{"id":124,"date":"2021-02-10T09:17:07","date_gmt":"2021-02-10T16:17:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/?page_id=124"},"modified":"2024-01-09T12:26:21","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T19:26:21","slug":"research_areas","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/research_areas\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Areas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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We developed a broad research program in the areas of plasmonics, nanophotonics and metamaterials. We carry out experimental and theoretical investigations in the nanotechnology domain, which includes interdisciplinary studies in the fields of physics, chemistry, and biology.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plasmonics.\n<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Plasmonics is a relatively new area of research that makes use of some unusual optical properties of metal nanostructures. Metal nanoparticles and nanostructures (nanowires, nanorings, nanocubes, etc.) exhibit unique optical and electronic properties, and can be used to confine light to subwavelength scales. An interesting property of plasmonic nanoparticles is photoluminescence, which can be used in biology and medicine for intracellular imaging. There are also many fundamental questions to be answered, such as the role of collective coherent excitations (SPR) in the photoluminescence, the transition between molecular-like clusters and bulk-like nanoparticles, and the relation of optical and electronic properties in metal nanoclusters. Our goal is to understand the fundamental physics of photoluminescence and to create more efficient and stable fluorophores for bio-imaging. We use wet and solid state chemistry (e.g. thermal reduction of silver nitrate) and different types of spectroscopy and microscopy (UV-vis, fluorescence, AFM, SEM) to characterize the nanoparticles. We also use theoretical methods to predict and explain their optical response (quantum physics and classical electrodynamics). The experimental and theoretical research in this project has resulted in recent publications (Journal of Physical Chemistry C 2013, Phys. Rev. 2009, Plasmonics 2012, Proceedings of SPIE 2012) and external and internal funding (NSF 2009, CRCW 2009, CRDF 2012, CRCW 2013).\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nanophotonics.\n<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is a somewhat similar area of research that also makes use of plasmonic nanostructures. However, the purpose of this project is to guiding subwavelength optical excitations to develop nanoscale optical waveguides and novel optical bio-chemical nanosensors. We use top-down methods of nanofabrication, as opposed to the bottom-up wet and solid state chemistry synthesis described above. We also use Electron Beam Lithography (EBL) to fabricate nanostructured materials. The goal is to create novel nanophotonic devices for integrated optical circuits and novel optical biochemical sensors. Our experimental and theoretical work in this direction has resulted in several publications (Applied Physics B, 2008; J. Phys. Chem. A, 2009; J. Phys. Chem. C, 2011, J. Appl. Phys. 2011) and a patent application (2011).\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metamaterials and negative index of refraction.\n<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This area of research comprises of novel materials possessing unusual optical and electromagnetic properties, such as a negative index of refraction. This is a new and fascinating domain of optics and electrodynamics, with many interesting potential applications in optics, biology, and engineering. Our specific goal is the development of a graded superlens that is capable of focusing a parallel light beam into a subwavelength focal point. Focusing a parallel beam of light would substantially increase the amount of information one can store on optical data storage carriers, such as DVD’s or CD’s, since this technology would allow for fine focusing of the laser used to write\/read information. In addition, the graded superlens would provide much better resolution of optical lithography, ultimately leading to smaller electronic components. Finally, it would provide much higher resolution optical microscopy. We have utilized both experiments and theory to progress in this direction. A focused Ion Beam (FIB) system was used to fabricate a nanostructured gold metal film, which was characterized with inverted microscopy and SEM. We also fabricated a metamaterial wire mesh and used it in the microwave frequency domain to enhance the directivity pattern of a patch antenna. This project resulted in a fruitful collaboration between UCCS, the Air Force Academy, and MITRA Corporation (Colorado Springs). A few papers were published based on the result of this project (Optics Express 2014, Metamaterials 2012, Journal of Optics A 2012).\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biofrontiers Institute.\n<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Pinchuk is a member of the Biofrontiers Center<\/a>. Our research program with the Biofrontiers Center includes projects such as micro- and nanofabrication by laser deposition of silver and gold nanoparticles, laser-to-heat energy conversion with colloidal gold nanoparticles, and the development of optical biochemical sensors. Our research with the Biofrontiers Center resulted in active collaboration with Professor Kathrin Spendier (UCCS) and Dr. Aaron Neumann (University of New Mexico). The research within the Biofrontiers Center resulted in a few publications (J. Phys. Chem. C, 2013, 2012) and two patent applications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collaboration\n<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Professor Oleg Yeshchenko,<\/a>\n
\n Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Sergii Mamykin <\/a>\n
\n National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Ukraine<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Aaron Neumann, Ph.D.<\/a>
University of New Mexico, USA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Anatoliy Goncharenko<\/a>\n
\n National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Ukraine<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Randy Knize<\/a>
USAFA, USA <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Volodymyr Chegel <\/a>\n
\n National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Ukraine<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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We developed a broad research program in the areas of plasmonics, nanophotonics and metamaterials. We carry out experimental and theoretical investigations in the nanotechnology domain, which includes interdisciplinary studies in the fields of physics, chemistry, and biology. Plasmonics. Plasmonics is a relatively new area of research that makes use of some unusual optical properties of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","advgb_blocks_editor_width":"default","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"enable","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-124","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"st-web10","author_link":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/author\/st-web10\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"We developed a broad research program in the areas of plasmonics, nanophotonics and metamaterials. We carry out experimental and theoretical investigations in the nanotechnology domain, which includes interdisciplinary studies in the fields of physics, chemistry, and biology. Plasmonics. Plasmonics is a relatively new area of research that makes use of some unusual optical properties of…","coauthors":[],"author_meta":{"author_link":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/author\/st-web10\/","display_name":"st-web10"},"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 5 years ago","modified":"Updated 3 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on February 10, 2021","modified":"Updated on January 9, 2024"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on February 10, 2021 9:17 am","modified":"Updated on January 9, 2024 12:26 pm"},"featured_img_caption":"","featured_img":false,"series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":451,"href":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/124\/revisions\/451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/faculty.uccs.edu\/apinchuk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}