Faculty of Physics
9 Saulėtekio Ave, LT-10222 Vilnius
Tel. 236 6001
E-mail:
http://www.ff.vu.lt
Dean – Prof. Dr Juozas Šulskus
STAFF
71 teachers (incl. 59 holding research degree),174 research fellows (incl. 144 holding research degree), 52 doctoral students.
DEPARTMENTS OF THE FACULTY
Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics Center (sui generis Department)
Institute of Chemical Physics
Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology
Laser Research Center
Institute of Applied Electrodynamics and Telecommunications
Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy
RESEARCH AREAS
Analysis of Atoms, Subatomic Particles or their Ensembles, Complex Systems Electromagnetic Radiation and Cosmic Objects
Development, Characterization, and Interdisciplinary Application of Advanced Electronic and Optoelectronic Devices
Investigation of Novel Organic and Inorganic Functional Materials and Structures
Laser Physics and Technology
Solid State Physics and Technology
Spectrometric Characterization of Materials and Electronic/Molecular Processes
DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS MAINTAINED IN 2020
S. Balčiūnas. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy of some perovskite compounds.
P. Baronas. Exciton dynamics in bifluorene crystals for laser applications.
J. Bialopetravičius. Analysis of star clusters with convolutional neural networks.
R. Budriūnas. Nonlinear optical methods for generation of ultra-short infrared pulses.
S. Butkus. The peculiarities of microchannel fabrication in transparent materials by direct laser ablation in water and laser-assisted etching methods using femtosecond laser pulses.
M. Dmukauskas. Development of MOVPE pulsed growth technique for increased efficiency
InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well structures.
R. Dobužinskas. Influence of ionizing radiation to electric characteristics of organic and hybrid organic-inorganic materials.
J. Glemža. Low-frequency noise spectroscopy of novel laser diodes and light-emitting diodes.
R. Komskis. Photophysics of anthracene dimers and their application in optoelectronics.
L. Mažulė. Measurements of total integrated scattering using q-switched ND:YAG laser harmonics and their applications for different manufacturing processes of laser optical components.
I. Pipinytė. Investigation and application of nearinfrared parametric light generation synchronously pumped by femtosecond ytterbium laser pulses.
R. Skaisgiris. Optimization of donor-acceptor based thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters.
I. Stasevičius. Cascaded nonlinearity influence to femtosecond optical parametric oscillator characteristics.
A. Stepšys. Application of the algebraic binary cluster model for six nucleon systems in a translationally invariant basis.
T. Tičkūnas. Formation of high-resolution functional micro devices and their applications.
A. Vaitkevičius. Oxide materials as efficient, radiation tolerant and fast scintillators.
MAIN CONFERENCES ORGANIZED IN 2020
International Conference of Chemical Physics Doctoral Students.
Functional Materials & Nanotechnologies 2020 (FM&NT-2020).
Splinter Meeting No. 8 on Mentoring in the Planetary Science Community at the virtual Europlanet Science Congress.
MAIN SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2020
Submicrosecond TADF lifetime together with exceptionally high reverse intersystem crossing rate was achieved in optimized phenoxazine-pyrimidine compounds. The features enabled demonstration of green electroluminescence with 30% external quantum efficiency and low efficiency roll-off.
The agreement of collaboration has been signed with CERN for the high frequency investigation of ferrites determining dielectric permittivity and magnetic susceptibility in a broad frequency range.
The state of the art of a few-cycle, multi-TW, 1kHz repetition rate laser system, now fully operational in the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) facility is reported.
Toth, S., Stanislauskas, T., Balciunas, I., Budriunas, R., Adamonis, J., Danilevicius, R., Viskontas, K., Lengvinas, D., Veitas, G., Gadonas, D., Varanavicius, A., Csontos, J., Somoskoi, T., Toth, L., Borzsonyi, A., Osvay, K. SYLOS lasers – the frontier of few-cycle, multi-TW, kHz lasers for ultrafast applications at extreme light infrastructure attosec-01-01ond light pulse source. Journal of Physics: Photonics. 2020, 2(4): 045003.
EXPERIMENTAL NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE PHYSICS CENTER
3 Saulėtekio Ave, LT-10257 Vilnius
Phone: 223 4649
E-mail:
Chair: Dr Aurelijus Rinkevičius
STAFF
Research professor: A. Rinkevičius.
Senior researcher: V. Rapševičius.
Researchers: A. Oliveira, D. Šimelevičius.
Interns (Computer Science): D. Dirmaitė, E. Petraitytė.
Intern (Physics): S. Ahmad.
Engineers (IT): A. Poluden, A. Šilalė.
Administrative staff: M. Macijauskas, B. Šatkovskis, R. Terrell.
ASSOCIATED STAFF
Professors: E. Gaubas, G. Tamulaitis, S. Tamulevičius (KTU), J. Vaitkus.
Associate professors: B. Abakevičienė (KTU), T. Gajdosik.
Senior researchers: V. Dūdėnas, A. Juodagalvis, D. Jurčiukonis, A. Kynienė.
Doctoral students: M. Ambrozas, S. Draukšas.
RESEARCH AREAS
High-Energy Physics, Particle Detectors
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Data acquisition systems
Drell-Yan studies
Higgs precision studies
Machine learning
Multivariate classifiers (discriminants)
Semiconductor pixelated particle detectors
Standard model and Beyond the standard model physics
Technology transfer for business applications
Top quark studies
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2020
Top-Higgs (ttH) Studies in Decay Modes to Leptons (including taus) and b Quarks with the CMS Detector at the LHC.
The Higgs precision studies are an important piece of the LHC program. Besides a discovery of the "ttH" process, further studies must continue. Having more LHC data it becomes possible to pin down individual components of the Higgs processes in an associated production with top quarks. As a result, pinning down the event rates with better precision, studying kinematics are important pieces for the search of new physics.
Main publication:
Dudenas, V., Juodagalvis, A., Rinkevicius, A., Tamulaitis, G., Vaitkus, J. et al. [CMS], measurements of ttH production and the CP structure of the Yukawa interaction between the Higgs Boson and Top Quark in the Diphoton decay channel. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2020, 125(6): 061801. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.061801 [arXiv:2003.10866 [hep-ex]].
Central Data Acquisition System of the CMS Detector at the LHC.
The Data Acquisition (DAQ) project in CMS is responsible for the infrastructure, read-out of all subdetector back-end electronics, running of the High Level Trigger (HLT) and storage, as well as overall integration. The DAQ project has developed online software frameworks, which are used by the central DAQ, as well as all the subdetectors, as a foundation to implement their DAQ applications.
Main publications:
Šimelevičius, D. et al. DAQExpert the service to increase CMS data-taking efficiency. EPJ Web of Conferences. 2020, 245: 01028. https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202024501028.
Šimelevičius, D. et al. 40 MHz level-1 trigger scouting for CMS. EPJ Web of Conferences. 2020, 245: 01032. https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202024501032.
The Flavour-Violating Charged-Lepton Decays.
The existence of neutrino oscillations is now firmly established. Therefore, the violation of the family lepton numbers is firmly established as well. However, no violation of the lepton numbers for charged-leptons has been hitherto detected. In this context, the flavour-violating charged-lepton decays are of particular importance, because it is expected that in the near future the experimental bounds on the branching ratios of those decays will be improved substantially. In the Standard Model those lepton-flavour-violating processes have very small rates and are, in practice, invisible. This fact renders them all the more inviting to explore both experimentally, as windows to New Physics, and theoretically, in extensions of the Standard Model.
Main publication:
Aeikens, E. H., Fereira, P. M., Grimus, W., Jurčiukonis, D. and Lavoura, L. Radiative seesaw corrections and charged-lepton decays in a model with soft flavour violation. JHEP. 2020, 12: 122. doi:10.1007/JHEP12(2020)122.
Unsupervised Learning for Automated HEP Signal Untangling.
Exploratory studies that are probing the feasibility for an automated classification of underlying physics. Ideally a ``diagram'' level disentanglement of the high-energy data, such as provided by the CMS experiment at CERN, would become possible. It is a joint venture with Vectorspace AI.
Note: research topics engaged by the associated staff are displayed under the departments of corresponding primary affiliations.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CNRS (France)
Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)
Cornell University (USA)
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY (Germany)
ETH Zurich (Switzerland)
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Hamburg University (Germany)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, KIT (Germany)
National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, KBFI (Estonia)
Rice University (USA)
Paul Scherrer Institut (Switzerland)
Tata Inst. of Fundamental Research (India)
Universidad de Oviedo (Spain)
Universitaet Zuerich (Switzerland)
Universite Catholique de Louvain (Belgium)
University of Bologna (Italy)
University of Paris-Saclay (France)
Vanderbilt University (USA)
OTHER RESCEARCH ACTIVITIES
Dr A. Rinkevičius –
- CERN CMS Team Leader for Vilnius University;
- Lithuanian scientific delegate to the CERN Council and Scientific Policy Committee (SPC);
- member of the European Particle Physics Strategy Update Working Group;
- member of the CERN Baltic Group (also CMS subgroup leader);
- member of the CMS collaboration at CERN;
- CMS ttH multilepton group convener;
- member of the VU Physics Faculty Woking Group for gender balance.
MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
- STEM day at Basanavičius progymnasium, activities with Wilson chambers, 31 January 2020;
- Lectures at “Erdvėlaivis Žemė” science outreach festival: Will a Black Hole Swallow the CERN and Us?, The Mysterious CERN World (Ar Juodoji skylė praris CERN ir mus?, Paslaptingas CERN pasaulis), also on-hand activities In the steps of invisible rays (Neregimųjų spindulių pėdsakais), 17 September 2020 ;
- Public lecture at Šv. Kristoforo gymnasium (Subatominis pasaulis ir tyrimai CERNe) with hands-on activities using Wilson chambers, 23 September 2020;
- International science fair World-Wide Data Day (W2D2), 12 November 2020;
- Public lecture at Fizikos popietė, an event for young scientists (Subatominis pasaulis ir tyrimai CERNe'), 27 November 2020.
3 Saulėtekio Ave, LT-10257 Vilnius
Tel. 223 4596
E-mail:
Director – Prof. Dr Valdas Šablinskas
1.1 DIVISION OF THEORY OF MOLECULES AND MODELLING
Tel. 236 6281
E-mail:
Head – Prof. Dr Darius Abramavičius
STAFF
Professors: Dr D. Abramavičius, Dr Habil. L. Valkūnas (part-time), Dr J. Šulskus.
Associate professors: Dr J. Bučinskas, Dr K. Glemža, Dr M. Mačernis, Dr O. Rancova, Dr J. Chmeliov, Dr A. Gelžinis.
Assistant professor: Dr S. Toliautas.
Doctoral students: V. Bubilaitis, L. Diska, M. Jakučionis, A. Stepšys.
RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
1.1.1 Modelling of Dynamic Processes in Molecular Compounds. PI: Prof. Leonas Valkūnas
1.1.2 Physics and Spectroscopy of Open Quantum Systems. PI: Prof. Darius Abramavičius
1.1.3 Quantum Chemistry of Molecular Systems. PI: Prof. Juozas Šulskus
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Characterization of the optical responses of molecular complexes of natural and artificial origin at high excitation intensity including exciton annihilation effects
Development of quantum relaxation theory and application to molecular systems
Development of theory of molecular excitations (excitons, polarons, vibrons) and application to molecular systems
Development of the theory and computational approaches of nonlinear spectroscopy of molecular complexes including static electric field – induced signals
Theoretical studies of temperature dependences of the fluorescence kinetics of photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes from plants at different level of aggregation
Modelling of single molecular spectroscopy data of molecular systems
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2020
Projects Supported by University Budget
Development of Electronic Spectroscopy Modelling Methods of Molecules, Molecular Complexes and Solid Crystals. Prof. D. Abramavičius. 2019–2023.
Detailed analysis of time-resolved fluorescence experiments was performed on aggregates of CP29 – a minor LHC of plants. A comparison with the data on isolated CP29 reveals that, though aggregation can stabilize short-lived conformations to a certain extent, the massive quenching upon protein clustering is mainly achieved by energetic connectivity between complexes that maintain the same long-lived and dissipative states accessed in the isolated form. Our results also explain the typical far-red enhancement in the emission of antenna oligomers in terms of a sub-population of long-lived redshifted complexes competing with quenched complexes in the energy trapping. The analysis of the accuracy of the forward–backward trajectory solution (FBTS) of the quantum-classical Liouville equation was performed.
We conclude that the FBTS is considerably more accurate than the PBME and the perturbative approaches for most realistic parameter sets and is, therefore, more versatile.
We found that diadinoxanthin and alloxanthin present atypical vibrational properties in solution, indicating the presence of several conformations. Performing energy calculations in vacuo and polarizable continuum model calculations in different solvents, we found three different conformations with values for the δ dihedral angle of the end ring ca. 0, 180, and 90° with respect to the plane of the conjugated chain. The latter conformation, a nonglobal minimum, is not stable during the minimization necessary for modelling its spectroscopic properties.
We used several advanced transient investigation techniques, covering timescale from sub-ps to μs, to address all sequence of processes starting from photoexcitation of donors or acceptors to carrier extraction in several NFOSCs and cells with phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Though small offsets result in higher open-circuit voltage, we show that at the same time, it limits cell performance because of inefficient hole transfer from excited acceptors to donors and enhanced geminate recombination. We demonstrate that 100 meV HOMO level offset and proper acceptor molecule structures are sufficient for efficient hole transfer (>70%) and for reduction of the geminate recombination losses down to about 20%.
Main publications:
Gelzinis, A., Chmeliov, J., Mascoli, V., et al. Light-harvesting complexes access analogue emissive states in different environments. Chem. Sci. 2020, 11: 5697–5709.
Streckaite, S., Macernis, M., Li, F., et al. Modelling dynamic conformations of organic molecules: alkyne carotenoids in solution. J. Phys. Chem. A. 2020, 124: 2792–2801.
Jasiunas, R., Zhang, H., Yuan, J., et al. From generation to extraction: A time-resolved investigation of photophysical processes in non-fullerene organic solar cells. J. Phys. Chem. C. 2020, 124, 21283–21292.
National Research Projects
Research Council of Lithuania. Evolution of Optical Excitations in Heterogeneous Molecular Compounds (Grant No. SMIP-20-47). Prof. D. Abramavičius. 2020–2023.
We performed computational modelling and calculations of 2DESS as well as 2DES and Stark spectra, studying a photosynthetic dimer inspired by the photosystem II reaction centre. We identify specific cases where qualitatively different sets of system parameters produce similar Stark and 2DES spectra but significantly different 2DESS spectra, showing the potential for 2DESS to aid in identifying CT states and their coupling to excitonic states.
We applied the non-Markovian equations of motion to describe the equilibration process in an excitonic molecular aggregate. The long memory model causes a weaker decay of coherent components in excitonic system relaxation dynamics. Nevertheless, the short time dynamics, which is important in optical spectroscopy, depends on the short time interval of the fluctuation correlation function. Excitation relaxation in this window appears to be well described by non-Markovian approaches.
We conducted both experimental and theoretical studies for three type solid-state samples: β-carotene, β-carotene/chitooligosaccharides and β-carotene/2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin. The prepared samples were analysed by using Raman spectroscopy. The Raman ν1 band shift of β-carotene molecules in cyclodextrins or chitooligosaccharides were observed. Analysis of the β-ring dihedral angle revealed three major typical all-trans-β-carotene conformers (trans-trans, trans-cis, cis-cis) which have ν1 shifted by 4 cm−1 in respect to each other. The study is helpful for better understanding of correlations between Raman ν1 band and CARS distortions.
Main publications:
Nguyen, H. H., Loukianov, A. D., Ogilvie, J. P., et al. Two-dimensional electronic Stark spectroscopy of a photosynthetic dimer. J. Chem. Phys. 2020, 153: 144203.
Korsakas, S., Bucinskas, J., Abramavicius, D. Long memory effects in excitonic systems dynamics: Spectral relations and excitation transport. J. Chem. Phys. 2020, 152. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0009926.
Other Projects
Cost Action no CA15136: European Network to Advance Carotenoid Research and Applications in Agrofood and Health (EUROCAROTEN). Member: Asoc. Prof. Dr M. Mačernis, Deputy: Prof. Dr J. Šulskus.
Eurocaroten Youtube video translations into Lithuanian language. Collaborations with Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry; Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University; Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla (Spain).
Lithuanian Grid Infrastructure for High-Performance Computing (LitGrid-HPC).
Project manager: Assoc. Prof. Dr M. Mačernis.
Investments of the project will be devoted for creating conditions for scientists from technologies, biomedicine and business communities to solve tasks which require high computational power. The essential part of developing of LitGrid-HPC infrastructure is a membership in international infrastructure EGI. It is expected that the membership will increase computational power of LitGrid-HPC up to 10 times. After the upgrade of the infrastructure, it is expected to reach computational power to 0.5 Pflops.
Horizon 2020 project National Competence Centres in the Framework of EuroHPC — ‘EUROCC‘ (No. 951732 - EUROCC - H2020-JTI-EUROHPC-2019-2). 2020–2022.
Project manager: Assoc. Prof. Dr M. Mačernis.
Lithuania became a member of EuroHPC, which opened the possibility for VU to host the Lithuanian national HPC competence centre and to be a partner in these projects. Two faculties of VU – the Faculty of Physics and the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics – in the field of productive computing will soon be able to offer petaflop computing power resources to the Lithuanian scientific community. The EuroCC and CASTIEL projects are running from 2020 September 1 until 2022 31 August, the total budgets of the projects are 59 million EUR. EuroCC project has received funding from the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 951732.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Center of Physical Sciences and Technology (Lithuania)
University of California, Berkeley, and University of California, Irvine (USA)
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA)
Queen Mary University, London (UK)
Institute of Physics of Charles University (Czech Republic)
Free University of Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Free University of Brussels (Belgium)
Lund University (Sweden)
Nuclear Research Centre, Saclay (France)
University of Antwerp (Belgium)
Technical University of Munich (Germany)
Institut de Biologie et de Technologie de Saclay, University Paris Sud, Gif sur Yvette (France)
N. Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (Ukraine)
OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Prof. L. Valkūnas –
- member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences;
- editorial board member of the Lithuanian Journal of Physics;
- vice-president of the Lithuanian Physics Society;
- head of the Molecular Compounds Physics department at the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology in Vilnius;
- doctor Philosophiae Honoris Causa of the Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
Prof. J. Šulskus –
- representative of Lithuania on the Governing Board of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Jevgenij Chmeliov –
- member of the Young Academy of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.
MOST IMPORTANT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS RECEIVED FOR R&D ACTIVITIES
- Assoc. prof. Jevgenij Chmeliov –Vilnius University Rector’s Award, 2020
MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
- A textbook “Quantum Physics” for undergraduate and graduate students studying life sciences by J. Chmeliov, V. Butkus and L. Valkunas (in Lithuanian). Published by Vilnius University in 2020.
1.2 DIVISION OF MOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY
Tel. 223 4596
E-mail:
Head - Prof. Dr Valdas Šablinskas
STAFF
Professors: Dr Habil. V. Balevičius, Dr V. Šablinskas, Dr Habil. G. Niaura (part-time), Dr V. Gulbinas (part-time).
Associate professors: Dr V. Aleksa, Dr A. Gruodis, Dr A. Maršalka, Dr F. Kuliešius, Dr J. Čeponkus, Dr V. Urbonienė. Dr K. Aidas (part-time), V. Klimavičius (part-time).
Assist. professor: Dr Davulienė (part-time).
Lecturers: M. Velička (part-time), D. Lengvinaitė (part-time), R. Platakytė (part-time), R. Bandzevičiūtė (part-time), S. Adomavičiūtė (part-time).
Research assistant: Dr L. Dagys (part-time).
Doctoral students: J. Stocka, S., M. Velička, D. Lengvinaitė, R. Platakytė, R. Bandzevičiūtė, S. Adomavičiūtė.
RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
1.2.1 Vibrational spectroscopy of molecular compounds. PI: Prof. Valdas Šablinskas
1.2.2 NMR and EPR Spectroscopy PI: Prof. Vytautas Balevičius
1.2.3 Theoretical modeling of molecular properties. PI: Assoc. Prof. Kęstutis Aidas
RESEARCH INTERESTS
SERS analysis of biological fluids, tissues and cells
Matrix isolation Infrared spectroscopy study of the structure of newly synthesized silicon based molecules
Conformational dynamic and proton tunneling pathways in the molecules and hydrogen bonded complexes studied by the means of computational simulations and low temperature matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy
Infrared Fiber ATR based spectroscopy of cancerous tissues
NMR and EPR studies of organic and inorganic compounds of the organized structures in the liquid, solid phases and nano-crystals
Theoretical modeling of molecular properties
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2020
Project Supported by University Budget
Spectroscopy of Hybrid and Structured Functional Materials and Coatings for Photonic Devices and Optical Sensors. Prof. V. Sablinskas. 2017–2020.
SERS Analysis of Biological Fluids, Tissues and Cells.
The research regarding the application of SERS spectroscopy in the biomedical field is continued. In addition, new ways of SERS implementations in this field like electrochemical SERS or SERS combination with optical fibre are employed. The main idea of this research is to bring SERS closer to the clinical applications. For this, clinical type samples instead of the model ones are being analysed and the optimal set of parameters of the method for such task are developed. Biological fluids such as saliva, blood and its serum, tears or the extracellular fluid of tissues are being studied. Tissues of urinary tract organs and fish, bacteria cells are also studied via SERS spectroscopy. Detection methods based on SERS of pharmaceuticals like aspirin, paracetamol, vitamin D and psychoactive substances such as caffeine are developed.
Main publications:
Adomavičiūtė, S., Velička, M., Šablinskas, V. Detection of aspirin traces in blood by means of surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy. 2020, 51: 919.
Žudytė, B., Velička, M., Šablinskas, V., Lukšienė, Ž. Understanding Escherichia coli damages after chlorophyllin‐based photosensitization. Journal of Biophotonics. 2020, 13: 1.
Velicka, M., Adomaviciute, S., Zacharovas, E., Sablinskas, V. Application of label-free SERS and EC-SERS for detection of traces of drugs in biological fluids. Proc of SPIE. 2020, 11257.
Matrix Isolation Infrared Spectroscopy Study of the Structure of Newly Synthesized Silicon Based Molecules.
Newly synthesized molecule 1-chloromethyl-1- fluorosilacyclohexane was spectroscopically characterized using high level ab initio calculations and infrared and Raman spectroscopy at conventional conditions and isolating molecule under study in low temperature inert gas matrices.
