scientific networks. By graduation, many students already have peer-reviewed publications, and their theses are frequently recognized with top marks and awards. Thanks to this hands-on experience, graduates gain easy admission to doctoral programs and launch successful research careers.
The Center’s alumni can now be found in leading positions in academia and industry, including companies such as ASML, IOG Photonics, AVEVA, Malvern Panalytical, Mikrosistemy, Panasonic, and others. Each of them holds a Candidate of Sciences degree and continues to make important contributions to the advancement of science and technology. We foster an environment where students and young researchers can realize their ambitions and actively shape the technologies of the future.
The Megalaboratory supports the educational process by including hands-on training of students and graduate researchers in various fields of nanotechnology and materials science. It is also used to carry out research and production projects focused on the diagnostics of nanomaterials and the fabrication of nanostructures.
2. Specialist Training
The Megalaboratory trains specialists in nanotechnology, materials science, solid-state physics, and instrumentation. Students gain proficiency with advanced research equipment and participate in studies involving the synthesis and analysis of nanomaterials and nanostructures.
3. Research Directions (with student and graduate participation)
• Development and characterization of thin-film coatings using magnetron sputtering;
• Structural analysis of materials by X-ray diffractometry;
• Investigation of optical properties of materials using ellipsometry;
• Surface characterization of materials by atomic force microscopy;
• Microscopic analysis of nanostructures using scanning electron microscopy;
• Study of material interactions with high-power femtosecond laser radiation.
4. Laboratory Equipment
The laboratory is fully equipped with the following hardware:
• Magnetron sputtering system for depositing thin films with tailored properties, enabling precise control over layer thickness, chemical composition, and crystalline structure;
• X-ray diffractometer for analyzing crystalline structure, lattice parameters, phase composition, and texture;
• Ellipsometer for measuring optical characteristics of thin films, such as thickness and refractive index, and analyzing multilayer coatings to determine their optical properties;
• Atomic force microscopy class for nanoscale surface imaging, enabling high-accuracy characterization of the surface topography and mechanical properties of materials;
• Scanning electron microscope (SEM) for high-resolution surface imaging and elemental analysis via energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS);
• High-power femtosecond laser system (average pulsed power: 7 W) for experiments in laser ablation, spectroscopy, and high-precision nanostructure fabrication, enabling studies of ultrafast dynamic processes.
5. Specific Instrumentation
In addition to standard computing resources, the laboratory features:
• VacCoat DST3 thin-film magnetron sputtering system;
• DRON-7 X-ray diffractometer for structural analysis of materials;
• LEF-777 ellipsometer for optical property measurement;
• A class equipped with NT-MDT atomic force microscopes for surface studies of materials;
• Jeol scanning electron microscope for nanostructure analysis;
• Avesta high-power femtosecond laser system (7 W pulsed power) for laser–material interaction studies.
6. Researcher Community and Academic Engagement: pathway to success and international recognition.
The Nanomaterials and Nanostructures Diagnostics Center comprises three laboratories: Femtosecond Optics for Nanotechnology; Ultrafast Dynamics of Ferroics; and Physics for Neuromorphic Computing.
Under the guidance of RAS Academician Aleksandr Sergeyevich Sigov, Professor Yelena Dmitrievna Mishina, and RAS Professor Aleksandr Pavlovich Pyatakov, the center conducts cutting-edge research in ferroelectric, multiferroic, and magnetic materials. Its mission includes:
• developing high-speed devices for future quantum computers and femtosecond-control technologies;
• developing terahertz radiation control methods;
• establishing novel operating principles for electronic devices;
• applying advanced techniques for ultrafast information management.
Our team, composed of students, graduate researchers, and leading scientists, integrates fundamental research findings into real-world applications. From the very beginning of their studies, students are offered a unique opportunity to directly immerse themselves in research using femtosecond lasers as well as atomic force and nonlinear microscopy techniques. They explore the physics of ferroics, participate in interdisciplinary projects, and contribute to the development of energy-efficient devices for next-generation electronics and computing systems.
Regular participation in Russian and international conferences, along with publication of scientific papers, enables students to hone their professional skills and build global scientific networks. By graduation, many students already have peer-reviewed publications, and their theses are frequently recognized with top marks and awards. Thanks to this hands-on experience, graduates gain easy admission to doctoral programs and launch successful research careers.
The Center’s alumni can now be found in leading positions in academia and industry, including companies such as ASML, IOG Photonics, AVEVA, Malvern Panalytical, Mikrosistemy, Panasonic, and others. Each of them holds a Candidate of Sciences degree and continues to make important contributions to the advancement of science and technology. We foster an environment where students and young researchers can realize their ambitions and actively shape the technologies of the future.
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