The lab conducts research activities in various fields:
- High-Precision and High-Sensitivity Molecular Spectroscopy: measurements of molecular absorption in gaseous samples with extreme sensitivity and accuracy in the near (1-2 µm) and mid-infrared (from 5 to 15 µm) spectral regions, calibrated using laser sources known as frequency combs
- Sensor Technology for Medical, Combustion, and Atmospheric Monitoring Applications
- Photothermal Microscopy for Tumor Diagnosis
- Laser Sintering of thermoelectric materials
The laboratory boasts collaborations with national and international universities, research institutions, and companies, including IFN and ICMATE of CNR, Toptica Photonics, University of Insubria, Cambridge University, ICFO, Jena Klinikal University, University of Exeter, University of Torun, Grenoble University, University of Bologna, KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology - Saudi Arabia), Laval University (Canada), and Rennes University
Applied research
Development of advanced tools for the analysis of gaseous mixtures in environmental, industrial, and diagnostic frameworks:
- Trace gas sensors: laser spectrometers for monitoring chemicals present in the atmosphere with extremely low concentrations, even below parts per billion
- Portable sensors for real-time identification and monitoring of complex gaseous mixtures of atmospheric (pollutants/greenhouse gases), industrial (analysis of industrial waste products), or medical (human breath sensors for non-invasive diagnostics) interest
- Numerical control systems for laser sintering/additive manufacturing of thermoelectric materials
- Development of photothermal microscopy systems for non-invasive diagnosis of tumor cells
Fundamental Physics
Measurements of molecular absorption spectra of gaseous samples both in the near and mid-infrared with very high accuracy for meteorological, environmental, and astrophysical fields, and for the retrieval of fundamental constants:
- spectroscopic characterization of molecules of interest in the meteorological, environmental, medical and combustion processes
- determination of spectroscopic parameters to investigate the molecular energy structure
- measurement of fundamental constants of physics, such as the proton-to-electron mass ratio, for testing new physical theories
- Design and realization of optical sensors for medical, industrial, and environmental applications, including transportable units that can be mounted on drones/satellites
- Characterization of devices and sensors using optical interferometry techniques with high spatial and temporal resolution
- Design and realization of infrared laser sources through nonlinear optics processes
- Automation of complex systems, design of real-time acquisition and processing systems based on FPGA and high-bitrate DAQ