Main publication:
Platakytė, R., Stocka, J., Ceponkus, J., Aleksa, V., Carrigan-Broda, T., Šablinskas, V., Rodziewicz, P., Guirgis, G. A. Experimental (Raman and IR) and computational (DFT, MP2) studies of conformational diversity of 1-chloromethyl-1- fluorosilacyclohexane, T.M.C. McFadden. Journal of Molecular Structure. 2020, 1221: 128786.
Conformational Dynamic and Proton Tunneling Pathways in the Molecules and Hydrogen Bonded Complexes Studied by the Means of Computational Simulations and Low Temperature Matrix Isolation Infrared Spectroscopy.
Structure of weak benzene – water hydrogen bond complex was determined from matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy experiments. It was confirmed that even isolated in the low temperature inert environments such as neon and argon complex is not static, continuous hindered rotation of the water molecule on the benzene molecule takes place. These results come from the cooperation between groups from Danish Technical University, Lund University and Vilnius University.
Possible conformers of tetrahydrofuran molecule isolated in nitrogen matrices were identified, based on infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Simulations revealed important influence of matrix environment on the molecule on the study. While single molecules at low temperature should exist in only one conformation, addition of slightly interacting nitrogen molecule, promotes stabilization of second structure. The energy difference between two conformers is established from matrix annealing results.
Main publications:
Andersen, J., Larsen, R. W., Ceponkus, J., Uvdal, P., Nelander, B. Far-infrared investigation of the benzene-water complex: the identification of large-amplitude motion and tunneling pathways. Journal of Physical Chemistry A. 2020, 124(3): 513–519.
Stocka, J., Ceponkus, J., Sablinskas, V., Rodzievic, P. Conformational diversity of the THF molecule in N2 matrix by means of FTIR matrix isolation experiment and Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations. Spectrochimica Acta Part A-Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. 2020, 238.
Infrared Fiber ATR Based Spectroscopy of Cancerous Tissues.
The capabilities of Fiber ATR based infrared spectroscopic technique for the discrimination between healthy and cancerous tissues were demonstrated. It was shown that the signal to noise ratio in fingerprint region is high enough for the qualitative and quantitative analysis. The possibility to use the system for the cancerous cell identification was demonstrated for kidney, bladder and brain cells, identifying that for each type of cells unique spectral markers has to be identified. The change in intensity of spectral bands attributed to glycogen and fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase was confirmed as reliable spectral markers for the detection of cancerous kidney cells.
Main publications:
Bandzeviciute, R., Ceponkus, J., Velicka, M., Urboniene, V., Jankevicius, F., Zelvys, A., Steiner, G., Sablinskas, V. Fiber based infrared spectroscopy of cancer tissues. Journal of Molecular Structure. 2020, 1220: 128724.
Sablinskas, V., Bandzeviciute, R., Velicka, M., Ceponkus, J., Urboniene, V., Jankevicius, F., Laurinavicius, A., Dasevicius, D., Steiner, G. Fiber attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy of kidney tissue during live surgery. Journal of Biophotonics. 2020, 13(7): e202000018.
NMR and EPR studies of organic and inorganic compounds of the organized structures in the liquid, solid phases and nano-crystals.
The 1H–13C cross-polarization magic angle spinning kinetics was studied in poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) having the purpose to track the links between the local order in the main chain and the proton dynamics in peripheral hydrogen bond networks. The experimental CP MAS kinetic curves were analyzed applying the models of isotropic and anisotropic spin-diffusion with thermal equilibration. The fractal dimension Dp»3 was deduced that indicates that PMAA behaves as an isotropic 3D-system. No proton conductivity in the neat PMAA was deduced from the impedance spectroscopy data analyzing the frequency dependences of the complex dielectric permittivity. The value of local order parameter S=0.70 for CH2 in PMAA occupies an intermediate position between 0.63 and 0.85 deduced for CH2 sites in the main chains of PVPA and PHEMA, i.e. the true proton conductor and the polymer that contains the H-bond network, however, no proton conductivity, respectively.
Praseodymium substituted yttrium aluminium garnet (Y3-xPrxAl5O12; YPrAG (0≤x≤3)) powders were synthesized by an aqueous sol-gel method and investigated. YPrAG samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was demonstrated, that three phase regions exist depending on the substitutional level of Pr3+ in Y3-xPrxAl5O12. The single-phase cubic garnets have formed up to x=0.30. The mixture of garnet and trigonal perovskite (Y1-xPrxAlO3) phase have formed when x is between 0.45 and 2.00. The perovskite phase was the main crystalline phase with further increasing amount of praseodymium, no garnet structure was observed. The amorphous impurity phases were detected by solid state NMR spectroscopy.
Yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) specimens in which yttrium was partially substituted by lanthanum Y3-xLaxAl5O12 (YLaAG) were prepared by an aqueous sol-gel method. YLaAG samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) methods. It was demonstrated that solid-state NMR and EPR methods are indispensable tools for the explanation of processes and properties observed in the newly synthesized Y3-xLaxAl5O12 compounds
Main publications:
Dagys, L., Klimkevičius, V., Klimavicius, V., Balčiūnas, S., Banys, J. and Balevicius, V. Cross-polarization with magic-angle spinning kinetics and impedance spectroscopy study of proton mobility, local disorder, and thermal equilibration in hydrogenbonded poly(methacrylic acid). Journal of Polymer Science. 2020, 58: 3253–3263. https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20200592.
Pakalniskis, A., Marsalka, A., Raudonis, R., Balevicius, V., Zarkov, A., Skaudzius, R. and Kareiva, A. Sol-gel synthesis and study of praseodymium substitution effects in yttrium aluminium garnet Y3-xPrxAl5O12. Optical Materials. 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2020.110586.
Laurikenas, A., Sakalauskas, D., Marsalka, A., Raudonis, R., Antuzevics, A., Balevicius, V., Zarkov, A. and Kareiva, A. Investigation of lanthanum substitution effects in yttrium aluminium garnet: Importance of solid state NMR and EPR methods. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology. 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-020-05445-2.
Theoretical Modelling of Molecular Properties.
Molecular modelling methods based on density functional theory, implicit solvation models and thermodynamic cycles have been applied to predict thermodynamic properties of drug-like molecules. Specifically, aqueous acidities and tautomeric equilibrium constants have been modelled for 2-, 3- and 4-phenacylpyridines which exhibit simultaneous keto-enol and imine-enamine tautomerism. We find that predicted thermodynamic properties correlate well with experimental data and show reasonable quantitative agreement provided that direct thermodynamic scheme as well as flexible enough basis set are used. We have highlighted the factors influencing the accuracy for the prediction of acidities and tautomeric equilibrium constants for phenacylpyridines and presumably other tautomeric compounds with multiple acidic centers. Our contribution is thus important in relation to the development of reliable and efficient protocols for drug discovery.
We have further continued the theoretical modelling of structural and EPR properties of so-called hybrid metal-organic-frameworks, MOFs. Hybrid MOFs is a new class of materials showing great potential for applications in photovoltaics, gas storage and multiferroic memory devices. We have contributed to the investigation of the peculiarities of quantum rotation and quantum tunneling of methyl groups in dimethylammonium cation housed in the Mn(II)-doped hybrid perovskite framework. The results have been published in Science Advances journal.
Main publications:
Cedillo, A., Kvedaravičiūtė, S., Aidas, K. Prediction of the tautomer stability and acidity of phenacylpyridines in aqueous solution. Theoretical Chemistry Accounts. 2020, 139: 52.
Šimėnas, M., Klose, D., Ptak, M., Aidas, K., Mączka, M., Banys, J., Pöppl, A., Jeschke, G. Magnetic excitation and readout of methyl group tunnel coherence. Science Advances. 2020, 6: eaba1517.
National Research Projects
Research Council of Lithuania. Modelling Quadrupolar NMR Relaxation: Development and Applications (no. S-MIP-17-84). 2017–2020.
This project is aimed to develop a computational scheme for reliable modelling of nuclear magnetic resonance parameters based on classical molecular dynamics simulations as well as on combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics methods. This computational scheme is unique because molecular dynamics simulations allow exploring the phase space of large molecular systems, while quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics methods provide accurate predictions of molecular electronic properties. In the latter case, all important types of intermolecular interactions including electrostatic and van der Waals interactions. The developed computational methodology was used to scrutinize ion pairing processes in the low-concentration solutions of the 1-decyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride ionic liquid in solvents of different polarity – water, acetonitrile and dichloromethane.
Main publications:
Lengvinaitė, D., Klimavičius, V., Balevičius, V., Aidas, K. A computational NMR study of ion pairing of 1-decyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride in molecular solvents. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 2020, 124: 10776.
Research Council of Lithuania. Synthesis and NMR Crystallography of Novel Supramolecular Aggregates (09.3.3-LMT-K-712-19-0022). 2020–2022.
Some experimental results for the NMR crystllography are already collected. Rigid monomers are synthesized using the Meijer’s quadruple hydrogen-bonding motiffs embedded in the bicyclo [3.3.1]nonane backbone. Using the principles of supramolecular chemistry, monomers are aggregated into tetramers, and these into tubular supramolecular assemblies. The solid state NMR characterization has started employing 1H, 13C and 15N multidimensional techniques.
EU structural funding project. Center of Spectroscopic Characterization of Materials and Electronic/Molecular Processes (SPECTROVERSUM). 2018–2021.
Upgrade of SPECTROVERSUM instrumentation was completed. Five additional modern spectral devices were installed and five additional spectroscopic services were started. Research cooperation with international open access infrastructure MAXIV (2019–2026) was extended.
International Research Projects
Research Council of Lithuania. Gilibert program project Study of the Structure and Dynamics of Anti-Inflammatory Salicylate-Based Drug Molecules using Matrix Isolation Vibrational Spectrometry (Grant no. S-LZ-19-1). 2018–2021.
Nuclear spin conversion and hindered CH3 group rotation was confirmed in the molecules isolated in the low temperature (temperature in the range of 2-4 K) parahydrogen matrices. Proton tuneling in Chlorinated malonaldehyde isolated in parahydrogen was also confirmed. This allows to confirm the idea that parahydrogen solids only very weakly perturbs the molecules under study, and for many cases molecules isolated in low temperature can be treated as isolated molecules in the gas phase. Isolation in low temperature matrices provides the experimental conditions not accessible with other experimental methods.
Main publications:
Ceponkus, J., Strom, A., Anderson, D. T., Crepin, C., Chevalier, M., Gutierrez-Quintanilla, A. Matrix isolation spectroscopy and nuclear spin conversion of propyne suspended in solid parahydrogen. Jounal of Physical Chemistry A. 2020, 124(22): 4471–4483.
Gutierrez-Quintanilla, A., Chevalier, M., Platakytė, R., Čeponkus, J., Crépin, C. Intramolecular hydrogen tunneling in 2-chloromalonaldehyde trapped in solid para-hydrogen. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 2020, 22(11): 6115–6121.
Contractual Research
Service agreement. Measurements of transmission and optical phase contrast of optical phase retarders in MIR region (Nr. APS-120000-43 and (1.57)15600-INS-4). Prof. V. Šablinskas. 2016–2019; 2019–2023.
Service agreement. Measurements of transmission and reflection of optical crystals in VIS NIR and MIR regions (Nr. APS-120000-108 and (1.57)15600-INS-68). J. Čeponkus 2016–2019; 2019–2023.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Fibre Optics Company ArtPhotonics (Germany)
Optical components company Eksma Optics (Lithuania)
Optical components company Optogama (Lithuania)
Optical components company Altechna (Lithuania)
Agro and food innovation company Art21 (Lithuania)
Innovation company Spektrolabas (Lithuania)
MaxIV laboratory at Lund University (Sweden)
College of Charleston (USA)
Institute of Physics (National Center of Physical and Technological Sciences) (Lithuania)
Technical University of Darmstadt (Germany)
Leibnitz institute of Polymer Research in Dresden (Germany)
Technical University of Dresden (Germany)
Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce (Poland)
Wroclav University of Science and Technology (Poland)
Opole University (Poland)
Paris-Saclay University (France)
Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan (Poland)
National Institute of Chemistry (Slovenia)
Copenhagen University (Denmark)
Stockholm University (Sweden)
University of Bialystok (Poland)
University of Cagliari (Italy)
Eduard-Zintl Institute for Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, University of Technology Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany)
National Institute of Chemistry and Slovenian NMR Centre (SLONMR), Liubljana (Slovenia)
OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Prof. V. Šablinskas –
- member of doctoral Committee for Physics at Vilnius University;
- member of doctoral Committee for Biophysics at Vilnius University;
- member of graduate studies committee Applied Physics at Vilnius University.
Prof. V. Balevičius –
- member of the international advisory board Horizons in Hydrogen Bond Research;
- member of the international advisory board Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in Condensed Matter;
- member of the advisory committee International School-Seminar of Galyna Puchkovska on Spectroscopy of Molecules and Crystals.
Dr V. Urbonienė –
- institutional ERASMUS coordinator for Physics;
- member of methodological group of Vilnius University STEAM center;
- member of STEAM working group at COIMBRA GROUP.
Assoc. Prof. J. Čeponkus –
- chairman of graduate studies committee Applied Physics at Vilnius University.
- chairman of graduate studies committee Physics at Vilnius University.
Assoc. Prof. K. Aidas –
- organizer of scientific monthly seminar Chemical Physics at Saulėtekis.
Assoc. Prof. A. Gruodis –
- expert in technical committee, LST TC 52 ophthalmic optics and laser, Lithuanian Standardization Department.
Lecturer M. Velička –
- member of graduate studies committee Applied Physics at Vilnius University;
- member of organization committee of the international conference Open Readings;
- President of the SPIE Vilnius University chapter.
Lecturer D. Lengvinaitė –
- member of organization committee of the international conference Open Readings;
- President of the OSA Vilnius University chapter.
Lecturer R. Platakytė –
- member of organization committee of the international conference Open Readings.
MOST IMPORTANT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS RECEIVED FOR R&D ACTIVITIES
- Prof. G. Niaura (together with Dr A. Malinauskas) was awared Lithuanian science price 2020 for the cycle of works ‘Research into the Molecular Structure and Functionality of Materials by Vibrational Spectroscopy Methods’
CONSULTATIONS PROVIDED BY THE UNIT TO THE PUBLIC OR ECONOMIC ENTITIES
- V. Šablinskas and J. Čeponkus - Consultation on possibilities to use steady state and time resolved vibrational spectroscopy for the virus detection and identification in humans. IRsweep AG Switzerland
- V. Šablinskas, J. Čeponkus and M. Velička - Consultation on the possibilities to use IR and NIR spectroscopy for food quality analysis. UAB ART21
MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
- Prof. V. Šablinskas interview New Spectroscopic method for cancer diagnostics and for painless medical examination (in Lithuanian), Vilnius University Journal for Science popularization Spectrum No. 2(32): 10–31, 2020.
1.3 DIVISION OF SOLID STATE PHYSICS
Tel. 223 4544
E-mail
Head – Prof. Dr K. Arlauskas
STAFF
Professors: Dr K. Arlauskas, Dr Habil. G. Juška, Dr V. Jankauskas (part time).
Associate professors: Dr A. Poškus, Dr M.Viliūnas, Dr N. Nekrašas, Dr R. Maldžius (part time).
Lecturer: Dr G. Sliaužys (part time).
Research professor: Dr K. Genevičius.
Senior researchers: Dr R. Rinkūnas, Dr L. Tumonis, Dr V. Jankauskas (part time), Dr R. Maldžius (part time).
Researchers: Dr T. Grigaitis, Dr.E. Kamarauskas.
Research assistants: R. Dobužinskas, A. Aukštuolis, J. Nekrasovas.
Doctoral students: A. Aukštuolis, J. Nekrasovas, A. Naujokaitis.
RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
Deposition and investigation of new organic, organic-inorganic and composite materials for optoelectronic devices. PI: Prof. Kęstutis Arlauskas
Investigation of charge carriers transport and recombination in organic and hybrid structures PI: Dr Kristijonas Genevičius
New organic transport materials. PI: Prof. Vygintas Jankauskas
Development of resistojet for cubesats; Discrete Element Method (DEM). PI: Dr Liudas Tumonis
RESEARCH INTERESTS
New functional materials and structures: deposition technologies of new organic, inorganic and hybrid material layers and structures, and investigation of electric, photoelectric and charge carrier transport features
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2020
Project Supported by University Budget
New Functional Materials and Structures. Prof. K. Arlauskas.
New organic-inorganic composite materials for x-ray sensors have been investigated and numerical modelling of enhanced by x-ray photo-generation of charge carriers was calculated.
The electron energy range of feasibility of the partial-wave method for calculation of doubly differential cross sections of electron-atom bremsstrahlung has been extended to 10 MeV. This allows fast generation of accurate bremsstrahlung angular distribution data for use in Monte Carlo codes simulating electron transport in the MeV range.
Main publication:
Poškus, A., Dobužinskas, R., Viliūnas, M., Arlauskas, K. A physical mechanism of sensitivity
enhancement of organic X-ray detectors with Tungsten nanoparticles. Lith. J. Phys. 2020, 60: 96–
112.
Properties charge carrier transport of holes of OFET structures with PCPDTBT active layer have been investigated by current transient and i-CELIV methods for different directions of electric field (parallel and perpendicular to the substrate). A huge difference of mobility, but similar energetic disorder parameters led to the conclusion that in parallel to the substrate direction there are lower average coordinate intersite distance and better molecular orientation for transport of holes.
Main publication:
Aukstuolis, A., Nekrasas, N., Genevicius, K., Jonikaite-Svegzdiene, J. Anisotropy of charge carrier
transport in PCPDTBT field-effect transistor structures. Synth. Met. 2020, 264: 116382.
The organic donor–π-bridge–acceptor type materials and fluorene-based enamines as charge carrier transport material, which may ensure the prolonged stability and lower cost of perovskite solar cells, has been investigated.
Main publications:
Igci, C., Paek, S., Rakstys, K., Kanda, H., Shibayama, N., Jankauskas, V., Roldan-Carmona, C.,
Kim, H., Asiri, A. M., Nazeeruddin, M. K. D-π-A-type triazatruxene-based dopant-free hole
transporting materials for efficient and stable Perovskite solar cells. Solar RRL. 2020, 4(9):
2000173. DOI: 10.1002/solr.202000173.
Daskeviciute, S., Momblona, C., Rakstys, K., Sutanto, A. A., Daskeviciene, M., Jankauskas, V.,
Gruodis, A., Bubniene, G., Getautis, V., Nazeeruddin, M. K. Fluorene-based enamines as low-cost
and dopant-free hole transporting materials for high performance and stable perovskite solar cells.
J. Mater. Chem. A. 2020. DOI: 10.1039/D0TA08452B.
The electron emission spectra and the structure of electronic states using slow electron counting detector and computer simulations together with charge carrier transport of enamine-based cross-linkable organic semiconductor materials and novel carbazole-terminated isomeric hole-transporting materials for perovskite solar cells have been investigated.
Main publications:
Vaitukaitytė, D., Al-Ashouri, A., Daškevičienė, M., Kamarauskas, E., Nekrasovas, J., Jankauskas,
V., Magomedov, A., Albrecht, S., Getautis V. Enamine‐based cross‐linkable hole‐transporting
materials for Perovskite solar cells. Solar RRL. 2020, 2000597. DOI: 10.1002/solr.202000597.
Rakstys, K., Paek, S., Drevilkauskaite, A., Kanda, H., Daskeviciute, S., Shibayama, N.,
Daskeviciene, M., Gruodis, A., Kamarauskas, E., Jankauskas, V., Getautis, V., Nazeeruddin, M. K.
Carbazole-terminated isomeric hole-transporting materials for Perovskite solar cells. ACS Applied
Materials & Interfaces. 2020, 12: 19710-19717. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b23495.
Investigated polarization dependence of paper and paper-dielectric structures on environment relative humidity (RH). In composite structures of the paper between dielectric films and dielectric on paper the polarization dependence on RH correlates with moisture absorption isotherm. Analysis of the formation kinetics of the depolarization potential together with the potential decay of the charged paper has determined the role of orientation polarization and space charges.
Main publication:
Maldzius, R., Lozovski, T., Sidaravicius, J. et al. Influence of environmental relative humidity on the polarization behaviour of paper and paper-dielectric structures. Cellulose. 2020 27: 10303–10312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-020-03457-3.
The stochastic modelling of the microcracking and the force-displacement behaviour of the tensile steel reinforced tie using the lattice model have been presented. The discrete element approach and the explicit integration scheme have been used for the modelling. The estimations of the main parameters of the force-displacement behaviour stochastic process and other statistical indexes were obtained.
Contractual Research
Research Cooperation Contract: Electric and Dielectric properties of packaging materials.
Coordinators: Stora Enso Oyj, Finland; Vilnius University, Lithuania. Prof. K. Arlauskas. 2020.
ESA PECS contract: Development of thermally optimised resistojet for laser ablative cutting
fabrication (TORTILAC) (ESA contract No.: 4000129805/20/NL/SC). Prime Contractor: Vilnius University, Lithuania; Sub-Contractors: UAB “Nanoavionika” (Lithuania), Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (from 2020: Vilnius Tech university) (Lithuania), Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (Lithuania). Dr. L. Tumonis. 2020–2021.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
- Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas (Lithuania)
- Lappeenranta University, Lappeenranta (Finland)
- Stora Enso Oyj (Finland)
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland (Australia)
- Thunder Bay Research Institute, Thunder Bay (Canada)
- University of Birmingham, Birmingham (United Kingdom)
OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Prof. Kęstutis Arlauskas –
- member of Lithuanian Science Award Committee at the Lithuanian Academy of Science;
- member of doctoral Committee for Material Engineering at Vilnius University.
Researcher Prof. Dr Kristijonas Genevičius –
- member of doctoral Committee for Physics at Vilnius University;
- member of graduate studies Committee for Materials of Technology and Optoelectronic at Vilnius University.
Prof. Dr Vygintas Jankauskas –
- member of graduate studies Committee for Life and Chemical Physics at Vilnius University.
Assoc. Prof. Mindaugas Viliūnas –
- member of IPhO 2020 and 2021 organization committee.
INSTITUTE OF PHOTONICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
3 Saulėtekio Ave, LT-10257 Vilnius
Tel. 223 4482
E-mail:
Head – Prof. Dr Saulius Juršėnas
STAFF
Professors: Dr E. Gaubas (part-time), Dr K. Jarašiūnas (emeritus), Dr S. A. Juršėnas (part-time), Dr V. Kažukauskas, Dr E. Kuokštis, Dr V. Tamošiūnas, Dr G. Tamulaitis (part-time), Dr R. Tomašiūnas (part-time), Dr J. V. Vaitkus (emeritus), Dr G. Valušis (part-time).
