Sub-fields of research
a) Nanoacoustics (picosecond ultrasonics): Generation and detection of fast and ultra high-frequency acoustic waves through the interaction of chirped ultrashort-duration laser pulses with material surfaces, with applications in nanotechnology for the investigation of the elastomechanical and acoustic properties of simple, composite materials and metamaterials.
Selected scientific journal articles:
- Pump-probe reflectivity studies of ultrashort laser-induced acousto-mechanical strains in ZnO films
- Ultrafast laser pulse chirp effects on laser-generated nanoacoustic strains in Silicon
- Integrated nanosecond laser full-field imaging for femtosecond laser-generated surface acoustic waves in metal film-glass substrate multilayer materials
- Controlling nanoscale acoustic strains in silicon using chirped femtosecond laser pulses
- High acoustic strains in Si through ultrafast laser excitation of Ti thin-film transducers
- The thermo-mechanical behavior of thin metal films under nanosecond laser pulse excitation above the thermoelastic regime
- Three dimensional transient behavior of thin films surface under pulsed laser excitation
b) Laser Plasma sound sources: The generation and detection of audible and ultrasound point-like and line-like plasma acoustic sources focusing intense short laser pulses in fliuds (eg ambient air and water) and their application in acoustic material and metamaterial characterization and room acoustics.
Selected scientific journal articles:
- Evaluating the Role of Unit Cell Multiplicity in the Acoustic Response of Phononic Crystals Using Laser-Plasma Sound Sources
- Acoustic metamaterials characterization via laser plasma sound sources
- Laser-plasma sound sources in atmospheric air: A systematic experimental study
- Comparative analytical and numerical investigation of the plasma density in atmospheric air generated by nanosecond laser pulses
- Experimentally validated modeling of the optical energy deposition in highly ionized ambient air by strong femtosecond laser pulses
- On the correlation of light and sound radiation following laser-induced breakdown in air
- Experimental and analytical evaluation of the acoustic radiation of femtosecond laser plasma filament sound sources in air
c) Acoustic wave crystalline undulators: Specialized and innovative methods are developed, based on the generation of ultrahigh frequncy acoustic waves in single crystals (eg Si and Ge) using special piezoelectric transducers and/or pulsed laser sources to achieve dynamic modification of the crystal structure for crystalline undulation of ultra-high energy electron and positron beams towards the generation of bright, monochromatic and tunable γ-rays in the MeV regime
Selected scientific journal articles:
- Efficient ultrafast photoacoustic transduction on Tantalum thin films
- Narrowband 𝛾-ray radiation generation by acoustically driven crystalline undulators
- The role of laser chirp in relativistic electron acceleration using multi-electron gas targets
d) XUV Coherent Diffraction Imaging (CDI): The developent and use of coherent XUV radiation based on femtosecond laser high harmonic generation for dynamic characterization of materials and structures in the nanoscale with femtosecond accurancy.
Selected scientific journal articles:
- Coherent XUV Multispectral Diffraction Imaging in the Microscale
- Spectral and Divergence Characteristics of Plateau High-Order Harmonics Generated by Femtosecond Chirped Laser Pulses in a Semi-Infinite Gas Cell
- Electron quantum path control in high harmonic generation via chirp variation of strong laser pulses
- High-intensity laser-driven secondary radiation sources using the ZEUS 45 TW laser system at the Institute of Plasma Physics and Lasers of the Hellenic Mediterranean University Research Centre
- Efficient control of quantum paths via dual-gas high harmonic generation
- Coherent control of high harmonic generation via dual-gas multijet arrays
e) Laser Vibrometry and Modal Analysis: The development and use of laser technology for Electronic Speckle Pattern Dynamic and time-averaged Interferomety and laser Dopper vibrometry for surface modal analysis of structures with vibration and acoustic interest l (eg. Vibrating and moving surfaces in machines, musical instruments, acoustic or structrural materials and metamaterials).
Selected scientific journal articles:
- An integrated method for the vibroacoustic evaluation of a carbon fiber bouzouki
- Laser-based interferometric techniques for the study of musical instruments
- Vibrational Analysis of a Splash Cymbal by Experimental Measurements and Parametric CAD-FEM Simulations
Implementation
Ultrafast intensity laser – matter/plasma physics and technology, GHz and THz nano-acoustic waves, Coherent XUV high harmonic source for CDI, Nano-scale Imaging application, Optoacoustics and materials, Optoacoustic Technology for Motion and Vibration Detection, Laser plasma ultrasound, Acoustic metamaterials characterization, Acoustically driven crystalline undulators, Laser probing diagnosis, Whole-field dynamic laser interferometry, Fast Diffraction Imaging, Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry, Laser generated and probe audible acoustic waves, Laser vibrometry and modal analysis
Experimental workstations and basic equipment
1) CPA 1KHz, 2 mJ, 35 femtosecond laser system with an add on of a self-phase moducation and chirp mirror compessor capable of deliver 7 fs, 0.8 mJ, CEP Stabilized (Femtolasers GmbH – Oscillator: <10fs, 400mW (avg), 80MHz CEP-stabilized Amplifier: 35fs, 1.5mJ pp, 1KHz CEP-stabilized External fiber compressor: <7fs, 0.8mJ pp, 1KHz CEP-stabilized)
2) Single longitudinal mode Nd: YAG laser, 6ns, 850mJ pp (max), 10Hz, two harmonics (Quantel)
3) Pattended Multi-Spectral femtosecond coherent diffraction Imaging system for the ultrafast stuctural characterization of matter in the nanoscale
3) Whole field dynamic nanosecond single-mode laser interferometry for plasma and material surface dynamic characterization
4) Degenerate femtosecond reflectometry pump-probe set up for the generation and detection of fast GHz and THz acoustic waves in materials
5) Fast laser deflectrometry set up for the characterization and monitoring of traveling acoustic waves in crystals and transparent materials and metamaterials
6) Fast laser inteferometry for dynamic detection and monitoring of materials modification