Associate professors: Dr R. Aleksiejūnas (part-time), Dr R. Butkutė (part-time), Dr T. Malinauskas (part-time), Dr S. Nargelas (part-time), Dr P. Vitta (part-time), Dr E. Žąsinas (part-time).
Teaching assistants: Dr A. Arlauskas (part-time), Dr T. Čeponis (part-time), Dr J. Jurkevičius (part-time), Dr G. Kreiza (part-time), Dr A. Mekys (part-time), Dr L. Minkevičius (part-time), Dr A. Novičkovas (part-time), Dr P. Ragulis (part-time), Dr S. Raišys (part-time).
Research Assistants: D. Banevičius (part-time), M. Mackoit-Sinkevičienė (part-time), S. Pūkienė (part-time), E. Radiunas (part-time).
Research professors: Dr E. Gaubas, S. A. Juršėnas, Dr K. Kazlauskas, Dr G. Tamulaitis, Dr R. Tomašiūnas.
Senior researchers: Dr R. Aleksiejūnas, Dr T. Čeponis, Dr T. Grinys, Dr A. Kadys, Dr K. Kazlauskas, Dr V. Kažukauskas (part-time), Dr Ž. Lukšienė, Dr T. Malinauskas, Dr J. Mickevičius, Dr P. Ščajev, Dr P. Vitta.
Researchers: Dr P. Baronas, Dr I. Buchovec, Dr A. Devižis, Dr D. Dobrovolskas, Dr K. Genevičius, Dr J. Jurkevičius, Dr R. Komskis, Dr G. Kreiza, Dr A. Mekys, Dr S. Miasojedovas, Dr A. Novičkovas (part-time), Dr J. Pavlov, Ž. Podlipskas, Dr S. Raišys, Dr I. Reklaitis, Dr V. Rumbauskas, Dr T. Serevičius, R. Skaisgiris A. Vaitkevičius, A. Zabiliūtė-Karaliūnė, Dr E. Žąsinas.
Research assistants: K. Aponienė, S. Butkus (part-time), J. Jovaišaitė, O. Kravcov, G. Kreiza, K. Nomeika, A. Petrulis, V. Sendiuk.
Engineers: Dr. P. Adomėnas, Dr. O. Adomėnienė, S. Bikantienė, V.Bikbajevas, O. Bobrovas, V. Čižas, V. Dadurkevičius, L. Deveikis, M. Riauka, Dr. V. Grivickas, V. Kalcas, M. Kolenda, Ž. Komičius, F. Ralienė, D. A. Ralys, dr. S. Tamošiūnas, J. Vaičiulis.
Technicians: M. Dapkevičius, R. Lebionka, V. Marčiulionytė, M. Pikaikinas, K. Pūkas, Ž. Vosylius, V. Žvinytė.
Doctoral students: K. Badokas, D. Banevičius, L. Deveikis, J. Jovaišaitė, M. Kolenda, O. Kravcov, K. Pūkas, E. Radiunas, V. Sendiuk, Y. Talochka, Ž. Vosylius.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Antibacterial technologies based of photodynamic inactivation by light and photosensitizers Artificial intelligence in various Lithuanian language computer implementations: e.g. machine translation, search systems, intelligent dictionaries, text parsing and data mining
Bio-, immuno-, DNA- sensors based on nanostructured conducting polymers
Characterization, optimization and applications of light-emitting diodes and their systems
Creating new methods for the synthesis of selected organic molecular structures
Deep level spectroscopy in wide-band-gap semiconductors GaN and diamond fabricated using different technologies
Design and fabrication of OLED, organic photon upconversion structures and organic sensor systems
Developing new methods for the synthesis of functional structures of organic compounds
Development of GaN devices (LEDs, detectors, resonators, etc.)
Development of laser-based spectroscopic techniques with temporal, spectral, and spatial resolution for characterization of novel semiconductor materials for optoelectronics Development of measurement techniques for comprehensive characterization of photo-sensors, particle detectors, light emitting diodes and solar-cells
Development of measurement techniques and instrumentation for the in situ characterization of material and device structures under heavy irradiations by hadrons
Development of ultrafast scintillation detectors
Development of infrared radiation-hard detectors
Dosimetry of large fluence irradiations
Dynamics of nonequilibrium carriers and excitons in highly excited semiconductors and their low-dimensional structures
Epitaxy of GaN and other III-nitride layers and multiple quantum wells by MOCVD technology
Growth of different polarity III-nitrides for photonic applications
Intelligent solid-state lighting systems for outdoor lighting
Investigation of native and ionizing radiation induced defects and micro-inhomogeneities in semiconductor materials and device structures
Lighting systems with advanced colour rendition control for general and niche lighting
Lighting systems for vegetable growth with improved nutritional quality
Nondestructive characterization of wide band gap semiconductor materials
Optical nonlinearities in semiconductors caused by free carriers, electrooptic and spin-related mechanisms
Remote epitaxy of III-nitrides via graphene
Structural, optical and electrical properties of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells
Spectroscopy of perovskite materials
Transport properties in different diamonds for application in power electronics devices
Wide-band-gap semiconductors for detection and dosimetry of hadron irradiations
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2020
Projects Supported by University Budget
Development, Investigation and Application of Advanced Semiconductor Structures for Optoelectronics. Dr R. Tomašiūnas. 2020–2021.
The main focus of the project was to further develop the III-nitrides MOCVD technology to grow nitride epilayers and structures applying 2D materials, ALD films. Numerical modeling and experimental investigation of associated localized and free non-equilibrium charge carrier dynamics in nitride semiconductors using luminescence spectroscopy. Characterization of wideband semiconductors by optical absorption and light-induced transient gratings methods. Investigation of photo-galvanomagnetic and transport phenomena. Renewal of the Hall set-up.
Development of high-energy radiation double-response GaN/AlGaN sensor technology and detector architecture. Development of methods for radiation and technology defect spectroscopy.
Optical, thermal, and photoionization spectroscopy of defect states and analysis of charge transfer in semiconductor materials and structures, important for opto- and photoelectrical applications. Development of experimental methods, including pulsed.
Main publication:
Reklaitis, I., Radiunas, E., Malinauskas, T., Stanionytė, S., Juška, G., Ritasalo, R., Pilvi, T., Taeger, S., Strassburg, M., Tomašiūnas, R. A comparative study on atomic layer deposited oxide film morphology and their electrical breakdown. Surf. Coat. Technol. 2020, 399: 126123.
Organic Photonics. Prof. S. A. Juršėnas. 2018–2020.
The project focuses on organic crystal growth by physical vapour transport method, identification of crystal structure and application in device prototypes. Synthesis, purification and application of new efficient organic emitter materials for photonics applications. Expansion of ultrafast spectroscopy setup for measurements in infrared region, optimization for polaron spectroscopy in organic materials. Fabrication of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) by vacuum deposition and wet-casting methods in oxygen-free atmosphere. Applications of scanning electron and atomic force microscopy for morfological, electrical conductance and thermal analysis at nanoscale. Electron paramagnetic resonance (ESR) spectroscopy of Alanine and other organic compounds affected by ionizing radiation for applications in dosimetry and analysis of radiation spectra.
Main publication:
Bonal, V., Villalvilla, J. M., Quintana, J. A., Boj, P. G., Lin, N., Watanabe, S., Kazlauskas, K., Adomeniene, O., Jursenas, S., Tsuji, H., Nakamura, E., Díaz-García, M. A. Blue and deep-blue-emitting organic lasers with top-layer distributed feedback resonators. Adv. Optical Mater. 2020, 2001153.
Solid-State Lighting Technologies. Dr P. Vitta. 2016–2020.
Activity No 1.
Laser diodes (LDs) with proper light converters (phosphors) are recognized as potential contestants to supplement or even replace LEDs in certain SSL application areas. On the other hand, colour converters (phosphors with holding matter) experience extremely high excitation density when excited by LDs and designed for precise lighting application (e.g., automotive headlamps). Overheating and photoaging of polymer based matters (e.g., epoxies, silicones, PMMA) was partially solved by applying glasses and glass-ceramics as holding materials, but their thermal conductivity (0,5–3 W/(m K) ) still is far below the cubic boron nitride (~700 W/(m K) ) and diamond (600–2000 W/(m K)). On the other hand, The cost of the rare-earth metal cerium means that preparation of YAG : Ce is relatively expensive. To overcome this, the garnet could partially be replaced by cheaper alternatives, while retaining the original properties of YAG : Ce. Composites with different polymers such as polyethylene glycol diacrylate (M280) and dipentaerythrityl hexaacrylate (M600) were therefore studied. YAG : Ce and boron nitride were added into the polymer matrix in order to obtain composites with enhanced thermal conductivity, necessary for high-optical-density applications. The physical properties of the composites were measured by using XRD, DSC, SEM, and NMR, and the most important characteristics for LED materials such as emission, excitation, decay time and quantum efficiency were analysed. An LED prototype was developed to test and demonstrate the composites for practical applications.
Main publication:
Inkrataite, G., Zabiliute-Karaliune, A., Aglinskaite, J., Vitta, P., Kristinaityte, K., Marsalka, A. and Skaudzius, R. Study of YAG : Ce and Polymer Composite Properties for Application in LED Devices. ChemPlusChem. 2020, 85(7): 1504–1510.
Activity No 2.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the optical properties of Sm3+ doped K2Bi(PO4)(MoO4) phosphors as possible candidates for application in light emitting diodes (LEDs) for horticultural and general lighting applications. Sm3+ doped phosphors with different concentration of Sm3+ have been prepared by solid state reaction method. The synthesized materials were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The room temperature (RT) reflection, excitation, and emission spectra, photoluminescence (PL) decay curves, as well as temperature dependent emission and excitation spectra and PL decay curves were measured and discussed. Moreover, quantum efficiencies, and lumen equivalents (LE) were determined and discussed. The prepared K2Bi(PO4)(MoO4):Sm3+ phosphor samples show moderate quantum efficiency, high colour purity, and a high quenching temperature. These properties are required for phosphors if they are under consideration for application in LEDs and other areas. It was also shown that the PL emission of the phosphor well matches the absorption of the main plant pigments thus making it a good candidate for horticultural lighting applications. Using this phosphor and a near-UV LED a phosphor-converted LED (pcLED) prototype, meeting the photophysiological needs of plants, was designed. Supplementing the prototype with a green or lime LED the colour rendering index and luminous efficacy of radiation of the prototype is greatly increased thus making it more efficient and pleasant for people present at the greenhouse.
Main publication:
Grigorjevaite, J., Ezerskyte, E., Paterek, J., Saitzek, S., Zabiliūtė-Karaliūnė, A., Vitta, P., Enseling, D., Justel, T. and Katelnikovas, A. Luminescence and luminescence quenching of K2Bi(PO4)(MoO4):Sm3+ phosphors for horticultural and general lighting applications. Mater. Adv. 2020, 1: 1427–1438.
Activity No 3.
The study focuses on predictive modelling of inactivation of Salmonella enterica after treatment with chlorophyllin-chitosan complex and visible light. Salmonella cells were incubated with chlorophyllin-chitosan complex (0.001% chlorophyllin and 0.1% chitosan) for different times (5–60 min) and then illuminated with visible light (lambda=405 nm, H-e=38 J/cm(2)). Inactivation curves and post-treatment regrowth curves were built based on microbiological viability tests and data were fitted to ten inactivation and two regrowth models. The photoactivated complex reduced Salmonella population, which were unable to regrow. Weibull and Baranyi models were the best to describe the inactivation and regrowth kinetics respectively. In conclusion, data from the kinetic analysis and predictive modelling confirmed that photoactivated chlorophyllin-chitosan complex is a promising non-thermal approach for inactivation of Gram-negative pathogens, since no bacterial regrowth after treatment has been predicted.
Main publication:
Rodriguez-Lopez, M. I., Gomez-Lopez, V. M., Lukseviciute, V. and Luksiene, Z. Modelling the inactivation and possible regrowth of Salmonella enterica treated with chlorophyllin-chitosan complex and visible light. Food Tech. Biotech. 2020, 58(1): 64–70.
National Research Projects
Research Council of Lithuania. Centre of Technologies of the Contactless and Remote Detection of Ionizing Radiations (No. 01.2.2-CPVA-K-703-02-0002). Dr Habil. E. Gaubas. 2018–2021.
The project aims at the development of the ionizing radiation detection and characterization systems based on the material interaction with ionizing, optic and microwave radiation. Novel methods and prototype equipment enabling the radiation detection, measurement and monitoring in a wide range of fluencies are intended to be developed. The systems have no analogues on the global market of remote and fast detection technologies.
Research Council of Lithuania. Creation of the Prototype Wide-Spectrum Dosimetry System for Various Purposes Monitoring of Irradiations (No. 01.2.2-LMT-K-718-01-0013). Dr Habil. E. Gaubas. 2018–2022.
The radiation technologies gain the increased role over nowadays innovations of the scientific&technological developments and applications: e.g., speeding of high power transducers by introduction of radiation defects, implantation&transmutation technologies for advanced doping technologies in microelectronics, accelerator&radioactive isotope equipment for medical diagnostics and therapy, etc. Simultaneously, exploitation of nuclear power plants, of high brightness particle accelerators and spallators needs the precise and in situ dosimetry monitoring for the proper governing of technological processes, for relevant storage of nuclear fuel and its waste, for permanent control of instruments employed within acceleration and spallation facilities, and, eventually, for environmental and personnel safety purposes. The project objective is to research and develop the optimal sensor materials, structures as well as layer parameters and to create a technology of fabrication of the sensor-reading instrumentation, capable to perform fast scans of big amount of sensors, to operate in remote and in situ signal recording modes in order to produce a prototype dosimetry system for wide spectrum and fluence range of irradiations. The tasks of the project would be addressed to search of materials and their combinations for making of the dual and triple response sensors and to development of the measurement engineering means for fabrication of the dose readers instrumentation and technology of assembly of various modules into a single device, which composes the microwave, laser and photonic technologies.
Research Council of Lithuania. Development of Advanced Optoelectronic Materials Via Smart Molecular Engineering (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-718-01-0026). Prof. S. A. Juršėnas. 2018–2022.
The project is intended to create series of novel organic electronic materials - niche products with unique properties, and develop their large-scale synthesis and purification technologies. The project partner “Fine Synthesis Ltd” (FS) has expertise in synthesis of organic electronic and photonic materials as well as in development of technologies for large-scale synthesis and purification. FS is highly interested in development of niche organic electronic products with unique properties.
Main publications:
Baronas, P., Kreiza, G., Mamada, M., Maedera, S., Adomėnas, P., Adomėnienė, O., Kazlauskas, K., Adachi, C., Juršėnas, S. Enhanced energy transfer in doped bifluorene single crystals: prospects for organic lasers. Adv. Optical Mater. 2020, 8: 1901670.
Jovaisaite, J., Cīrule, D., Jeminejs, A., Novosjolova, I., Turks, M., Baronas, P., Komskis, R., Tumkevicius, S., Jonusauskas, G., Jursenas, S. Proof of principle of a purine D–A–D′ ligand based ratiometric chemical sensor harnessing complexation induced intermolecular PET. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2020, 22: 26502–26508.
Serevičius, T., Skaisgiris, R., Dodonova, J., Jagintavičius, L., Banevičius, D., Kazlauskas, K., Tumkevičius, S., Juršėnas, S. Achieving submicrosecond thermally activated delayed fluorescence lifetime and highly efficient electroluminescence by fine-tuning of the phenoxazine–pyrimidine structure. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces. 2020, 12: 10727–10736.
Research Council of Lithuania. MOCVD Growth of III-Nitride Semiconductors by van der Waals Epitaxy on Graphene (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-01-0076). Dr T. Malinauskas. 2018–2022.
Project goal is to improve scientific competence by executing research project on growth of III-nitrides epilayers and nanostructures for optoelectronics using graphene. The main task is to investigate peculiarities of MOCVD growth of III nitrides on graphene by employing complementary characterization methods. The main idea and novelty of project is based on using new method of semiconductor growth - van der Waals (vdW) epitaxy for III-nitrides using graphene as buffer layer. VdW epitaxy using graphene will enable easy lift-off of epitaxial layers from substrate. This feature will allow multiple use of expensive homoepitaxial bulk GaN substrate. While the use of these substrates will guarantee higher crystalline quality of epitaxial layers, and therefore higher efficiency of optoelectronics devices grown on top. MOCVD growth of GaN using vdW and graphene will be researched using different substrates - GaN template on sapphire, bulk GaN, SiC, sapphire and Si. The vdW epitaxy physics and properties of grown epitaxial layers and nanostructures will be investigated using structural, optical and electrical characterization methods. The project will result in improved scientific competence of researchers, development of new technology, the dissemination of scientific results in high quality peer reviewed scientific publications and international conferences.
Main publications:
Grinys, T., Drunga, T., Dobrovolskas, D., Dargis, R., Clark, A. Wet etching mechanism of Er2O3 grown on Si by molecular beam epitaxy. Appl. Surf. Sci. 2020, 505: 144452.
Kravcov, O., Mickevičius, J., Tamulaitis, G. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of the dynamics of a coupled system of free and localized carriers in AlGaN. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter. 2020, 32(14): 145901.
Research Council of Lithuania. Fast Scintillators for Radiation Detectors (FARAD) (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-01-0013). 2018–2022.
The project is aimed at revealing the processes limiting the luminescence response time in scintillators capable to ensure detection timing in the range of 10 ps that is targeted in the future high-luminosity collider experiments to prevent the pile up effect and in medical imaging devices to ensure a better spatial resolution. Our approach for studying fast scintillators is based on the combination of the experimental results obtained by the luminescence spectroscopy under selective photoexcitation in subpicosecond domain with the femtosecond-resolution results obtained by using nonlinear optical techniques, some of them unconventional, which are just fragmentally exploited for the study of scintillators so far. Dynamics of nonequilibrium carriers, mechanisms of luminescence build up, excitation transfer, trapping of nonequilibrium carriers, influence of intentional co-doping on carrier migration and recombination are being studied in scintillators of different types, especially, in Ce-doped garnets, oxyorthosilicates, and perovskites, obtained via collaboration with crystal growers in the Crystal Clear Collaboration (RD18) at CERN. Especial attention is focused on radiation hardness of the scintillators in view of their timing parameters, what is a new challenge of importance in many high-energy physics experiments at CERN and other large-scale facilities. The results will be exploited for selection of materials most prospective to be used as fast scintillators, for optimization of their composition, doping with active ions and co-doping, and conditions of their growth and post-growth annealing.
Main publication:
Tamulaitis, G., Auffray, E., Gola, A., Korzhik, M., Mazzi, A., Mechinski, V., Nargelas, S., Talochka, Y., Vaitkevičius, A., Vasil'ev, A. Improvement of the timing properties of Ce-doped oxyorthosilicate LYSO scintillating crystals. J. Phys. Chem. Solids. 2020, 139: 109356.
Research Council of Lithuania. Neutron Flux Detection System with Optical Readout (No. 01.2.2-LMT-K-718-01-0041). Prof. G. Tamulaitis. 2018–2022.
The Project is aimed at the development and prototyping of a system capable to monitor neutron fluxes up to the densities above 1010 neutron/cm2/s, which are substantially higher than those monitored by the detection systems currently in use. The targeted applications are primarily nuclear power plants and spallation facilities. The Project is planned in line with the priority Photonic and Laser Technologies of the Smart Specialization. The Project will contribute to the implementation of the specific objective of the corresponding Action plan „to research and establish optic and optomechanical components” and join the activities carried out to “research new glass, ceramics, crystal materials and fibre in lasers and nonlinear optical devices” in order to develop a device for monitoring dense neutron fluxes, which is based on a novel concept and contains a short-pulse laser and an optic unit exploiting nonlinear optical phenomena in radiation hard single crystal to be selected as optimal.
Research Council of Lithuania. Production and Investigation of Advanced Geometry Nitride Harmonic Generators (No. 01.2.2-LMT-K-718-01-0018). Dr R. Tomašiūnas. 2018–2022.
We have started to develop a modal quasi phase-matched GaN waveguide structure for optical second-harmonic generation. First, we have investigated the growth of AlGaN on different AlN epilayers by MOVPE using different growth parameters. Secondly, we have investigated the growth of N-polar GaN on Al2O3 layers deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the Ga-polar GaN/AlGaN structure by this completing the entire GaN waveguide structure. We have also investigated the wave guiding properties of a GaN waveguide in the view of photon - charge carrier interaction.
Main publications:
Mickevicius, J., Nargelas, S., Kadys, A., Jarašiūnas, K., Malinauskas, T. Stimulated emission threshold in thick GaN epilayers: interplay between charge carrier and photon dynamics. Opt. Laser Technol. 2020, 134: 106624.
Kolenda, M., Kezys, D., Reklaitis, I., Radiunas, E., Ritasalo, R., Kadys, A., Grinys, T., Malinauskas, T., Stanionytė, S., Skapas, M., Petruškevičius, R., Tomašiūnas, R. Development of polarity inversion in a GaN waveguide structure for modal phase matching. J. Mater. Sci. 2020, 55: 12008.
Research Council of Lithuania. Triplet State Engineering in Organic Optoelectronics Compounds (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-01-0084). Dr K. Kazlauskas. 2018–2022.
The project targets triplet state engineering of novel organic materials to harvest the energy stored in the triplet states and enhance the performance of organic optoelectronics devices. Utilization of the energy stored in the form of a triplet excitation in the devices such as organic solar cells and OLEDs has created long-lasting challenge for the researchers. The issue caused low performance of organic electronic devices, thereby severely limiting their competiveness and practical applications as compared to their inorganic counterparts.
Main publications:
Berenis, D., Kreiza, G., Juršėnas, S., Kamarauskas, E., Ruibys, V., Bobrovas, O., Adomėnas, P., Kazlauskas, K. Different RISC rates in benzoylpyridine-based TADF compounds and their implications for solution-processed OLEDs. Dyes Pigm. 2020, 182: 108579.
Kreiza, G., Banevičius, D., Jovaišaitė, J., Juršėnas, S., Javorskis, T., Vaitkevičius, V., Orentas, E., Kazlauskas, K. Realization of deep-blue TADF in sterically controlled naphthyridines for vacuum- and solution-processed OLEDs. J. Mater. Chem. C. 2020, 8: 8560–8566.
Radiunas, E., Dapkevičius, M., Raišys, S., Juršėnas, S., Jozeliūnaitė, A., Javorskis, T., Šinkevičiūtė, U., Orentas, E., Kazlauskas, K. Impact of t -butyl substitution in a rubrene emitter for solid state NIR-to-visible photon upconversion. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2020, 22: 7392–7403.
Radiunas, E., Raišys, S., Juršėnas, S., Jozeliūnaitė, A., Javorskis, T., Šinkevičiūtė, U., Orentas, E., Kazlauskas, K. Understanding the limitations of NIR-to-visible photon upconversion in phthalocyanine-sensitized rubrene systems. J. Mater. Chem. C. 2020, 8: 5525–5534.
Research Council of Lithuania. Enhancing Light Upconversion Efficiency in Organic Films for Optoelectronic Applications (LightUpcon) (No. S-MIP-17-77). Dr K. Kazlauskas. 2017–2020.
The project aims to improve triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) mediated light upconversion (UC) efficiency in organic solid films for optoelectronic applications. TTA-UC allows accomplishing conversion of longer wavelengths to shorter ones by applying low intensity non-coherent excitation, such as sunlight. The application of TTA-UC films opens up possibilities to enhance efficiency of solar cells by means of converting of poorly absorbed red-IR photons to shorter wavelength photons, which can contribute to photocurrent. The main unresolved problem of TTA-UC hindering its practical applications is low UC efficiency in the solid state (1–2%). The project will focus on identification and elimination of the factors limiting TTA-UC efficiency in organic solid films.
Research Council of Lithuania. Perovskite Laser (PERLAS) (No. MIP-17-71). Prof. S. Juršėnas. 2017–2020.
In this project, the technology of a perovskite laser emitting in the visible range will be developed. Unique investigation techniques and sophisticated deposition technologies will be applied to optimize the carrier transport and optical parameters of the perovskite layers, seeking to achieve very low threshold of amplified spontaneous emission and lasing.
Main publication:
Ščajev, P., Miasojedovas, S., Juršėnas, S. A carrier density dependent diffusion coefficient, recombination rate and diffusion length in MAPbI 3 and MAPbBr 3 crystals measured under one-and two-photon excitations. Journal of Materials Chemistry C. 2020, 8(30): 10290–10301.
Research Council of Lithuania. ZnMgO Materials with Tuneable Band Gap for Solar-Blind UV Sensors (ZMOMUVS) (No. S-M-ERA.NET-19-2). Dr S. Miasojedovas. 2019–2022.
Objective of the project is elaboration of a new ultra-wide band gap material based on a pseudobinary ZnxMg1-xO system with either a wurtzite (wz) or a rocksalt (rs) crystal structure for creation of deep UV detector with enhanced operating energy range from 4.0 eV to 6.0 eV.
European TD COST Action CA17126. Towards Understanding and Modelling Intense Electronic Excitation (TUMIEE). MC member from Lithuania Prof. G. Tamulaitis. 2019–2022.
TUMIEE aims at establishing an interdisciplinary network that brings together experts from different fields of interest in order to develop models of intense electronic excitations.
- COST CA16220 European Network for High-Performance Integrated Microwave Photonics (EUIMWP). MC member from Lithuania Dr R. Tomašiūnas. 2017–2021.
The European Network for High-Performance Integrated Microwave Photonics (EUIMWP) Action aims to deliver a portfolio of technological benchmarking to establish performance indicators defining future technological requirements in high-performance scenarios such as 5G, automotive and aerospace technologies. Integrated microwave photonics (IMWP) seeks to address energy-efficiency, flexibility, and scalability, and, as a result, high volume application, by incorporating the IMWP systems into photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
Research Council of Lithuania. Origins and Pathways of Non-Radiative Recombination in Nonpolar and Semipolar InGaN Structures (NORAD) (No. MIP-17-75). Dr S. Nargelas. 2017–2020.
The project is aimed at the investigation of recombination pathways of free carriers in III-nitride structures oriented along the non-polar and semi-polar axes. A novel method of sample growth is being implemented to deposit InGaN structures by pulsed-MOCVD on native GaN substrates.
International Research Projects
Horizon 2020 programme ATTRACT project Development of Radiation-Hard and Cost-Effective Inorganic Scintillators for Calorimetric Detectors Based on Binary Glass Compositions Doped with Cerium SCINTIGLASS. Prof. G. Tamulaitis. 2019–2020.
Glass and glass ceramics are attractive alternatives to the crystalline materials widely used in radiation detectors in basic research as well as for applications in medical diagnostics and homeland security detectors. The materials can be fabricated in moulds or by sol-gel techniques. Therefore, they can be prepared in various geometrical shapes such as blocks, plates, and thin fibres. Moreover, large quantities can be fabricated in a relatively short period of time. However, most of the glasses do not exhibit scintillation properties. Nevertheless, quartz produced by sol-gel technology allowing Ce-doping demonstrates a high light yield. Recently, it has been shown that new glasses of binary composition enable fabrication of scintillation glasses heavily doped with Cerium.
The lead-free glasses with the composition BaO*2SiO2:Ce (DSB: Ce) have reached a density of 3.7 g/cm3 and were found to be radiation hard under irradiation by gamma-quanta as well as high energy protons and their highly ionizing secondary products. A further increase of the glass density up to 4.5 g/cm3 accompanied by a high light yield could be achieved by adding Gd2O3 and SiO2 with a molar ratio 1:1 and BaO and SiO2 with the molar ratio of up to 2:3, respectively. Even stronger increase in the glass density, the effective atomic charge Zeff,, and the light yield is observed in glasses of a stoichiometric composition of Lu2O3 and SiO2. These glasses reach density values well above 4.7 g/cm3.
Cerium-doped glasses show a luminescence band peaking at a wavelength of 435 nm and can be read out using standard photomultipliers and via low-cost and fast Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM). The decay kinetics of the scintillation mechanism can be approximated by three exponential components: a component with an effective decay time of 6 ns (~10% of total weight), a component of 30 ns (~40%), and the slowest component with a decay time of 180 ns (~50%). The presence of the latter component depends on both the Ce concentration and the Ba/Si ratio in the final composition. It is worth noting that ~74% of the light are emitted within the first 100 ns after excitation. Such a time response is compatible with the high repetition rates considered for high luminosity collider facilities and other future experiments or applications. The light output at room temperature is ~100 phe/MeV, by a factor of five larger than that of PbWO4 (PWO). The temperature dependence of the light output within a temperature range from -25 to +25°C is very low: the temperature gradient was determined to be below 0.04%/°C. These features make this material promising for a breakthrough in development of inexpensive large-volume calorimetric detectors or detecting units for remote inspection. The consortium of the participating institutions proposes to exploit the potential of the DSB: Ce binary glass systems for fast timing applications with high sensitivity to low energy neutrons. The targeted applicability covers the fields of calorimetry, fast counting systems in radiation-hard environment, detector systems for medical, technical, and security applications.
M-ERA.NET. Functional Inorganic Layers for Next Generation Optical Devices (FLINGO). Dr R.Tomašiūnas. 2016–2020.
We have investigated a series of ALD films of transition metal oxides HfO2, ZrO2, Ta2O5, TiO2, Nb2O5, Y2O3, Al2O3 and SiO2. We have performed breakdown field measurements step-by-step increasing the annealing temperature and made an overview of a direct correspondence with the crystallization event for all the films. We have measured and analyzed CV of most of the oxides with GaN interface.
Main publication:
Reklaitis, I., Radiunas, E., Malinauskas, T., Stanionytė, S., Juška, G., Ritasalo, R., Pilvi, T., Taeger, S., Strassburg, M., Tomašiūnas, R. A comparative study on atomic layer deposited oxide film morphology and their electrical breakdown. Surf. Coat. Technol. 2020, 399: 126123.
Lithuanian–Belarus research project. Silicon-Germanium Novel Alloys for Creation of Radiation-Hard Semiconductor Devices (S-LB-19-1). Dr T. Čeponis. 2019–2020.
H2020-MSCA-ITN Marie Skladowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks: Using the Smart Matrix Approach to Enhance TADF-OLED Efficiency and Lifetime (TADF-life). Prof. S. Juršėnas, Dr K. Kazlauskas. 2018–2022.
The project is aimed to maximize TADF OLED efficiency and, critically, lifetime simultaneously. Addressing such a multifaceted and complex issue is of critical importance to the development of the OLED industry.
European Space Agency (ESA). Antimicrobial Photoinactivation Approach Based on Natural Agents for Control of Bacteria Biofilms in Spacecraft. Feasibility study. PECS 5 call. Dr I. Buchovec and Dr P. Vitta. 2020–2021.
Most of the bacteria are found living in communities known as biofilms. Microbial biofilms are widespread in nature and human environment. They can be found in industrial places, food facilities, water systems, bathrooms, labs, hospitals and also in the space crafts. Enhanced and accelerated bacterial biofilm formation at spacecraft is an old and fundamental problem, dangerous for human health equipment and safety systems. Biofilms are less susceptible to antibiotics, disinfectant chemicals, physical stress and human immune system. However, the most of popular physical, chemical and mechanical biofilms control methods (e.g., nanoparticles, chemical sanitizers, bacteriophages, high hydrostatic pressure, plasma etc.) applied for controlling biofilm formation and for inactivation of them are not efficient and ecologically friendly, especially in closed-loop systems like space crafts. Thus, novel environmentally friendly biofilm control approaches are prospective and have to be developed. In this feasibility study, we seek to research more deeply the effects and possible applications of antibiotic-free photosensitization based technology on biofilms, their integrity, and vitality. We are going to focus on environment, health and safety friendly natural agents (photosensitizers (PS)), which could participate in closed-loop systems (expected in space facilities). We propose combining antimicrobial photoinactivation on biofilm control to obtain a synergistic effect at low PS and irradiation doses.
Main publication:
Buchovec, I., Gricajeva, A., Kalėdienė, L. and Vitta, P. Antimicrobial photoinactivation approach based on natural agents for control of bacteria biofilms in spacecraft. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21: 6932.
COST, CA19111 European Network on Future Generation Optical Wireless Communication Technologies. Dr A. Zabiliūtė-Karaliūnė, Dr P. Vitta. 2020–2024.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Acros Organics B.V.B.A. (Belgium)
Advinus Therapeutics PVT Ltd. (India)
Aixtron AG (Germany)
Alfa Aesar, Avocado Research Chemicals Ltd. (UK)
Alfa Aesar GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
Alkali Metals Ltd. (India)
Apollo Scientific Ltd. (UK)
AppliChem GmbH (Germany)
Austin Chemical Company, Inc. (USA)
BCH Research L.L.P. (USA)
BCR GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
Belarussian State University (Belarus)
Centre of Organic Electronics and Photonics Research, Kyushu University (Japan)
Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology (Lithuania)
Chemosyntha N.V. (Belgium)
Chukan Butsu Ltd. (Japan)
CM Fine Chemicals GmbH (Switzerland)
CMS Chemicals Ltd. (UK)
Crystal Clear Collaboration (RD18) at CERN
DKSH Switzerland Ltd. (Switzerland)
Durham University (UK)
Elite Inter-Chem FZC (United Arab Emirates)
Fraunhofer ISC (Germany)
Frinton Laboratories, Inc. (USA)
IMEC (Belgium)
Institute of High Pressure Physics (Poland)
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (India)
IQE plc (USA)
JSC Ledigma (Lithuania)
JSC Gaudrė (Lithuania)
JSC Tikslioji sintezė (Lithuania)
Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania)
Kindchem (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. (China)
KISCO Deutschland GmbH (Germany)
KISCO Tokyo Ltd. (Japan)
Korea University (South Korea)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (USA)
MBraun Inertgas-Systeme GmbH (Germany)
Merck KGaA (Germany)
Mirae Interchem Co. Ltd. (South Korea)
MIT, Nanoelectronics laboratory (USA)
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) (Japan)
National Institute of Materials Science (NIMS) (Japan)
Niche Materials Ltd. (UK)
Organica Feinchemie GmbH Wolfen (Germany)
OSRAM Opto Semiconductors (Germany)
Panslavia Chemicals LLC (USA)
Paul Sabatier University (Toulouse, France)
PPW "AWAT" Spolka z o. o (Poland)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY (USA)
Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden)
Sensor Electronic Technology Inc. (USA)
Sigma-Aldrich Logistik GmbH (Germany)
Sumitomo Shoji Chemicals Co. Ltd. (Japan)
Synthon Chemicals GmbH & Co.KG (Germany)
Taiwan National University
TCI Europe NV (Belgium)
TOPGAN (Poland)
Translucent Inc. (USA)
UCB Pharma SA (Belgium)
Ukrorgsyntez Ltd. (Ukraine)
University of Alicante (Spain)
University of Bayreuth
University of Bordeaux (France)
OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Dr V. Bikbajevas –
- member of the Lithuanian Material Research Society (LtMRS),
http://www.ltmrs.lt/old/members.htm; - member of the Lithuanian Physical Society.
Dr V. Grivickas –
- vice president of the Lithuanian Materials Research Society (LtMRS), www.ltmrs.lt/members/v_grivickas/.
Prof. S. Juršėnas –
- member of the Lithuanian Material Research Society (LtMRS),
http://www.ltmrs.lt/old/members.htm; - Member of Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology Technological Development Committee,
https://mita.lrv.lt/lt/struktura-ir-kontaktai/struktura.
Prof. G. Tamulaitis –
- member of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences,
http://www.lma.lt/members-of-the-academy; - member of the European Physical Society Energy Group, http://epsenergygroup.eu/frontend/index.php;
- member of the Lithuanian Material Research Society (LtMRS),
- http://www.ltmrs.lt/en/about-us-2-2/.
Dr R. Tomašiūnas –
- member of the Technical Committee 73 Nanotechnologies, Lithuanian Standards Board;
- member of the Lithuanian Material Research Society (LtMRS),
http://www.ltmrs.lt/old/members.htm.
BEST REPORTS DELIVERED AT CONFERENCES ABROAD
- Dr T. Serevičius. Realization of Single-Exponential Delayed Fluorescence in Donor-Acceptor TADF Compounds in Solid Hosts. 5th International TADF Workshop (Virtual meeting, 7–8 December 2020).
10 Saulėtekio Ave, LT-10223 Vilnius
Phone: 236 6050
e-mail:
Head – Prof. Dr Aidas Matijošius
STAFF
Professors: Dr Habil. V. Sirutkaitis, Dr Habil. R. Rotomskis, Dr A. Dubietis, Dr G. Valiulis, Dr S. Bagdonas, Dr M. Vengris, Dr M. Malinauskas, Dr A. Matijošius, Dr Habil. A. Piskarskas (emeritus), Dr Habil. A. Stabinis (emeritus), Dr Habil. V. Smilgevičius (emeritus since September 2020).
Research professors: Dr A. Varanavičius, Dr V. Vaičaitis, Dr A. Melninkaitis.
Associate professors: Dr O. Balachninaitė, Dr V. Karenauskaitė, Dr V. Jarutis, Dr V. Tamulienė, Dr D. Paipulas, Dr R. Butkus, Dr G. Tamošauskas, Dr V. Jukna.
Senior researchers: Dr E. Gaižauskas, Dr R. Grigonis.
Researchers: Dr D. Kaškelytė, Dr S. Rekštytė, Dr M. Peckus, Dr V. Purlys, Dr J. Vengelis, Dr A. Kalnaitytė, Dr S. Butkus.
Lecturer: J. Jurkienė.
Engineer: A. Čiburys.
Doctoral students: L. Mažulė, I. Pipinytė, R. Budriūnas, I. Stasevičius, T. Tičkūnas, L. Jonušauskas, R. Šuminas, L. Smalakys, A. Marcinkevičiūtė, S. Varapnickas, B. Momgaudis, G. Kontenis, D. Samsonas, D. Buožius, E. Skliutas, A. Butkutė, R. Grigutis, M. Kuliešaitė (since October 2020), M. Plūkys (since October 2020), M. Riauka (since October 2020), D. Stonytė (since October 2020), J .Skruibis (since October 2020).
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Study of interaction of high power ultrashort light pulses with transparent media
Development of effective light frequency convertors and light pulse sources with the duration of few optical cycles and stable carrier-envelope phase
Study of femtosecond light filaments and generation of supercontinuum in transparent dielectrics
Development of new technologies for biomedical and industrial applications based on specific interaction of ultrashort light pulses with matter, enabling high precision material processing by surface and bulk modification
Development of optical methods of biomedical diagnostics and extension of application areas
In vivo and in vitro studies of spectral and photophysical properties of biologically active molecules and nanostructures aiming at optimisation of therapy and diagnostics
Imaging and spectroscopy of biologic objects
Nonlinear optics of ultrashort pulses
Ultrafast spectroscopy of photoactive molecules, nanostructures and semiconductors
Damage in bulk materials and coatings induced by femtosecond pulses
Optics characterization including reflection/transmission, scattering as well as absorption and laser-induced optical damage threshold in wide spectral range
Peculiarities of ultrafast exciton dynamics at reduced dimension in self-assembled molecular nanostructures and quantum dots
Laser micro- /nano-scale additive manufacturing of functional 3D devices
High intensity ultrashort pulse generation by OPCPA systems
Time-resolved digital holography
Radial/azimuthal polarization beams, Bessel beams and optical vortices
Optical and SEM characterization of 3D microstructures
MAIN SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2020
Monographs:
Baldacchini, T., LaFratta, C. N., Malinauskas, M. Chapter 3.2: Metrology and process control. In: Three-Dimensional Microfabrication Using Two Photon Polymerization, T. Baldacchini (ed). 2nd ed. 2020, 197–228, ISBN 9780128178270.
Varapnickas, S., Žukauskas, A., Brasselet, E., Juodkazis, S., Malinauskas, M. Chapter 12.1: 3D microoptics via ultrafast laser writing: Miniaturization, integration, and multifunctionalities. In: Three-Dimensional Microfabrication Using Two Photon Polymerization, T. Baldacchini (ed). 2nd ed. 2020, 445–474, ISBN 9780128178270.
Varapnickas, S., Malinauskas, M. Processes of Laser Direct Writing 3D Nanolithography. In: Sugioka K. (eds) Handbook of Laser Micro- and Nano-Engineering. Springer, Cham. 2020, 1–31. ISBN 978-3-319-69537-2. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69537-2_32-1.
Publications in top scientific journals:
Tailliez, C., Stathopulos, A., Skupin, S., Buozius, D., Babushkin, I., Vaicaitis, V., Berge, L. Terahertz pulse generation by two-colour laser fields with circular polarization. New Journal of Physics. 2020, 22: 103038.
Juodkazis, S., Malinauskas, M., Račiukaitis, G. International conference on Photo-Excited Processes and Applications, ICPEPA-11. Applied Surface Science. 2020, 527: 146768.
Skliutas, E., Lebedevaite, M., Kasetaite, S., Rekštytė, S., Lileikis, S., Ostrauskaite, J., Malinauskas, M. A Bio-Based Resin for a Multi-Scale Optical 3D Printing. Scientific Reports. 2020, 10: 9758.
Patent requests
R. Budriūnas. Multistage parametric light amplification method and multistage amplifier, European patent request EP20192311.7 (31 August 2020)
Jukna, S. Butkus. Marking surface of materials by bursts of femtosecond laser pulses, EP20205831, European patent request (05 November 2020)
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2020
Projects Supported by University Budget
Study of Fundamental Ultrafast Processes in Laser and Nonlinear Optical Systems. Prof. A. Dubietis. 2018–2021.
Supercontinuum (SC) generation and the evolution of optical damage in sapphire and YAG crystals with 180 fs, 1035 nm pulses from an amplified Yb:KGW laser with variable repetition rates is experimentally investigated. It is demonstrated that the extinction of the SC spectrum always correlates with an occurrence of conical third harmonic generation, which readily serves as an indication of the onset of in-bulk optical damage. Damage-related structural changes of the nonlinear material are also justified by an increased intensity and large red shift of crystal luminescence spectrum corresponding to the F centre emission. It is shown that the SC spectrum in sapphire starts shrinking on the time scale between seconds and minutes by varying the focusing condition from tight to loose at the laser repetition rate of 200 kHz, whereas the YAG crystal produces stable performance for several hours at least.
Main publication:
Grigutis, R., Tamošauskas, G., Jukna, V., Risos, A., Dubietis, A. Supercontinuum generation and optical damage of sapphire and YAG at high repetition rates. Optics Letters. 2020, 45: 4507–4510.
The state of the art of a few-cycle, multi-TW, 1kHz repetition rate laser system, now fully operational in the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) facility is reported. The system is based on four stages of optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) pumped by a total of 320mJ, 80ps frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser pulses. All OPA stages utilize double crystal configuration, which design has been also confirmed by model calculations. The 1kHz SYLOS 2 system produces 32mJ laser pulses around a central wavelength of 891nm with 6.6fs (<2.3 optical cycles) pulse duration exceeding the peak power of 4.8 TW on a daily basis. The recorded best pulse duration is 6.3fs, which corresponds to 2.12 cycles and 5.1 TW peak power. During long-term (24h) performance tests, energy stability of 1.2%, carrier-envelope phase (CEP) stability of 210mrad, and pointing stability of 0.4μrad were demonstrated, while the Strehl ratio of the beam is kept above 0.75. In order to help the alignment of all the different experiments at the facility and to reduce the workload on SYLOS 2 system, a second laser system has been developed. The so-called SYLOS Experimental Alignment (SEA) laser mimics the performance of the SYLOS 2 laser, but at a repetition rate two orders of magnitude lower and without CEP-stabilization. The three single-crystal OPA stages of the SEA laser provide 42mJ pulse energy for the users, while having energy stability of 0.87% and sub-13fs pulse duration at a repetition rate ranging from a single shot up to 10Hz.
Main publication:
Toth, S. Stanislauskas, T. Balciunas, I. Budriunas, R. Adamonis, J. Danilevicius, R. Viskontas, K. Lengvinas, D. Veitas, G. Gadonas, D. Varanavicius, A. Csontos, J. Somoskoi, T. Toth, L. Borzsonyi, A. Osvay, K. SYLOS lasers – the frontier of few-cycle, multi-TW, kHz lasers for ultrafast applications at extreme light infrastructure attosecond light pulse source. Journal of Physics: Photonics. 2020, 2: 045003.
Development of Laser Technologies for Industrial and Biomedical Applications. Lead. researcher -Dr M. Malinauskas. 2018–2021.
Study on the manufacturing of glass true 3D micro-optics. The test of feasibility by producing individual elements such as lenses, prisms, gratings of free-form geometries and prove the potential of integration into monolith stacked components is carried out. This can be achieved by combining ultrafast laser 3D nanolithography and subsequent application of thermal post-treatment (calcination) - a novel approach introduced for additive manufacturing of inorganics. The laser made pristine microoptical components are preserving their predefined shape and material is converted from hybrid polymer to glass corresponding to its inherent refractive index and transparency. This approach enables both realization of complex geometries and required material properties at the same time.
Measurement of refractive index for microoptical elements and components in situ using various techniques. The development of novel light structuring methods for their impactful applications in communications, laser material processing or 3D micromanipulation. For some time bulky spatial light modulators have been a primary choice for tailored light fields generation, but now are being replaced by all-dielectric metasurfaces. Various techniques including e-beam lithography, focused ion beam milling or laser nano-inscription in fused silica for geometric phase micro-optical elements (GPOE) manufacturing are investigated and compared. Even the combination of the additive 3D structuring and the subtractive subwavelength resolution patterning is considered. A fabricating of GPOE via laser direct write (LDW) 3D nanolithography as an efficient way to produce highly integratable micro-devices, since they can be stacked with other polymer optical components, mounted on glass/crystal substrates, dielectric thin film membranes, fibertips or even left free-floating is proposed. Using SZ2080 prepolymer doped with polymerization quencher (2(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (20% wt.)) leads to further increase in structuring resolution– up to 24% thinner lines written using same pulse energy for a wide range of exposition regimes.
A study of wavelength for the laser direct writing 3D multi-photon micro-/nano-lithography. These new experimental data investigate different mechanisms involved in spatio-temporally confined light-matter interaction resulting into the controlled photopolymerization applied for 3D printing. Single-photon, two-photon, three-photon absorption, photo- and avalanche ionization, as well as heat accumulation. We reveal different linear and nonlinearinitiation processes being involved. The individual voxel’s shapes and scaling of line widths are studied individually and by optimizing the exposure parameters the final 3D fabricated object can be obtained at very different conditions.
In collaboration with the National Cancer Institute the photochemical activity of the nanoclusters (BSA-Au NCs), which were synthetized in the presence of BSA (an average hydrodynamic diameter was about 9.4 nm, while the size of the metal cluster was < 1.3 nm according to atomic force microscopy measurements) and possessed a broad photoluminescence band at 680 nm in buffered (pH 7.2) aqueous medium, has been studied by adding two fluorescent probes (dihydrorhodamine or Singlet Oxygen Sensor Green) for detection of reactive oxygen species in samples irradiated at 405 nm to minimize direct excitation of the probes. The photoluminescence measurements evidenced the capability of BSA-Au NCs to generate reactive oxygen species upon light exposure, while the observed sensitivity of the photoluminescence properties might be used to indicate photooxidative processes in the medium. The viability test performed on breast cancer cells after incubation with BSA-Au NCs and subsequent irradiation revealed notable difference in induced phototoxicity between two cell lines, which was not the case after the corresponding treatment using the photosensitizer chlorin e(6).
Main publication:
Poderys, V., Jarockyte, G., Bagdonas, S., Karabanovas, V., Rotomskis, R. Protein-stabilized gold nanoclusters for PDT: ROS and singlet oxygen generation. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B-Biology. 2020, 204: 111802.
National Research Projects
Research Council of Lithuania programme Implementing World-class R&D Project Photonic Technologies of the Future: Extreme Light Sources and their Applications (No 01.2.2-LMT-K-718-01-0014 ). Prof. M Vengris. 2018–2021.
Project goal is to develop the industry-ready extreme light technologies employing novel nonlinear optical schemes, capable of generating high-energy, few-optical-cycles octave-spanning pulses in the VIS-nIR-midIR spectral range, based on applied research, enabling the reliability of the developed photonic devices.
Main publications:
Stasevicius, I., Vengris, M. Exploiting optical nonlinearities for group delay dispersion compensation in femtosecond optical parametric oscillators. Optics Express. 2020. 28(18): 26122–26136.
Stasevicius, I., Vengris, M. Cascaded nonlinearity induced spatial domain effects in a high power femtosecond optical parametric oscillator. Optics Express. 2020, 28(22): 33490–33503.
Stasevicius, I., Vengris, M. Controlled soliton formation in a femtosecond optical parametric oscillator with positive group delay dispersion. Journal of the Optical Society of America B-Optical Physics. 2020, 37(10): 2956–2967.
European Regional Development Fund, Research Council of Lithuania project Investigation of Laser Matter Interaction with High Frequency Pulse Burst which Are Generated by a Controllable Pulse Generator (01.2.2-LMT-K-718-02-0017). Dr V. Jukna. 2018–2021.
Project goal is investigation of ultrafast laser-matter interactions in transparent solid-state materials with high pulse repetition rates.
Main publications:
Grigutis, R., Tamošauskas, G., Jukna, V., Risos, A., Dubietis, A. Supercontinuum generation and optical damage of sapphire and YAG at high repetition rates. Optics Letters. 2020, 45: 4507–4510.
Šuminas, R., Garejev, N., Šuminienė, A., Jukna, V., Tamošauskas, G., Dubietis, A. Femtosecond filamentation, supercontinuum generation and determination of n2 in polycrystalline SBN. Journal of the Optical Society of America B. 2020, 37: 1530–1534.
Butkus, S., Jukna, V., Paipulas, D., Barkauskas, M., Sirutkaitis, V. Micromachining of Invar foils with GHz, MHz and kHz femtosecond burst modes. Micromachines. 2020, 11: 733.
European Regional Development Fund, Research Council of Lithuania project Polarimetric Nonlinear Optical Microscopy for Biomedical Research and Cancer Diagnostics (01.2.2-LMT-K-718-02-0016). Prof. Dr V. Barzda. 2018–2021.
Project goals are to develop a new nonlinear polarimetric multimodal microscopy setup and new image analysis methods and apply for histological imaging of tissues of various organs and tumour grades; to develop novel nonlinear labels and tissue labelling methods to enhance cancer detection and treatment.
Main publication:
Golaraei, A., Kontenis, L., Karunendiran, A., Stewart, B. A., Barzda, V. Dual- and single-shot susceptibility ratio measurements with circular polarizations in second-harmonic generation microscopy. Journal of Biophotonics, 2020, 13(4): e201960167.
Research Council of Lithuania. Subtractive and Additive Laser Micromachining Synergy for Transparent Microtechnologies (+Tech-) (No. S-MIP-17-99). Dr D. Paipulas. 2018–2020.
The aim of the project is to develop the hybrid femtosecond laser micromachining methods by combining two different manufacturing technologies thus expanding their technological potential. Up to now, the subtractive and additive methods have been mostly cultivated separately. In the context of our project, additive manufacturing includes optical printing of cross-linkable materials with sub-micrometer spatial resolution and arbitrary 3D architectures, which in turn are already successfully applied in photonic and microengineering applications. On the other hand, subtractive manufacturing covers precision free-form cutting, drilling, surface patterning and bulk modification of transparent materials (glasses) which are also widely used in the field of microtechnologies.
Research Council of Lithuania. Click Dual-Cured Plant-Derived Polymers for Laser 3D Meso-Scale Structuring (Cdcmeso3d) (No. S-MIP-20-17) together with KTU. Prof. M. Malinauskas - VU. 2020–2022.
The aim of this Project is to develop a click dual-curing technology for production of novel polymeric materials from plant-derived monomers, using photoinduced and/or combination of photoinduced and thermally activated reactions, applicable for laser 3D meso-scale structuring. For the achievement of the goal, the investigation of various plant-derived monomer polymerization by different click methods and selection of optimal ones for dual-curing technology, optimization of click dual-curing resin formulations and curing conditions, characterization of resulted polymers and investigation of their properties will be carried out. The selected click dual-curing systems will be tested via laser 3D structuring in meso-scale and optimized. The state-of-the-art optical characterization of 3D microstructures will be performed. The feasibility test in industrial line conditions will be carried out.
European Regional Development Fund, Research Council of Lithuania. The Development of Femtosecond Laser Microprocessing in UV Range (01.2.2-LMT-K-718-03-0029). Dr D. Paipulas. 2020–2023.
Project goals are research and development of femtosecond laser micromachining technologies in UV spectral range: this includes designing optical systems and optomechanical components for UV laser applications; developing new micromachining technologies for surface patterning of dielectrics and non-dielectrics in UV; designing new photonic components using UV laser microfabrication techniques and research of microcutting strategies with UV fs lasers in thermo-sensitive materials.
Research Council of Lithuania: Photonic crystal microchip laser (FOKRILAS) (Grant No. P-MIP-17-190). V. Purlys. 2017–2020.
Microchip lasers are preferable to their counterparts due to their compactness and energy efficiency, but they have one fundamental drawback - low beam quality, which greatly limits their laser radiation maximum brightness and limits the field of applications. Most approaches to increase beam quality proposed so far either significantly limit the maximum achievable output power, or at least greatly increase the dimensions of the system. The aim of the project is to create a compact photonic crystal microstructure capable to block the generation of higher order modes and thus significantly increase the quality of the microchip laser radiation.
Research Council of Lithuania. Third Harmonic Generation by Formation of Nanogratings in the Volume of Transparent Crystalline Materials. Student M. Navickas, Supervisor Prof. A. Dubietis. 2020–2021.
Research Council of Lithuania. Ultraviolet Supercontinuum Generation in Calcium Fluoride near the Optical Damage Threshold. 2020–2021. Student V. Marčiulionytė, supervisor Dr G. Tamošauskas.
Research Council of Lithuania. Student EuroPhotonics international master program research activity Measurement of RI for 3D Microelements. 2020. Student Diana Laura Gonzalez Hernandez (EuroPhotonics network, 1 year hosting at Vilnius University Laser Research Center), supervisor Prof. M. Malinauskas.
International Research Projects
7FP project Integrated European Laser Laboratories V (LASERLAB-Europe V). 2019–2023.
The Vilnius University represented by Laser Research Centre is member of LASERLAB-EUROPE V involved in two joint research activities (JRA) - PRImary and SEcondary Sources (PRISES) and Advanced Laser-based Techniques for Imaging and Spectroscopy in material science and biomedicine (ALTIS), networking and providing of the Transnational Access.
With JRA PRISES, LASERLAB-EUROPE invests in frontier laser technology and laser science by focusing on strategic advances that are critical for short-pulse, high-power lasers and their secondary sources of particles and radiation. It is based on three interconnected and strategic objectives where 28 partners jointly pursue, in total, 14 focused tasks.
Vilnius University Laser Research Center is taking part in primary laser source development and metrology by investigating laser-induced damage threshold measurements and aging effect of optical components in high repetition rate lasers as well as in the mid-IR laser development.
In the JRA ALTIS, LASERLAB-EUROPE addresses the needs of new and innovative workstations, methodologies and platforms for advanced imaging and spectroscopy in, for example biomedicine, bio- and nano-materials and environmental science. This JRA is based on four interconnected and strategic objectives, where 20 partners jointly pursue, in total, nine focused tasks. Vilnius University Laser Research Center is taking part in platforms for imaging, detection and manipulation of biological samples at the molecular and cellular scale. Laser Research Center together with partners is making joint efforts to provide innovative platforms to manipulate and image single cells. Researchers from photopolymerization laboratory are combining direct laser 3D writing and imaging into a single workstation. A direct laser writing 3D nanolithography tool will be used to create and fabricate micro-optical, nano-photonic devices and micro-mechanical components that will be integrated in situ into sample for imaging, spectroscopic measurement and assisting optical tweezers. The other partners of Laserlab-Europe V project will directly benefit from the ascribed instrumentations. At VU Laser Research Center micromechanical components for sample handling into the setups developed by the other partners are fabricated.
Transnational access visit. Visit project of Prof. K. Staliūnas. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain.
Stopped light in chirped photonic crystal structure were investigated.
The aim of the project was to engineer a design and to fabricate the chirped photonic crystal, and to measure the stopped near infrared light spatial distribution in such a structure. It was expected that the photons at different frequencies will stop and concentrate at different positions along the crystal (will result in different penetration depths). Different localisation positions of the stopped light of different frequencies means a light demultiplexing, and enables to create a colour sensitive light detector using the colour insensitive detecting material (e.g., graphene).
The project’s three objectives were: 1) FDTD simulation of the corresponding structure; 2) fs-laser fabrication of the structure; 3) Measurement of the light distribution in such a structure.
All objectives were in principle achieved. The series of preliminary FDTD simulations even before the visit were performed, which showed the principal possibility of stopped light. During the project FDTD- specific structures for the fabrication to stop the light at near infrared frequencies (between 800 nm and 2 um) were calculated. The structures were fabricated in the photopolymerization laboratory of Dr M. Malinauskas (specifically Dr D. Gailevičius and E. Aleksandravičius). Finally, the stopped light was successfully recorded by observing the scattering pattern (with the microscope) with the central position depending on the frequency of illumination. The tuneable laser was used to observe the "multicolour" scattering pattern.
During the research stay, apart from stopped light in chirped woodpile-like photonic crystal, also the fascinating supercollimation light effects in axisymmetric chirped photonic crystals were observed. This is an alternative configuration to the initially planned woodpile in order to stop the light. However, apart from stopping the light a side-effect, strong supercollimation was observed.
NATO Science for Peace and Security programme. Nanostructures for Highly Efficient Infrared Detection (Vilnius University + Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya + Shizuoka University + Swinburne University of Technology + University of Economics and Technology) VU part project leader - Dr M. Malinauskas. https://www.researchgate.net/project/Nanostructures-for-Highly-Efficient-Infrared-Detection. 2016–2020.
We first show that light can be gradually slowed down in the defect waveguide (WG), which is obtained by gradually changing the period of the surrounding woodpile photonic crystal (WPC) along the propagation direction. In result, the waveguide mode gradually approaches the band edge region, while this phenomenon has three consequences. First, the Fourier components of propagating wave will be spatially separated as each frequency will reach its zero velocity at different positions. Second, as the wave slows down, it will penetrate deeper into the surrounding cladding, thus increasing the coupling efficiency between the WG and a nearby placed resonator. Third, the high density of states near the band edge result in highly efficient light scattering of a nearby placed resonator, which in turn increases the quality factor of the interaction. Following this idea, the acceptor type cavities, which are tuned to the localized frequencies, are side-coupled to the WG at respective wave localization areas. Furthermore, drop channels have been introduced to read-out the trapped spectra, showing that the targeted frequencies can be detected selectively. Compared to previous studies, our approach has the advantages of low radiation losses, the absence of any reflection feedback and both enhanced quality factor and transmission of the captured light.
Main publications:
Butkute, A., Cekanavicius, L., Rimselis, G., Gailevicius, D., Mizeikis, V., Melninkaitis, A., Baldacchini, T., Jonusauskas, L., Malinauskas, M. Optical damage thresholds of microstructures made by aser 3D nanolithography. Opt. Lett. 2020, 45(1):13–16. https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.45.000013, OSA.
Moein, T., Gailevicius, D., Katkus, T., Ng, S. H., Lundgaard, S., Moss, D. J., Hamza, K., Mizeikis, V., Staliunas, K., Malinauskas, M., Juodkazis, S. Nano-membrane photodetector for vis-IR spectral range. Nanomaterials. 2020, 10: 407.
D. Gailevicius, M. Ryu, R. Honda, S. Lundgaard, T. Suzuki, J. Maksimovic, J. Hu, D. Linklater,
Ivanova, E. P., Katkus, T., Anand, V., Malinauskas, M., Nishijima, Y., Ng, S. H., Staliunas, K.,
Morikawa, J., Juodkazis, S. Tiltedb-Si:∼0.45 form-birefringence from sub-wavelength needles.
Opt. Express. 2020, 28(11): 16012–16026. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.392646.
EU InterReg. A Network of Service Providers for Eco-Innovations ECOLABNET (VU with VAMK Ltd. University of Applied Sciences (Muova), Finland, Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuania, University of Tartu (UTartu), Estonia, Czestochowa University of Technology (CUT), Poland, VIA University College (VIA), Denmark, Vilnius University (VU), Lithuania, Centria University of Applied Sciences Ltd (Centria), Finland, Lithuanian Business Confederation, Lithuania, Sustainable Innovation, Sweden, Labsamera MB, Lithuania, Estrotech Ltd, Estonia). Project part coordinator Dr M. Malinauskas. 2019–2021.
The main objective of the project is to boost sustainable innovations in Baltic Sea Region by utilizing unique capacity of product-service system design, additive manufacturing and new materials. The project will establish a platform for knowledge exchange between innovation laboratories as well as stimulate passion for ecological innovation in BSR region.
The ECOLABNET sustainable innovations utilize bio-based materials, additive manufacturing, and life-cycle services, which integrate product-service system designers, material researchers, technology providers and business developers for collaboration. In addition, customer-oriented approach focus the development resources on competitive and desirable solutions, which will enhance market uptake of innovations. Project will demonstrate capabilities of the network by developing several demonstrators.
Main publications:
Skliutas, E., Lebedevaite, M., Kasetaite, S., Rekstyte, S., Lileikis, S., Ostrauskaite, J. and Malinauskas, M. A bio-based resin for a multi-scale optical 3D printing. Sci. Rep. 2020, 10: 9758. 10.1038/s41598-020-66618-1.
Navaruckiene, A., Skliutas, E., Kasetaite, S., Rekstyte, S., Raudoniene, V., Bridziuviene, D., Malinauskas, M. and Ostrauskaite, J. Vanillin acrylate-based resins for optical 3D printing. Polymers. 2020, 12(2): 397. 10.3390/polym12020397.
Contractual Research
Characterization of diffractive optical elements and microstructures in transparent materials using profilometer and SEM. Customer – Femtika, 2020.
Measurement of dental enamel roughness using optical profilometer. Customer - Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine, 2020.
Height measurement of microfluidic grating. Customer - DropletGenomics, 2020.
Measurement of micro channel depths using optical profilometer. Customer – Femtika 2020.
Measurement and inspection of laser induced damage threshold, research of optical elements quality. Customer - Lidaris, 2020.
Characterization of optical elements. Customer - Light Conversion, 2020.
Measurement of microfluidics grating height. Customer - DropletGenomics, 2020 February.
Surface roughness measurement of cylindrical samples with an optical profilometer. Customer – VU, Faculty of Medicine, 2020 February.
Research using femtosecond microfabrication complex. Customer – Cognitio, MB (Direct Machining Control), 2020 March.
Research using femtosecond microfabrication complex. Customer – UAB „Minties kvantas“, 2020 April.
Measurements with an optical profilometer. Customer – Simonas Krasauskas, 2020 September.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Micro-Photonics (H34), Victoria (Australia)
UPC (Universitat Politechnica de Catalunya), Departament de Fisica i Enginyeria Nuclear, Terrassa (Spain)
Institut Fresnel-CNRS UMR 7249-Equipe ILM, Escole Centrale Marseille-Aix Marseille Universite (France)
Light Conversion, Ltd. (Lithuania)
CNISM and Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, University of Insubria, Como (Italy)
University of Patras, Physics Department, Laser, Nonlinear and Quantum Optics Labs (Greece)
University of Bordeaux, Laboratoire Ondes et Matière d’Aquitaine (LOMA), Talence (France)
University of Sheffield, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sheffield (UK)
Belarusian State University, Research Institute of Physical Chemical Problems, Minsk (Belarus)
Institute of Quantum Optics, Leibniz University of Hannover (Germany)
Shizuoka University, Research Institute of Electronics, Hamamatsu (Japan)
Foundation for Research and Technogology - Hellas, Heraklion (Greece)
Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Lab of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (PR China)
Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland (New Zealand)
Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga (Canada)
National Cancer Institute, Vilnius (Lithuania)
Biological Research Center, Szeged (Hungary)
OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Dr M. Malinauskas –
- associate editor at Optics Express (OSA);
- scientific committee member at Photonics West (SPIE);
- advisory committee member at ICPEPA 12.
Dr A. Melninkaitis –
- scientific committee member at SPIE Laser Damage.
MOST IMPORTANT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS RECEIVED FOR R&D ACTIVITIES
- Prof. A. Dubietis, prof. M. Malinauskas, prof. M. Vengris. National Science Prize, Intense laser-matter interactions: from fundamental research to emerging technologies (2004–2018)
MOST IMPORTANT PARTICIPATION CASES OF RESEARCHERS IN WORKING GROUPS OR COMMISSIONS SET UP BY STATE AUTHORITIES, STATE AND MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANISATIONS, AND BUSINESS ENTITIES
- Prof. Dr Habil. R. Rotomskis - Deputy Chairman of the Research Council of Lithuania, Chairman of the Committee on Natural and Technical Sciences.
- Dr M. Malinauskas - member of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences - Young Academy.
- Prof. A. Dubietis - member of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.
- Prof. V. Sirutkaitis - member of the Committee of Natural and Technical Sciences of the Research Council of Lithuania; member of the HiLASE Facility Access Panel (www.hilase.cz); board member of Lithuanian Laser Association.
- Dr O. Balachninaitė - member of the Access Board of the Laserlab-Europe V.
- Prof. A. P. Piskarskas - President of Lithuanian Laser Association.
- Dr A. Melninkaitis - Board member of Lithuanian Laser Association.
CONSULTATIONS PROVIDED BY THE UNIT TO THE PUBLIC OR ECONOMIC ENTITIES
- Ongoing consultations with UAB “3D Creative” regarding optical printing of bioresins and polypropylene materials.
- Consultations with Workshop of Photonics regarding laser 3D polymerization experiments.
- Consultations with Eksma Optics regarding behaviour of Pockels cell switchers in high average power lasers.
MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS OF SCIENCE POPULARISATION ACTIVITIES
- Dr M. Malinauskas. Alternatyvos ateities gamybai – 3D nanostruktūros iš aplinkai draugiškų bioplastikų, https://naujienos.vu.lt/alternatyvos-ateities-gamybai-3d-nanostrukturos-is-aplinkai-draugisku-bioplastiku/, 18 June 2020.
- A. Dubietis, M. Vengris. Mokslo ritmu, Lietuvos Rytas TV, 14 March 2020.
- M. Vengris, Radikalus smalsumas. Prof. Mikas Vengris: kodėl Lietuva – ne tik krepšinio, bet ir lazerių kraštas, DELFI TV, 03 March 2020.
- M. Vengris, A number of lectures, LTV.
BEST REPORTS DELIVERED:
- M. Malinauskas. Optical Mesoscale 3D Printing: from Renewable Organics to Crystalline Inorganics. Nano-Structured Bioceramic Materials, Vilnius, Lithuania. November 30–December 3 2020 [invited].
- E. Skliutas, S. Varapnickas, E. Aleksandravičius, D. Gailevičius, S. Rekstytė, M. Malinauskas, Laser 3D Mesoscale Printing: From Renewable Organics to Crystalline Inorganics. Functional Materials and Nanotechnologies, Vilnius, Lithuania. 23–26 November 2020, [plenary].
APPLIED ELECTRODYNAMICS AND TELECOMMUNICATION INSTITUTE
3 Saulėtekio Ave, LT - 10257 Vilnius,
Tel. 223 4585
e-mail:
Head - Prof. Dr Habil. Jonas Matukas
STAFF
Professors: Dr Habil. J. Banys (part-time), Dr Habil. J. Matukas, Dr A. Kežionis, Dr R. Grigalaitis, Dr A. Lisauskas, Dr M. Žilinskas (of practice), Dr Habil. A. F. Orliukas (Emeritus), Dr Habil. J. Grigas (Emeritus).
Associate professors: Dr R. Aleksiejūnas, Dr M. Ivanov, Dr V. Jonkus, Dr T. Šalkus, Dr E. Kazakevičius, Dr S. Pralgauskaitė, Dr Š. Svirskas, Dr R. Rimeika, Dr R. Sobiestijanskas, Dr K. Svirskas, Dr E. Stankevičius.
Lecturers: Dr S. Kazlauskas, Dr E. Palaimienė, Dr Č. Pavasaris, Dr V. Kavaliukė, Dr K. Ikamas, Dr Dž. Jablonskas, Dr S. Daugėla, Dr I. Zamaraitė.
Researchers: Dr J. Macutkevič, Dr V. Kalendra, Dr S. Lapinskas, Dr A. Džiaugys, Dr A. Bernotas, Dr S. Kazlauskas, Dr V. Kavaliukė, Dr S. Rudys, Dr M. Kinka, Dr Š. Svirskas, Dr S. Daugėla, Dr I. Zamaraitė, Dr K. Ikamas, Dr A. Plyushch, Dr E. Palaimienė, A. Cesiul, M. Tretjak, J. Aleksandravičius.
Engineering staff: A. Sereika, V. Adomaitis, Dr Č. Pavasaris, J. Glemža, J. Zdanevičius, L. Giriūnas, M. Navickas, V. Samulionis, A. Solovjovas, T. Kudrevičius, D. Žiūraitis, S. Armalytė, Shaik Thanveer Ahmed.
Doctoral students: D. Adamchuk, J. Aleksandravičius, S. Balčiūnas, A. Cesiul, J. Glemža, D. Meisak, M. Tretjak, G. Gorokhov, P. Bertašius, V. Haronin.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Broadband dielectric spectroscopy of ferroelectrics and related materials, relaxation and phonon dynamic studies in order-disorder ferroelectrics, ferroelectric ceramics, dipolar glasses, relaxors, composite systems, liquids, metal-organic structures etc.
Technological processing of solid electrolyte ceramics and films
Broadband impedance spectroscopy of solid electrolytes
Charge carrier transport and device modelling of the field-effect transistor-based terahertz detectors fabricated by the Si CMOS and AlGaN/GaN HEMT fabrication technologies
Low frequency noise characterization and charge carrier transport studies of the modern laser diodes and light-emitting diodes, device reliability and quality assessment through the noise correlation analysis and long-term ageing experiments
Noise spectroscopy of novel multiferoic materials (e.g., with carbon nano particles)
Localization of objects in space
Electromagnetic compatibility measurements between different wireless technologies
Radio antenna testing
Investigation of Internet of things protocol (IoT) capabilities for narrowband radio communication
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2020
Projects Supported by University Budget
Development and Investigation of Structures of Nanometer Dimensions Employed in Telecommunication and Imaging Systems, their Noise Characterization. Prof. J. Matukas. 2018–2023.
Comprehensive investigation of materials and devices employed in telecommunication systems have been carried out: low frequency noise characteristics, responsivity of detectors and radiation characteristics of sources have been measured and analysed, charge carrier transport and device reliability have been evaluated. Devices under investigation were: GaN, Si and graphene based diodes and transistors, symmetric bow-tie diodes for terahertz detection based on the transverse hot-carrier transport, GaSb and bismide-based semiconductor lasers for mid-infrared radiation, composite materials with carbon nanoparticles. Analysis of transport properties of the randomly moving electrons in metals has been performed.
Main publications:
Seliuta, D., Vysniauskas, J., Ikamas, K., Lisauskas, A., Kasalynas, I., Reklaitis, A., Valusis, G. Symmetric bow-tie diode for terahertz detection based on transverse hot-carrier transport. Journal of Physics-Applied Physics. 2020, 53(27): 275106. DOI: 10.1088/1361-6463/ab831d.
Yuan, H., Lisauskas, A., Wan, M., Sheridan, J. T., Roskos, H. G. Resolution enhancement of THz imaging based on Fourier-space spectrum detection. Sadwick, LP; Yang, T (Eds). Book Series: Proceedings of SPIE. 2020, 11279: 1127918. DOI: 10.1117/12.2546541. Conference on Terahertz, RF, Millimeter, and Submillimeter-Wave Technology and Applications XIII Location: San Francisco, CA.
Ferreras, M., Cibiraite-Lukenskiene, D., Lisauskas, A., Grajal, J., Krozer, V. Broadband sensing around 1 THz via a novel biquad-antenna-coupled low-NEP detector in CMOS. IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology. 2020, 11(1). DOI:10.1109/TTHZ.2020.3031483.
Broadband Spectroscopy of Innovative Materials. Prof. J. Banys. 2019–2023.
Dielectric, ultrasonic, electron paramagnetic spectroscopy studies of various ferroelectrics, relaxor ferroelectrics, multiferroics, inorganic and hybrid perovskites, formates and composite materials have been carried out. A lot of useful information both from the fundamental point of view as well as for the possible applications in advanced devices and/or technologies was extracted from these investigations. It was shown that with the help of advanced and unique equipment accumulated in the Laboratory of Microwave Spectroscopy a significant contribution to the number topics in physics and technology can be made.
Main publications:
Cardoso, J. P., Delmonte, D., Gilioli, E., Fertman, E. L., Fedorchenko, A. V., Shvartsman, V., Paukšta, V., Grigalaitis, R., Banys, J., Khalyavin, D. D., Vieira, J. M., Salak, A. N. Phase transitions in the metastable Perovskite multiferroics BiCrO3 and BiCr0.9Sc0.1O3: A comparative study. Inorg. Chem. 2020, 59: 8727–8735. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c00338.
Dziaugys, A., Kelley, K., Brehm, J. A., Tao, L., Puretzky, A., Feng, T., O’Hara, A., Neumayer, S., Chyasnavichyus, M., Eliseev, E. A., Banys, J., Vysochanskii, Y., Ye, F., Chakoumakos, B. C., Susner, M. A., McGuire, M. A., Kalinin, S. V., Ganesh, P., Balke, N., Pantelides, S. T., Morozovska, A. N., Maksymovych, P. Piezoelectric domain walls in van der Waals antiferroelectric CuInP 2 Se 6. Nature Communications. 2020, 11: 3623. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17137-0.
Šimėnas, M., Klose, D., Ptak, M., Aidas, K., Mączka, M., Banys, J., Pöppl, A., Jeschke, G. Magnetic excitation and readout of methyl group tunnel coherence. Science Advances. 2020, 6: eaba1517. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba1517.
Investigation of Technological Processing and Ion Transport Peculiarities of Solid Electrolyte Thin Films, Thick Films and Bulk Ceramics. Assoc. Prof. T. Šalkus. 2016–2020.
The distribution of relaxation times (DRT) methodology was developed for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy data analysis. Scandia-stabilised ceria-doped zirconia ceramics have been investigated by broadband impedance spectroscopy and silver migration through the electrolyte was revealed, which caused a reduction in grain interior conductivity of the electrolyte, whereas its grain boundary conductivity remained unaffected. New BaCe0.9Y0.1O3 – based proton conductors have been developed and the stability of the investigated compounds was found to be more suitable for the applications in fuel cells.
Main publications:
Mosiałek, M., Socha, R. P., Bozek, B., Wilgocka-Slezak, D., Bielanska, E., Kežionis, A., Šalkus, T., Kazakevičius, E., Orliukas, A. F., Dziubaniuk, M., Wyrwa, J., Wojewoda-Budka, J., Faryna, M., Lis, B., Dudek, M., Lach, R. Changes in properties of scandia-stabilised ceria-doped zirconia ceramics caused by silver migration in the electric field. Electrochimica Acta. 2020, 338: 135866.
Dudek, M., Lis, B., Lach, R., Daugėla, S., Šalkus, T., Kežionis, A., Mosiałek, M., Sitarz, M., Rapacz-Kmita, A., Grzywacz, P. Samples of Ba1-xSrxCe0.9Y0.1O3-, 0<x<0.1, with improved chemical atability in CO2-H2 gas-involving atmospheres as potential electrolytes for a proton ceramic fuel cell. Materials. 2020, 13: 1874.
Kežionis, A., Kazakevičius, E.Some features of the analysis of broadband impedance data using distribution of relaxation times. Electrochimica Acta. 2020, 349: 136379.
Electromagnetic Methods for Increasing Spectral Efficiency of Radio Communication Systems. Assoc. Prof. K. Svirskas. 2020–2023.
Complexity of wireless network research problems requires close comparison of experimental measurements with numerical simulations. For this purpose, simulation framework for MIMO LTE network performance analysis is being used. The core of this environment consists of cloud-based virtual server environment, allowing interactively share results between team members and run massive simulations, for example, antenna analysis, radio propagation channel, radio interference estimation problems. Simulations are based on statistical Monte Carlo algorithm, implemented using GNU Octave and Python numerical libraries.
Investigation the non-thermal effects of electromagnetic radiation on a living organism provided a lot of different results. With the National Cancer Institute new equipment to study a wider range of cell vital parameters, we are performing a study of the effects of electromagnetic radiation on cancer cells. Experiments are performed in 900 MHz band traditionally occupied by GSM services, with the help of experimental equipment developed in the TMC group.
National Research Projects
Development of Specialized Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Detection and Neutralization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Dr S. Rudys. 2018–2022.
Technologies of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are developing especially rapidly and have extremely wide field of implementation. Unfortunately same as other technologies UAVs can be both beneficial and dangerous for the society. There are many solutions for UAV detection and neutralization suggested but all of these solutions have drawbacks. Thus, there are no effective UAV detection and neutralizing technologies available. The main goal of the project – develop an effective (more effective than is available in this moment) solution for UAV detection and neutralizing. Part of results were presented in the European competitions of the ideas.
Structural Phases and Dynamic Effects in Novel Hybrid Perovskite Materials for Future Solar Cells. Prof. R. Grigalaitis. 2019–2022.
Hybrid perovskite lead halides have attracted huge interest as materials for effective solar cell devices which power conversion efficiency is already above 20%, and their films can be fabricated by simple and cheap wet chemistry methods. Intense investigations are ongoing in this field to increase the conversion effectivity and environmental stability of them. The inorganic caesium lead bromide, hybrid methyl hydrazine lead chloride and methylamonium / dimethylamonium lead bromide crystals were investigated during year 2020 by broadband dielectric, ultrasonic and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies and complemental techniques. Peculiarities of phase transitions and dipolar dynamics in these materials were determined and explained. This leads to better understanding of the physical properties of hybrid lead halides and shows routes to increase their photoactive behaviour.
Main publications:
Svirskas, Š., Balčiūnas, S., Šimėnas, M., Usevičius, G., Kinka, M., Velička, M., Kubicki, D., Castillo, M. E., Karabanov, A., Shvartsman, V. V., de R. Soares, M., Šablinskas, V., Salak, A. N., Lupascu, D. C., Banys, J. Phase transitions, screening and dielectric response of CsPbBr3. J. Mater. Chem. A. 2020, 8: 14015–14022. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0TA04155F.
Ma̧czka, M., Gagor, A., Zarȩba, J. K., Stefanska, D., Drozd, M., Balciunas, S., Šimėnas, M., Banys, J., Sieradzki, A. Three-dimensional Perovskite methylhydrazinium lead chloride with two polar phases and unusual second-harmonic generation bistability above room temperature. Chem. Mater. 2020, 32: 4072–4082. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.0c00973.
Simenas, M., Balciunas, S., Wilson, J. N., Svirskas, S., Kinka, M., Garbaras, A., Kalendra, V., Gagor, A., Szewczyk, D., Sieradzki, A., Maczka, M., Samulionis, V., Walsh, A., Grigalaitis, R., Banys, J. Suppression of phase transitions and glass phase signatures in mixed cation halide perovskites. Nature Communications. 2020, 11: 5103. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18938-z.
Investigation and Optimization of Cutting-Edge Lead-Free PMUT Platform: from Materials to Devices. Assoc. Prof. Š. Svirskas. 2020–2022.
The project is devoted to developing a new prototype lead-free piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) platform, which could be further used in future environmentally friendly systems and applications. The project involves synthesis and characterization of state-of-the-art lead-free materials, application-oriented optimization of material properties, thin film fabrication on flexible substrates, creation of PMUT prototypes and validation of their performance. Project partners of Taiwan are experts in the applications of piezoelectric material for actuators and transducers, PMUT simulation and prototyping. Scientists from Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (Latvia) have strong background in solid state sintering of lead-free materials with potentially attractive piezoelectric properties. Lithuanian scientists of Vilnius University, Faculty of Physics (Lithuania) are leading experts in broadband dielectric spectroscopy, piezoelectric and acoustic research and characterization of ferroelectrics and related materials. The synergy of such versatile consortium gives opportunities to strongly influence the development and application of lead-free materials in a larger scale. The aim of this project is to drive lead-free materials towards wide use in PMUT which can be attractive to various biological and other demanding applications. By applying different kinds of production techniques (PLD, tape-casting) it is expected to extend the application of lead-free materials and demonstrate novel PMUT devices.
Main publication:
Dunce, M., Olšauskaitė, A., Birks, E., Svirskas, Š., Kežionis, A., Bikshe, L., Sternberg, A., Banys, J. Revision of the main scientific achievements in 2020 freezing concept in relaxor ferroelectrics: the case of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-Sr0.7Bi0.2TiO3 solid solutions. Ferroelectrics. 2020, 569: 266–279. https://doi.org/10.1080/00150193.2020.1822685.
Point-to-Point All-Electronic 250 GHz Source of the National Program Development of Technology and Innovation. Dr K. Ikamas. 2019–2020.
The main aim of the project is to develop compact THz source for telecommunication systems. The transmitter is based on a voltage-controlled two field-effect transistors based differential Colpitts oscillator coupled with a resonant, slot type antenna. The THz source oscillate at 84 GHz fundamental frequency with the optimized third harmonic emission at 252 GHz. The information capacity of device is at least 20 Mbps per channel at modulation frequency of 20 MHz and transmission distance of 4.8 m.
Main publication:
Cibiraite-Lukenskiene, D., Ikamas, K., Lisauskas, T., Krozer, V., Roskos, H. G., Lisauskas, A. Passive detection and imaging of human body radiation using an uncooled field-effect transistor-based THz detector. Sensors. 2020, 20(15): 4087. DOI: 10.3390/s20154087.
International Research Projects
Joint Lithuanian-Belorussian project Structural and Physical Transitions in Polymeric Materials with Nanoparticles. Dr J. Macutkevič. 2019–2020.
The main result of the project are produced polymeric composites with magnetic and carbon nanoinclusions, which exhibit the strong electromagnetic wave absorption. Composites are prepared by the mixing method by using various polymers, MgO, Fe3O4, MnFe2O4, Ni@C nanoparticles and carbon nanoparticles. Electrical properties of composites were studied in wide frequency range from 10 μHz to 3 THz at different temperatures from 20 to 500 K. It was determined that the frequency dependence of electrical properties is caused by Maxwell-Wagner relaxation and the temperature dependence of electrical conductivity exhibit non-Arhenius behaviour. The electrical percolation threshold for hybrid MgO (or MnFe2O4, Ni@C)/carbon nanotubes composites is strongly dependent from MgO (or MnFe2O4, Ni@C, respectively) concentration.
Main publication:
Meisak, D., Macutkevic, J., Plyushch, A., Kuzhir, P., Selskis, A., Banys, J. Dielectric relaxation in hybrid Epoxy/MWCNT/MnFe2O4 composites. Polymers. 2020, 12: 697.
Joint Lithuanian-Belorussian project Structural and Electromagnetic Properties of Metal Oxide Semiconductors and Dielectrics. Prof. J. Banys. 2019–2020.
The aim of the project is to find the relation between the stoichiometry, structural, electrical and magnetic properties of metal oxide semiconductors and dielectrics using various investigations techniques and also investigations of physical properties of such materials for electronic functional devices. During the project tin oxide films and Ba(Ti0.8 Ce0.2)O3 ceramics were investigated. Enhancement of the intensity of the Raman peaks corresponding to tin dioxide phase was observed in the samples containing both SnO and SnO2 due to resonant Raman scattering in tin oxide and dissipative transition of electronic excitation from tin monoxide atoms to tin dioxide atoms. The dielectric spectra of the Ba(Ti0.8Ce0.2)O3 ceramics have shown the broad dielectric relaxation which was analysed by the Havriliak-Negami relationship and the distribution of relaxation times formalism.
Main publication:
Ksenevich, V., Dorosinets, V., Adamchuk, D., Macutkevic, J., Banys, J. Weak localization in polycrystalline tin dioxide films. Materials. 2020, 13(5415): 1–14.
NATO Science for Peace and Security Program project Globular Carbon Based Structures and Metamaterials for Enhanced Electromagnetic Protection. Dr J. Macutkevič. 2020–2023.
The project is focused on the development of innovative security-related technologies such as data protection through the production of metasurfaces with enhanced electromagnetic properties: microwave absorption and frequency dispersion, allowing effective guiding and trapping of high-frequency signals. The main goal of the project is to design and implement a new type of artificial magneto-electric materials as a basis for novel applications in radio frequency (RF) and microwave technology. These metasurfaces will be based on the metamaterial approach and will combine the advantages of both electric and magnetic properties in carbon-based magnetic globular structures, leading to multifunctional 2D-structures and to the concept of electromagnetic perfect absorber or wave concentrator.
European Space Agency project Directive Transistor-Based THz Detectors (THzFET). Prof. A. Lisauskas. 2018– 2020.
The project is concentrated on developing devices and technologies for 0.3–5 THz frequency range, by employing scalable manufacturing processes and integrated sub-systems. The idea is to use field-effect transistors of existing micro-fabrication technologies, such as those in CMOS and AlGaN/GaN MMIC, and to operate these well beyond standard operating conditions in terms of frequency.
Main publication:
Cibiraite-Lukenskiene. D., Ikamas, K., Lisauskas, T., Krozer, V., Roskos. H. G., Lisauskas, A. Passive detection and imaging of human body radiation using an uncooled field-effect transistor-based THz detector. Sensors. 2020, 20(15): 4087. DOI: 10.3390/s20154087.
Contractual Research
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Institute of Solid State Physics of University of Latvia (Latvia)
University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany)
National Taiwan University (Taiwan)
University of Yamanashi (Japan)
Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland)
University of Luxembourg
University of Bologna (Italy)
European Communication Office (Denmark)
Telia Lietuva Group
Huawei Technologies Vilnius, UAB
Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry (Poland)
State Agency Spanish National Research Council (Spain)
National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan)
Physikalisches Institut, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University (Germany)
Center for Terahertz Research and Applications, Institute of High Pressure Physics (Poland)
Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (Germany)
Department of Micro and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm)
German Aerospace Center (Germany)
Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (Lithuania)
OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Prof. J. Banys –
- member of the International Advisory Board of ECAPD (European Conference on Applications of Polar Dielectrics);
- member of the International Advisory Board of EMF (European Meeting on Ferroelectrics);
- member of the International Advisory Bboard of IMF (International Meeting on Ferroelectrics)
- IEEE FEROCOM member;
- member of the IEEE Society;
- foreign member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences;
- correspondent member of the Saxonian Academy of Sciences in Leipzig;
- Uzhgorod National University Doctor Honoris Causa;
- member of the Lithuanian Physical Society;
- member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences;
- AMPERE Society Committee;
- member of CERN Council;
- editorial board member of the Lithuanian Journal of Physics.
Dr S. Pralgauskaitė –
- member of the International Advisory Committee of the international conference on Noise and Fluctuations (ICNF);
- member of the International Advisory Committee of the international conference Unsolved Problems on Noise (UPoN);
- member of the Lithuanian Physical Society.
Prof. A. Lisauskas –
- Lithuanian representative in NATO STO Sensors &Electronics Technology Panel.
Dr K. Ikamas –
- member of the Terahertz-band Communications and Networking panel in NATO Science and Technology Organization;
- member of the Lithuanian Physical Society.
BEST REPORTS DELIVERED AT CONFERENCES ABROAD
- M. Simenas, S. Balciunas, S. Svirskas, M. Kinka, V. Samulionis, R. Grigalaitis, J. Banys, A. Garbaras, A. Gagor, M. Maczka, A. Sieradzki. Pecularities of dipolar ordering in mixed cation halide perovskites. Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE International symposium an application of ferroelectric. Denver, USA, 19–23 July 2020.
- E. Palaimiene, J. Macutkevic, J. Banys, A. Winiarski, I. Gruszka, J. Koperski, A. Molak. Crossover from ferroelectric to relaxor behavior in Ba1-xCaxTiO3 (x=0.17) system. Electroceramics XVII, Darmstadt, Germany, 24–28 August 2020.
- Plyushch, T. Kudrevicius, M. Ivanov, S. Svirskas, J. Macutkevic, J. Banys, P. Kuzhir. Aqueous tape casting of 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.3PbTiO3; production process optimisation and dielectric properties. Electroceramics XVII, Darmstadt, Germany, 24–28 August 2020.
- J. Banys, D. Adamchuk, S. Svirskas, L. Mitoseriu, V. Buscaglia. Dipolar glass state in BaCe0.3Ti0.7O3 solid solutions. Electroceramics XVII, Darmstadt, Germany, 24–28August 2020.
- Zamaraite, V. Liubachko, R.Yevych, A. Oleaga, A. Salazar, A. Dziaugys, J. Banys, Yu. Vysochanskii. Dielectric and heat diffusion investigations of quantum paraelectric state in Sn(Pb)2P2S(Se)6 ferroelectrics. IX International seminar Properties of Ferroelectric and Superionic Systems. Uzhhorod, Ukraine, 27 October 2020.
MOST IMPORTANT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS RECEIVED FOR R&D ACTIVITIES
- Dr Habil. Jūras Banys. Vilnius University Rector's Award for Science in 2020.
- Dr Šarūnas Svirskis. Vilnius University Rector’s Award for Science for young lecturers and researchers of Vilnius University.
- Saulius Rudys, Paulius Ragulis, Rimvydas Aleksiejunas. SAFE JAMMING OF GNSS OF HOSTILE DRONES. The winner of the DLR Galileo Masters 2020,
https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2020/04/20201209_the-dlr-galileo-masters-has-a-winner.html - Saulius Rudys, Andrius Laučys, Domantas Bručas. Project PASSROAD
Authentication of vessels by AIS using lightweight UAV with radar. Semi-finals of MyGalileoDrone competition,
https://www.gsa.europa.eu/mygalileodrone-selected-teams-phase-1
MOST IMPORTANT PARTICIPATION CASES OF RESEARCHERS IN WORKING GROUPS OR COMMISSIONS SET UP BY STATE AUTHORITIES, STATE AND MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS, BUSINESS ENTITIES
- Prof. Jūras Banys – President of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.
- Dr Sandra Pralgauskaitė – member of the International Advisory Committee of the International Conference on Noise and Fluctuations (ICNF); member of the International Advisory Committee of the International Conference Unsolved Problems on Noise (UPoN).
- Prof. Jonas Matukas – member of the Council of the Communications Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Lithuania (RRT); member of Telecommunication committee of Lithuanian standards board.
MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
- Participation in delfi_TV show „The Rhythm of Science“ : https://www.delfi.lt/video/laidos/mokslo-ritmu/mokslo-ritmu-kokia-itaka-gyvenimo-kokybei-ir-musu-sveikatai-tures-5g-rysys.d?id=84299943
- Articles: Again about 5G on the portal of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences www.lma.lt; Vilniaus universiteto mokslininkai kuria 6G ryšio liniją in Spectrum.
- Lectures: “IP Networks and Subnetting”, “Modern Telecommunication Technologies”.
- Participation in TV programs and shows.
- Science popularisation article: https://www.15min.lt/mokslasit/straipsnis/technologijos/vilniaus-universiteto-mokslininkaikuria-6g-rysio-linija-646-1343568; https://naujienos.vu.lt/vilniaus-universiteto-mokslininkai-kuria-6g-rysio-linija/.
INSTITUTE OF THEORETICAL PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY
3 Saulėtekio Ave, LT-10257 Vilnius
Tel. 223 4636
E-mail: tfai @ tfai.vu.lt
Director – Dr Habil. Gražina Tautvaišienė
STAFF
Distinguished professor: Dr Habil. G. Juzeliūnas.
Professors: Dr E. Anisimovas (part-time), Dr Habil. A. Bartkevičius (affiliated), Dr Habil. R. Karazija (affiliated), Prof. Dr A. Kučinskas (part-time), Dr Habil. V. Straižys (Emeritus), Dr Habil. G. Tautvaišienė (part-time), Prof. Dr V. Vansevičius (part-time).
Research professors: Dr K. Černis, Dr A. Deltuva, Prof. Dr Habil. G. Gaigalas, Dr V. Gontis, Assoc. Prof. Dr V. Jonauskas, Dr H. Kjeldsen (part-time), Prof. Dr A. Kučinskas (part-time), Dr J. Ruseckas, Dr Habil. G. Tautvaišienė (part-time), Dr Habil. K. Zdanavičius (affiliated).
Associate professors: Assoc. Prof. Dr T. Gajdosik, Dr Habil. B. Kaulakys (part-time), Dr D. Narbutis (part-time), Dr R. Stonkutė (part-time), Dr K. Zubovas (part-time), Assoc. Prof. Dr D. Šatkovskienė (affiliated).
Senior researchers: Assoc. Prof. Dr A. Acus, Dr F. Grundahl (part-time), Dr R. Janulis (part-time), Dr A. Juodagalvis, Dr Habil. V. Gineitytė (affiliated), Dr D. Jurčiukonis, Dr R. Karpuškienė, Dr A. Kazlauskas (affiliated), Dr R. Kisielius, Dr A. Kynienė, Dr S. Kučas, Dr Š. Masys, Dr Š. Mikolaitis, Prof. Dr E. Norvaišas (affiliated), Dr E. Pakštienė, Dr V. Regelskis, Dr P. Rynkun, Dr J. Sperauskas, Dr E. Stonkutė, Dr J. Tamulienė, Dr A. Vektarienė, Dr G. Vektaris, Dr J. Zdanavičius.
Researchers: Dr T. Andrijauskas (part-time), Dr K. Brogaard (part-time), Dr Y. Chorniy, Dr V. Čepas (part-time), Dr V. Dobrovolskas, Dr A. Drazdauskas, Dr V. Dūdėnas, Dr C. von Essen (part-time), Dr R. Juršėnas, Dr H. R. Hamedi, Dr R. Kazakevičius, Dr J. Klevas, Dr A. Kononovičius, Dr V. Kudriašov (part-time), Dr M. Maskoliūnas, Dr R. Minkevičiūtė, Dr A. Mekys (part-time), Dr A. Momkauskaitė, Dr V. Novičenko, Dr L. Radžiūtė.
Research assistants: E. Kolomiecas, S. Raudeliūnas (part-time),
Project-specialists: M. Ambrosch (part-time), M. Amrozas (part-time), V. Bagdonas (part-time), S. Draukšas (part-time), E. Gvozdiovas (part-time), M. Račiūnas (part-time), C. Viscasillas Vazquez (part-time), G. Žlabys (part-time).
Doctoral students: M. Ambrosch, M. Ambrozas, S. Draukšas, E. Kolomiecas, J. Koncevičiūtė, M. Račiūnas, A. Sharma, R. Skorulskienė, R. Urbonavičiūtė, C. Viscasillas Vazquez, G. Žlabys.
Non-academic staff: V. Bagdonas (part-time), V. Kakarienė (part-time), B. Kavaliauskienė, S. Lovčikas, R. Mikutavičienė, Ž. Naimovičienė, R. Urbonavičiūtė (part-time).
RESEARCH AREAS
Analysis of Atoms, Subatomic Particles or their Ensembles, Complex Systems, Electromagnetic Radiation and Cosmic Objects
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Galactic structure and chemodynamical evolution of stellar populations
Chemical composition and mixing phenomena in stellar atmospheres
Convection and non-equilibrium radiative transfer in stellar atmospheres
Stellar asteroseismology
Planet hosting stars and exoplanet transits
Structure and evolution of galaxies
Search and positional observations of comets and asteroids
Theoretical atomic spectroscopy
Algorithms and computer programs for plasma physics, astrophysics and other fields
Application of quantum mechanics and electrodynamics for transitions in atoms, molecules and molecular complexes
Interactions of atoms and molecules with electrons and radiation
Theoretical investigation of crystalline and electronic structure of perovskite crystals
Algebraic techniques for nuclear and particle physics
Analysis of pp collision data recorded at CERN CMS experiment
Neutrinos in the extended Standard model
Scattering processes in few-body nuclear systems
Quantum optics and ultra-cold atoms
Bose-Einstein condensates
Condensed matter systems
Quantum chemistry
Complexity and statistical physics applications in economics, finance and other social sciences
Fluctuations and noise, theory of 1/f noise
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2020
Projects Supported by the University Budget
Stellar Chemical Composition and Asteroseismic Activity in the Milky Way Galaxy. Dr Habil. G. Tautvaišienė. 2016–2020.
We used the NASA TESS space mission data for investigating the Galaxy by carrying out the first asteroseismic ensemble study of red giant stars. We used a sample of 25 stars for which we measured their global asteroseismic observables and estimated their fundamental stellar properties, such as radius, mass, and age. We present simultaneous ground- and space-based observations of primary eclipses of several binary systems in the Southern ecliptic hemisphere in order to verify the reliability of the TESS timestamps. In addition, we used 405 individually measured mid-eclipse times of 26 eclipsing binary stars observed solely by TESS in order to test the existence of a potential drift with a monotonic growth (or decay) affecting the observations of all stars.
Main publications:
Aguirre, V. S., Stello, D., Stokholm, A., ... Stonkutė, E., … Kjeldsen, H., … Detection and Characterization of Oscillating Red Giants: First Results from the TESS Satellite. Astrophysical Journal Letters. 2020,889: L34.
von Essen, C., Lund, M. N., Handberg, R., Sosa, M. S., Gadeberg, J. T., Kjeldsen, H., Vanderspek, R. K., Mortensen, D. S., Mallonn, M., Mammana, L., Morgan, E. H., Villaseñor, J. N. S., Fausnaugh, M. M., & Ricker, G. R., TESS Data for Asteroseismology: Timing Verification. Astronomical Journal. 2020, 160: 34.
Star Formation and Dust Clouds in the Orion and Perseus Arms of the Galaxy. Prof. V. Straižys. 2016–2020.
Open star clusters Berkeley 86 and Berkeley 87 were investigated using photometry of stars in the Vilnius seven-colour photometric system and the astrometric data from Gaia space observatory of ESA. Photometric spectral classes, luminosities and interstellar extinctions were determined for about 1500 stars. For the stars in clusters the membership probabilities, interstellar reddenings and extinctions, distances and ages were determined. The membership of these clusters to the Cygnus OB1 association was estimated.
Main publication:
Straižys, V., Boyle, R. P., Raudeliūnas, S., Zdanavičius, J., Janusz, R., Macijauskas, M., Lazauskaitė, R., Černis, K., Zdanavičius, K., Maskoliūnas, M., Čepas, V., Kazlauskas, A. Open cluster IC 1369 and its vicinity: multicolor photometry and Gaia DR2 astrometry. Astronomical Journal. 2020, 159: 95.
Hydrodynamical Phenomena and Radiative Transfer in Stellar Atmospheres. Prof. Dr A. Kučinskas. 2016–2020.
We extended our earlier investigation of the interaction between convection and radiative transfer in the atmosphere of a metal-poor subgiant BD+44493. Our extended focus was on several molecular lines, including those of CH and OH. Our findings show that the 3D-1D LTE abundance corrections at the metallicity of BD+44493 may reach up to 1 dex for the abundances of carbon and oxygen determined from molecular lines and thus may influence interpretation of the evolutionary trends of these elements in the Galaxy and beyond. We also determined abundances of zirconium and strontium in atmospheres of RGB stars of the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tuc. In addition, we investigated the effects of convection on the formation of the respective spectral lines with the aid of 3D hydrodynamical model atmospheres.
Stochastic Effects in Stellar Systems. Prof. Dr V. Vansevičius. 2019–2023.
We used convolutional neural networks to study star clusters in the galaxy M83 and found an age gradient across the spiral arms which is consistent with the density wave theory. We showed that outflows driven by active galactic nuclei correlate better with their long-term average luminosity rather than the present-day luminosity. We discovered a peculiar red-giant branch of CN enriched stars in the dwarf irregular galaxy Leo A. We determined orbits of 50 binary stars based on their echelle spectra.
Main publications:
Bialopetravičius, J., Narbutis, D. Study of star clusters in the M83 galaxy with a convolutional neural network. The Astronomical Journal. 2020, 160, id.264, 11.
Zubovas, K., Narcdini, E. Intermittent AGN episodes drive outflows with a large spread of observable loading factors. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 2020, 498: 3633–3647.
Astrometry and Photometry of Small Solar-System Bodies. Dr K. Černis. 2016–2020.
Sixty two new asteroids have been discovered. NEO 2006 VB14 was observed by means of its astrometry and photometry. A new precise orbit of this NEO object was determined. Fourier transform was applied to determine the rotation period of P=3.25h for the asteroid 2006 VB14. We published 8180 astrometric positions of 1960 asteroids. Near Earth Objects, TNO, Main Belt asteroids and comets were observed with the 0.35/0.51 m Maksutov telescope (Molėtai Observatory); with the 0.80/1.20 m Schmidt telescope (Baldone Observatory, Latvia), with the 1.8 m Vatican telescope (Mt. Graham, Arizona, U.S.A.). New precise orbits of 37 asteroids discovered at the Baldone observatory were determined. The bright comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) and noctilucent clouds were observed in summer time from the Vilnius station. Four asteroids were named by Jogaila, Valančius, Laugalys, and Druskininkai.
Main publications:
Wlodarczyk, I., Černis, K., Eglitis, I. Observational data and orbits of the asteroids discovered at the Baldone Observatory in 2015–2018. Open Astron. 2020, 29: 179.
Černis, K., Zdanavičius, J. Discovery of seven new asteroids and astrometric observations of 58 asteroids (271 positions) in Moletai Astronomical Observatory (Code 152). M.P.C. 118950. 9 January 2020.
Černis, K., Eglitis, I. Discovery of twenty-six new asteroids and astrometric observations of 178 asteroids (647 positions) in Baldone Astronomical Observatory (Code 069). M.P.C. 118948. 9 January 2020.
Multielectron Processes in Complex Atomic Systems. Dr V. Jonauskas. 2019–2023.
Multiple photoionization cross sections from the K shell were studied for all levels of the Fe2+ 3d6 configuration. The ab initio quasirelativistic approach was used to derive transition data for Pd-like tungsten W28+ ion. Hydrogenated and hydroxylated nanodiamonds were modelled by putting emphasis on the most common paramagnetic impurities - dangling bonds as well as single substitutional nitrogen atoms - and their interaction with water.
Main publications:
Kučas, S., Kynienė, A., Masys, Š., Jonauskas, V. Multiple photoionization cross sections for Fe2+ K shell. Astronomy & Astrophysics. 2020, 643: A46.
Karpuškienė, R., Kisielius, R. Theoretical level energies and transition data for ion W28+. Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables. 2020, 132: 101309.
Masys, Š., Rinkevičius, Ž., Tamulienė, J. Computational study on the electronic g-tensors of hydrophilic and hydrophobic nanodiamonds interacting with water. Journal of Chemical Physics. 2020, 152: 144302.
Correlation and Relativistic Effects in Multivalency Atoms and Ions. Prof. G. Gaigalas. 2020–2024.
The new program was created. It performs the transformation of atomic state functions from a LSJ-coupled configuration state function (CSF) basis into several other CSF bases such as jj, LK, JK, JJ, and many others. The relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock method is used to compute accurate Landé g-factors for states in B II, C I-IV, Al I-II, Si I-IV, P II, S II, Cl III, Ar IV, Ca I, Ti II, Zr III, and Sn II.
Main publications:
Li, W., Rynkun, P., Radžiūtė, L., Gaigalas, G., Atalay, B., Papoulia, A., Wang, K., Hartman, H., Ekman, J., Brage, T., Chen, C. Y. and Jönsson, P. Multiconfiguration Dirac – Hartree - Fock calculations of Lande g - factors for ions of astrophysical interest: B II, C I-IV, Al I-II, Si I-IV, P II, S II, Cl III, Ar IV, Ca I, Ti II, Zr III, and Sn II. Astronomy and Astrophysics. 2020, 639: A25.
Gaigalas, G. Coupling: The program for searching optimal coupling scheme in atomic theory. Computer Physics Communication. 2020, 247: 106960.
Smaranika, B., Masaomi, T., Kyohei, K., Kato, D. and Gaigalas, G. Simulations of early Kilonovae emission from neutron star merger. The Astrophysical Journal. 2020, 901: 29.
Theoretical Study of Light Nuclei and Elementary Particles. Dr A. Deltuva. 2016–2020.
Cross section and analysing powers for the proton-deuteron breakup at 135 and 190 MeV were calculated and compared with the experimental data. Features of Efimov resonances in the three-boson continuum were determined. The influence of a quantum deformation to the spectrum of orthogonal and symplectic spin chains was determined. An algorithm for finding square roots in radicals of an arbitrary multivector in 3D Clifford algebras was found.
Main publications:
Deltuva, A. Energies and widths of Efimov states in the three-boson continuum. Phys. Rev. C. 2020, 102: 034003.
Gerrard, A. and Regelskis, V. Nested algebraic Bethe ansatz for deformed orthogonal and symplectic spin chains. Nucl. Phys. 2020, B 956: 115021.
Dargys, A. and Acus, A. Square root of a multivector in 3D Clifford algebras. Nonlinear Analysis: Modelling and Control. 2020, 25(2): 301–320.
Optical, Kinetic, and Topological Properties of Cold Atoms and Condensed Molecular Structures. Dr Habil. G. Juzeliūnas. 2018–2021.
Emergence of quantum structures was demonstrated in interacting bosonic systems using artificial neural networks. Superradiant instability driven by Anderson localization was predicted in a hybrid system of the Dicke and Aubry-André (DAA) model for bosons trapped in a one-dimensional (1D) quasiperiodic optical lattice and coupled to a cavity. A set of new benzoquinones was characterized electrochemically and by using quantum chemical analysis.
Main publications:
Žlabys, G., Račiūnas, M.and Anisimovas, E. Learning quantum structures in compact localized eigenstates. J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 2020, 53: 115302.
Yin, H., Hu, J., Ji, A.-C., Juzeliūnas, G., Liu, X.-J., Sun, Q. Localization driven superradiant instability. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2020, 124: 113601.
Voitechovič, E., Vektarienė, A., Vektaris, G., Jančienė, R., Razumienė, J., Gurevičienė, V.1,4-Benzoquinone derivatives for enhanced bioelectrocatalysis by fructose dehydrogenase from gluconobacter japonicus: towards promising D-fructose biosensor development. Electroanalysis. 2020, 32: 1005–1016.
Evolution and Statistics of Complex Systems. Prof. B. Kaulakys. 2017–2021.
The burst and the inter-burst duration statistical analysis as one more test of long-range memory proposed and implemented with the limit order book data comparing it with other widely used estimators. Signatures of super diffusion in the Lithuanian parliamentary attendance data observed and explained by noisy voter model. We have also generalized the noisy voter model by taking into account supportive interactions. A control algorithm in order to change a sign of coupling strength for the weakly coupled limit cycle oscillators was developed.
Main publications:
Gontis, V. Long-range memory test by the burst and inter-burst duration distribution. J. Stat. Mech. 2020: 093406.
Kononovičius, A. Noisy voter model for the anomalous diffusion of parliamentary presence. J. Stat. Mech. 2020: 063405.
National Research Projects
Global Grant research project. Stellar and Exoplanet Investigations in the Context of the TESS and JWST Space Missions (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-01-0103). Dr Habil. G. Tautvaišienė. 2018–2022.
We have observed all 302 bright (V<8 mag) and cooler than F5 spectral class stars in the northern TESS continuous viewing zone with a 1.65m telescope at the Molėtai Astronomical
Observatory of Vilnius University and a high-resolution spectrograph. We uniformly determined the main atmospheric parameters, ages, orbital parameters, velocity components, and precise abundances of 24 chemical species and identified stars which may harbour rocky exoplanets. Another study was dedicated to Li, C, and O determination in a sample of 249 stars. We characterised exoplanets WASP-76b, WASP-33b, and high-frequency pulsation modes in young intermediate-mass stars.
Main publications:
Tautvaišienė, G., Mikolaitis, Š., Drazdauskas, A., Stonkutė, E., Minkevičiūtė, R., Kjeldsen, H., Brogaard, K., von Essen, C., Grundahl, F., Pakštienė, E., Bagdonas, V., & Vázquez, C. V. Chemical composition of bright stars in the continuous viewing zone of the TESS space mission. Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 2020, 248: 19.
Stonkutė, E., Chorniy, Y., Tautvaišienė, G., Drazdauskas, A., Minkevičiūtė, R., Mikolaitis, Š., Kjeldsen, H., von Essen, C., Pakštienė, E., & Bagdonas, V. High-resolution spectroscopic study of dwarf stars in the Northern Sky: lithium, carbon, and oxygen abundances. Astronomical Journal. 2020, 159: 90.
von Essen, C., Mallonn, M., Hermansen, S., Nixon, M. C., Madhusudhan, N., Kjeldsen, H., & Tautvaišienė, G. HST/STIS transmission spectrum of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-76 b confirms the presence of sodium in its atmosphere. Astronomy and Astrophysics. 2020, 637: A76.
Global Grant research project. Quantum Engineering in Cold Atomic Gases (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-01-0051). Prof. E. Anisimovas. 2018–2022.
Off-axis optical vortices were considered using the double-Raman singlet and doublet light-matter schemes. Novel schemes of quantum engineering by means of periodic resonant driving were developed. In particular, we showed that time and space crystalline structures can be combined together and even 6D time-space crystals can be realized in ultracold atomic systems. This opens possibilities for the research of condensed matter physics in dimensions higher than three.
Main publication:
Hamedi, H. R., Ruseckas, J., Paspalakis, E. and Juzeliūnas, G. Off-axis optical vortices using double-Raman singlet and doublet light-matter schemes. Phys. Rev. 2020, A 101: 063828.
International Research Projects
EC Horizon2020 project. EUROPLANET2024 – Research Infrastructure (project No. 871149). Dr Habil. G. Tautvaišienė. 2020–2023.
We were working within the work packages dedicated to on-ground observations and early careers training and education. The Europlanet Telescope Network was established and observations have been started. The Early Careers Training and Education Portal was launched, two splinter sessions have been organised during the Europlanet Science Congress as well as two presentations delivered.
Main publications:
Scherf, M., Tautvaišienė, G., Hueso, R., Heward, A. Telescopes united. Astronomy & Geophysics. 2020, 61(4): 4.39.
Scherf, M., Snodgrass, C., Hueso, R., Tautvaisiene, G., Podlewska-Gaca, E., Colas, F., Sanchez-Lavega, A., Garate-Lopez, I., Dudziński, G., Bartczak, P., and Kargl, G. The Europlanet Telescope Network: A global collaboration in support of planetary sciences, Europlanet Science Congress 2020, online. 21 September–9 Oct 2020, EPSC2020-313.
Lithuanian-Japanese project. Theoretical Studies of Structure and Properties of Heavy Elements toward Identification of Gravitational Wave Sources funded by Research Council of Lithuania (S-LJB-18-1). 2018–2020. Prof. Dr G. Gaigalas.
We performed radiative transfer simulations for blue kilonovae hours after neutron star mergers by performing detailed opacity calculations for the first time. We calculated atomic structures and opacities of highly ionized elements (up to the 10th ionization) with atomic number Z=20–56. We found out that the bound–bound transitions of heavy elements were the dominant source of the opacities in the early phase (t<1 day after the merger) and that the ions with a half-closed electron shell provided the highest contributions.
Main publications:
Gaigalas, G., Rynkun, P., Radžiūtė, L., Kato, D., Tanaka, M., Jönsson, P. Energy level structure and transition data of Er(2+). The Astrophysical Journal Supplement. 2020, Series 248: 13.
Radžiūtė, L., Gaigalas, G., Kato, D., Rynkun, P., Tanaka, M. Extended calculations of energy levels and transition rates for singly ionized lanthanide elements. I. Pr–Gd. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement. 2020, Series 248: 17.
Tanaka, M., Kato, D., Gaigalas, G., Kyohei, K. Systematic opacity calculations for Kilonovae. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 2020, 496: 1369–1392.
Research group project Optical Control of Ultracold Atoms funded by Research Council of Lithuania (S-MIP-20-36). 2020–2023. Prof. Dr G. Juzeliūnas.
The project started in March 2020. During the first 9 months of the project, the band structure of spinor optical lattices with subwave-length barriers were investigated using the tripod atom-light coupling scheme.
Research Council of Lithuania. Polish – Lithuanian Black Hole hunt (S-LL-19-2). Dr M. Maskoliūnas. 2019–2021.
Within the framework of the project, the ground-based photometric follow-up observations “Gaia Alerts” (GA) objects with the telescopes of Molėtai Astronomy Observatory (MAO) have been carried out. The members of the project arranged the observation program and data analysis of each observation item. The 2020 campaign of MAO observations resulted in more than 400 measurement points, necessary for a drawing of 19 objects light curves.
Main publications:
Wyrzykowski, Ł., Mróz, P., Rybicki, K. A. and 182 more. Full orbital solution for the binary system in the northern Galactic disc microlensing event Gaia16aye. A&A. 2020, 633: 98.
Szegedi-Elek, E., Ábrahám, P., Wyrzykowski, L. and 59 more. Gaia 18dvy: a new FUor in the Cygnus OB3 association. ApJ. 2020, 899: 130.
Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. Lithuanian Cooperation with CERN. Dr A. Juodagalvis, since 2008. Project Physics of Subatomic Particles in the CERN CMS Experiment (DaFi2019).
Activities at the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment focused on the analysis of the Drell-Yan process at 13 TeV using the CMS pp data of 2016. The background estimation using data-driven methods required deeper studies. Participation in the LHC EW V-jets group started. The study of Grimus-Neufeld model was continued, higher precision of FlexibleSusy code generator pursued. Studies of W and W’ decays started using the MadMiner analysis framework. Lepton flavour violation decays were studied in a two-Higgs-doublet model with the type-I seesaw mechanism.
Main publications:
CMS Muon group [from Lithuania: A. Juodagalvis]. Triple-GEM discharge probability studies at CHARM: simulations and experimental results. JINST, 2020, 15: P10013.
CMS Collaboration [from Lithuania: V. Dudenas, A. Juodagalvis, J. Vaitkus]. Measurement of the single top quark and antiquark production cross sections in the t channel and their ratio in proton-proton collisions at √s=13 TeV. Phys. Lett. 2020, B 800: 135042.
Aeikens, E. H., Ferreira, P. M., Grimus, W., Jurčiukonis, D. and Lavoura, L. Radiative seesaw corrections and charged-lepton decays in a model with soft flavor violation. Journal of High Energy Physics. 2020, 12: 1–29.
International programme Gaia-ESO Spectroscopic Survey (ESO project 188.B-3002). Dr Habil. G. Tautvaišienė. 2012–2021.
We investigated universality of the age-chemical-clocks-metallicity relations in the Galactic disc, compared carbon abundances in the Galactic thin and thick discs, designed a new approach to chemically characterising young open clusters, investigated lithium abundances in metal-rich open clusters of the Solar neighbourhood, characterised a chemical composition of the Li-rich giant in the globular cluster NGC 1261. Seven papers were published in high impact journals.
Main publications:
Randich, S., Pasquini, L., Franciosini, E., Magrini, L., Jackson, R. J., Jeffries, R. D., d'Orazi, V., Romano, D., Sanna, N., Tautvaišienė, G., Tsantaki, M., Wright, N. J., Gilmore, G., Bensby, T., Bragaglia, A., Pancino, E., Smiljanic, R., Bayo, A., Carraro, G., Gonneau, A., Hourihane, A., Morbidelli, L., & Worley, C. C. The Gaia-ESO Survey: Galactic evolution of lithium at high metallicity. Astronomy and Astrophysics. 2020, 640, L1.
Casali, G., Spina, L., Magrini, L., Karakas, A. I., Kobayashi, C., Casey, A. R., Feltzing, S., Van der Swaelmen, M., Tsantaki, M., Jofré, P., Bragaglia, A., Feuillet, D., Bensby, T., Biazzo, K., Gonneau, A., Tautvaišienė, G., Baratella, M., Roccatagliata, V., Pancino, E., Sousa, S., Adibekyan, V., Martell, S., Bayo, A., Jackson, R. J., Jeffries, R. D., Gilmore, G., Randich, S., Alfaro, E., Koposov, S. E., Korn, A. J., Recio-Blanco, A., Smiljanic, R., Franciosini, E., Hourihane, A., Monaco, L., Morbidelli, L., Sacco, G., Worley, C., & Zaggia, S. The Gaia-ESO survey: the non-universality of the age-chemical-clocks-metallicity relations in the Galactic disc. Astronomy and Astrophysics. 2020, 639: A127.
Baratella, M., D'Orazi, V., Carraro, G., Desidera, S., Randich, S., Magrini, L., Adibekyan, V., Smiljanic, R., Spina, L., Tsantaki, M., Tautvaišienė, G., Sousa, S. G., Jofré, P., Jiménez-Esteban, F. M., Delgado-Mena, E., Martell, S., Van der Swaelmen, M., Roccatagliata, V., Gilmore, G., Alfaro, E. J., Bayo, A., Bensby, T., Bragaglia, A., Franciosini, E., Gonneau, A., Heiter, U., Hourihane, A., Jeffries, R. D., Koposov, S. E., Morbidelli, L., Prisinzano, L., Sacco, G., Sbordone, L., Worley, C., Zaggia, S., & Lewis, J. The Gaia-ESO Survey: a new approach to chemically characterising young open clusters. I. Stellar parameters, and iron-peak, α-, and proton-capture elements. Astronomy and Astrophysics. 2020, 634: A34.
International programme PLATO Science Management. Prof. Dr A. Kučinskas. 2020–2027.
A long-term partnership has been established in late 2020 between the Stellar Atmosphere Physics (SAP) group at ITPA and the European Space Agency’s science mission “PLATO” Science Management Work Package 120 “Stellar Science”, with Prof. Dr A. Kučinskas and Dr J. Klevas becoming the PLATO WP 120 official members. It is foreseen that the SAP group at ITPA will provide the PLATO Science Management consortium with a grid of 3D hydrodynamical model atmospheres of M-type dwarfs which, in cooperation with the PLATO consortium, will be used for the determination of 3D NLTE chemical abundances in the atmospheres of the PLATO target stars.
Long-term international project The Whole Earth Telescope (WET). Dr E. Pakštienė, Dr R. Janulis.
We used 27 days of photometry from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite to characterize solar-like oscillations in the G8 subgiant of the 94 Aqr triple system. The resulting stellar properties allowed us to probe the evolution of rotation and magnetic activity in the system. The asteroseismic age of the subgiant agrees with a stellar isochrone fit, but the rotation period is much shorter than expected from standard models of angular momentum evolution. The weakened magnetic braking may be needed to reproduce the stellar properties, and evolved subgiants in the hydrogen shell-burning phase can reinvigorate a large-scale dynamo action and briefly sustain magnetic activity cycles before ascending the red giant branch.
Main publication:
Mackebrandt, F., Schuh, S., Silvotti, R., Kim, S.-L., Kilkenny, D., Green, E. M., Lutz, R., Nagel, T., Provencal, J. L., Otani, T., Oswalt, T. D., Benatti, S., Lanteri, L., Bonanno, A., Frasca, A., Janulis, R., Paparó, M., Molnár, L., Claudi, R., & Østensen, R. H. The EXOTIME project: signals in the O-C diagrams of the rapidly pulsating subdwarfs DW Lyn, V1636 Ori, QQ Vir, and V541 Hya. Astronomy & Astrophysics. 2020, 638: A108.
National Science Foundation (USA). Fulfilling the Atomic Physics Needs for Spectral Diagnostics of Cosmic Chemical Evolution. Dr R. Kisielius. 2020–2023.
R. Kisielius is a principal co-investigator of the NSF project based on collaboration of the team from Vilnius University and astronomers from the University of South Carolina (USA). The work concentrates on producing of high-accuracy spectroscopic data needed for the astrophysical research and their accuracy establishment using modern astrophysical modelling codes.
COST Action CA16201 Unravelling New Physics at the LHC through the Precision Frontier (ParticleFace) (http://particleface.eu/). Action Chair: Dr German Rodrigo (Valencia, Spain) (24 countries). Dr A. Juodagalvis, Management Committee Member. 2017–2021.
A. Juodagalvis and Th. Gajdosik participated in the working groups’ and 4th management committee meeting in Krakow, Poland (11–13 February 2020). The meeting triggered joining the CERN LHC EW V-jets group. Funding for the “Baltic school of High-Energy Physics and Accelerator Technologies 2020” (in August, in Riga, Latvia) was approved, but the event got cancelled. S. Draukšas participated in “PREFIT20: Precision effective field theory school” (March 2–13, DESY, Hamburg). ITPA researchers joined the application of the follow-up COST Action “European network for particle physics at the collider frontier.”
COST Action CA16117 Chemical Elements as Tracers of the Evolution of the Cosmos (ChETEC) (http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/ca/ca11617). Action Chair: Dr Raphael Hirschi, England) (30 countries). Dr A. Kučinskas, Managing Committee Member, Member of the project Core Group, Co-lead of the Working Group 3 (Astronomical Observations); Dr V. Dobrovolskas, substitute of the Managing Committee Member. 2017–2021.
In the framework of this project, a ChETEC Working Group 3 “Astronomical Observations” meeting was planned to take place in Vilnius in spring 2020. Due to COVID-19, the meeting was postponed to spring/summer 2021. V. Dobrovolskas, J. Klevas, A. Kučinskas, R. Skorulskienė attended the ChETEC Period 4 Main Event international conference (3–4 September 2020, 117 participants, remote event). A. Kučinskas presented an invited talk on the current and future spectroscopic studies and 3D/1.5D modelling of radiative transfer that are being carried out under the umbrella of the ChETEC Action.
COST Action CA18104 Revealing the Milky Way with Gaia (ORIGINS) (https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18104). Action Chair: Nicholas Walton) (28 countries). Dr Š. Mikolaitis, Managing Committee Member, the leader of the Working Group 5. 2019–2023.
In the framework of this COST action, Carlos Viscasillas Vázquez and Markus Ambrosch attended the international school of CA18104 WG1 “The Milky Way as a Galaxy”, which was organized in Barcelona, Spain on 14–17 January 2020. Carlos Viscasillas Vázquez was awarded a research STSM visit to Arcetri observatory (cancelled because of pandemic). The WG5 workshop “Breaking Barriers: Inspiring the Next Generation” was planned to be co-organised in Santiago, Spain in March 2020 (cancelled because of pandemic). The WG5 research summer school “Better Inclusion, Better Science: Building Impact in MW-GAIA” was planned to be organised in Vilnius on 10–12 August 2020 (cancelled because of the pandemic).
Research Council of Lithuania postdoctoral fellowship Theoretical Multipole Interference Study or Gravitational Wave Sources (Nr. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-19-0080). Dr L. Radžiūtė, supervisor Prof. Dr G. Gaigalas. 2020–2022.
We have obtained accurate energy levels for the Se II and Te II ions using MCDHF and RCI methods. The accuracy of the results was evaluated comparing energy levels with the data from NIST database and that of other authors. The averaged uncertainty of computed energy levels compared with NIST data is 1.3% and 0.45%, respectively for Se II and Te II ions. Computation of transition properties and evaluation of it is in progress.
Research Council of Lithuania postdoctoral fellowship Study of the Grimus-Neufeld Model (Nr. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-19-0013). Dr V. Dūdėnas, supervisor Assoc. Prof. Dr Thomas Gajdosik. 2020–2022.
We have investigated the theoretical constraints for the numerical study of the Grimus-Neufeld model with Flexible-SUSY program. We estimated the upper bound of the seesaw scale, under which the fine-tuning in the scalar sector of the model becomes unacceptable. We also estimated the lower bound of the seesaw scale, under which the Grimus-Lavoura approximation is applicable for neutrino mass calculations.
Research Council of Lithuania postdoctoral fellowship Spatially Inhomogeneous Atom-Light Interaction Phenomena (Project No. 09.3.3-LMT-K- 712-19-0031). Dr Hamid R. Hamedi, supervisor Dr Habil. G. Juzeliūnas. 2020–2022.
We have proposed a robust localization of the highly-excited Rydberg atoms interacting with doughnut-shaped optical vortices. Compared with the earlier standing-wave (SW)-based localization methods, a vortex beam can provide an ultraprecise two-dimensional localization solely in the zero-intensity centre, within a confined excitation region down to the nanometer scale.
Main publication:
Jia, N., Qian, J., Kirova, T., Juzeliūnas, G. and Hamedi, H. R. Ultraprecise Rydberg atomic localization using optical vortices. Optics Express. 2020, 28(24): 36936–36952.
Research Council of Lithuania postdoctoral fellowship Physical Modelling of Order-Book and Opinion Dynamics (Nr. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-02-0026). Dr A. Kononovičius, supervisor Dr J. Ruseckas. 2017–2020.
We have observed signatures of super diffusion in the Lithuanian parliamentary attendance data. We have found that the noisy voter model would be able to explain ballistic diffusion. Though a minor modification, adding randomized observed states conditioned on the latent states, can be applied to also explain super diffusive behaviour. We have also generalized the noisy voter model by taking into account supportive interactions. We have conducted thorough analysis of the phase portrait of the generalized model and shown that intensity of support has profound and non-trivial effect.
Main publication:
Kononovicius, A. Noisy voter model for the anomalous diffusion of parliamentary presence. Journal of Statistical Mechanics. 2020: 063405.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Aarhus University (Denmark)
European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN (Switzerland)
Leibnitz Institute Potsdam, Potsdam (Germany)
Landessternwarte Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany)
Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg (Germany)
Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot (France)
Oslo University, Oslo (Norway)
Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Trieste (Italy)
Uppsala University Observatory, Uppsala (Sweden)
Odessa National University, Odessa (Ukraine)
Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (Lithuania)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA)
Capital Normal University, Beijing (China)
University of Patras (Greece)
East China Normal University, Shanghai (China)
University of Chicago (USA)
Technical University of Berlin (Germany)
National Institute for Fusion Science (Japan)
National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu (Taiwan)
Materials Science and Applied Mathematics, Malmö University, Malmö (Sweden)
Chimie Quantique et Photophysique, Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium)
University of Lisbon (Portugal)
University of South Carolina, Columbia (USA)
The Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore (USA)
Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw (Poland)
Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw (Poland)
OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Dr A. Deltuva –
- member of the International Faddeev Medal Committee.
Dr V. Dobrovolskas –
- member of the European Astronomical Society (EAS);
- member of the Lithuanian Astronomical Society (LAS).
Dr A. Drazdauskas –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Dr K. Černis –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Prof. Dr Habil. G. Gaigalas –
- council member of CompAS (The International Collaboration on Computational Atomic Structure) group (http://ddwap.mah.se/tsjoek/compas/);
- editorial board member of the journal Atoms.
Dr V. Gontis –
- member of the association of Euroscience, http://www.euroscience.org/;
- council member of the Lithuanian Scientific Society;
- Academic editor of the journal Plos One.
Dr A. Juodagalvis –
- contact person for the CMS outreach and communication in Lithuania, representing the Lithuanian Team at CERN CMS experiment;
- Lithuanian representative in CERN Finance Committee;
- member of the Council of Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics Centre at the Faculty of Physics of Vilnius University;
- member of the Board of the Lithuanian Physics Society, scientific secretary.
Dr R. Juršėnas –
- member of the American Mathematical Society.
Distinguished Professor G. Juzeliūnas –
- member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences;
- board member of Atomic Molecular Physics and Optical Division (AMOPD) of European Physical Society (EPS);
- associated member of the National Center for Theoretical Sciences at the National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan;
- guest editor of a Topical issue of the European Journal of Physics D: https://epjd.epj.org/component/toc/?task=topic&id=1230;
- academic editor of the journal Plos One;
- member of Programme Committee of an Annual International Conference-School on Advanced Materials and Technologies (August 2020, Palanga, Lithuania).
Dr H. R. Hamedi –
- member of the Lithuanian Physics Society;
- member of Physics Society of Iran.
Prof. B. Kaulakys –
- member of the Institute of Physics (UK);
- member of the European Physical Society;
- editorial board member of the Lithuanian Journal of Physics;
- editorial board member of the journal Nonlinear Analysis. Modelling and Control;
- vice-president of the Lithuanian Association of Nonlinear Analysts;
- council member of the Lithuanian Scientific Society.
Prof. R. Karazija –
- editorial board member of the Lithuanian Journal of Physics;
- member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.
Dr A. Kynienė –
- President of the Vilnius City Board of the Physics Teachers’ Association;
- member of the Vilnius City Physics Methodical Board;
- team leader of Particle Physics outreach group at the VU Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics Centre;
- chair of the Assessment of National Physics Maturity Examination Commission;
- member of the Lithuanian Pupil Physics Olympiad Commission;
- council member of the Lithuanian Scientific Society.
Dr J. Klevas –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU);
- member of the European Astronomical Society (EAS);
- council member of the Lithuanian Astronomical Society;
- council member of the Lithuanian Society of Young Researchers.
Prof. A. Kučinskas –
- member of the Board of Directors of the international journal Astronomy and Astrophysics;
- member of the Open Access Working group of the international journal Astronomy and Astrophysics;
- editorial board member of the international journal Odessa Astronomical Publications;
- National Contact Point of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), IAU member;
- National Representative at the European Astronomical Society (EAS), EAS member;
- President and Council member of the Lithuanian Astronomical Society;
- member of the Central Appellation Commission of the Senate of Vilnius University.
Dr M. Maskoliūnas –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Dr Š. Mikolaitis –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU);
- member of the European Astronomical Society.
Dr R. Minkevičiūtė –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Dr D. Narbutis –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Prof. Dr E. Norvaišas –
- member of Institute of Physics (UK);
- member of the European Physics Society.
Dr E. Pakštienė –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Dr L. Radžiūtė –
- member of CompAS (The International collaboration on Computational Atomic Structure) group, http://ddwap.mah.se/tsjoek/compas/.
Dr P. Rynkun –
- member of CompAS (The International collaboration on Computational Atomic Structure) group, http://ddwap.mah.se/tsjoek/compas/.
Dr J. Sperauskas –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Dr E. Stonkutė –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU);
- member of the European Astronomical Society.
Dr R. Stonkutė –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Prof V. Straižys –
- member emeritus of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences;
- member of the working group on stellar classification of the ESA Gaia project;
- member of the International Astronomical Union;
- member of the European Astronomical Society.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Dalia Šatkovskienė –
- member of Administration Board (BoA) of European Platform of Women Scientists (EPWS, https://epws.org/epws-general-assembly-2017/);
- President of the regional Baltic States association BASNET Forumas, https://www.basnetforumas.eu/);
- Lithuanian Team leader of IUPAP working group on Women in Physics (WP5);
- member of International Advisory Board (IAB) of EC HORIZON 2020 programme project BALTIC GENDER, https://www.baltic-gender.eu/;
- representative of Vilnius University at the European Physicists network GENERA, https://www.genera-network.eu/.
Dr J. Tamulienė –
- management committee member of the Lithuanian Physics Society.
Dr Habil. G. Tautvaišienė –
- Vice-President of Commission H1 The Local Universe (IAU);
- Organizing Committee Member of Commission H1 The Local Universe (IAU);
- member of Special Nominating Committee (IAU);
- Vice-President of the Lithuanian Physics Society;
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU);
- IAU National Outreach Coordinator, https://www.iau.org/public/noc/;
- founding member of the European Astronomical Society;
- editorial board member of the journal Mol, http://mol-en.scg.org.es/editorial-board;
- editor-in-chief of the annual astronomical almanac Lietuvos dangus (Sky of Lithuania).
Prof. Dr V. Vansevičius –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU);
- member of the Research Council of Lithuania.
Dr J. Zdanavičius –
- member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
BEST REPORTS DELIVERED AT CONFERENCES ABROAD
- G. Juzeliūnas. Geometric phases and spin-orbit coupling for periodically driven systems, Invited talk at the international conference Physics of Quantum Electronics PQE-2020, Snowbird, USA, 5–10 January 2020.
- V. Gontis. Spurious versus true long-range memory in social systems, Web Presentation of ECLT Representative Members and Fellows, 18 September 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4cxkbWXZjw.
- G. Tautvaišienė. Overview of the telescope facilities involved in the Europlanet Telescope Network. Oral presentation at the Splinter Session “Europlanet Telescope Network” of the Europlanet Science Congress, 23 September 2020.
- E. Stonkutė. Europlanet Mentorship Platform, oral presentation at the Splinter Session “Mentoring in the planetary science community” of the Europlanet Science Congress, 1 October 2020.
MOST IMPORTANT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS RECEIVED FOR R&D ACTIVITIES
- Young scientist scholarship “Effect of non-linearity on long-range memory properties of fractional Gaussian noise” (2020; duration: 12 months) awarded by the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences to A. Kononovičius.
MOST IMPORTANT PARTICIPATION CASES OF RESEARCHERS IN WORKING GROUPS OR COMMISSIONS SET UP BY STATE AUTHORITIES, STATE AND MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS, BUSINESS ENTITIES
- Prof. V. Vansevičius - a member of the Lithuanian Science Council.
- Assoc. Prof. A. Kynienė - the chairperson of the Assessment of National Physics Maturity Examination Commission.
CONSULTATIONS PROVIDED BY THE UNIT TO THE PUBLIC OR ECONOMIC ENTITIES
- Dr A. Kazlauskas. Regular consultations for various Police departments concerning the astronomical conditions during the requested time periods when car accidents happened.
- S. Lovčikas, V. Straižys, G. Tautvaišienė. Regular consultations for public concerning the unusual astronomical phenomena and stones found which are suspected to be of extraterrestrial origin.
- Kynienė, A. Acus, A. Juodagalvis, A. Mekys. Regular consultations for schools in elementary particle physics.
MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
- Annual Astronomical Almanac Lietuvos dangus 2021, published since 1989, 158 pages, in Lithuanian.
- 41 posts in the Physics of Risk blog written in English http://rf.mokslasplius.lt/. Majority of the posts contained a brief description of some model from econophysics or sociophysics along with an interactive implementation of the model.
- The Lithuanian edition of the book “Marie Curie - Une femme dans son siècle” (Marija Kiuri. Moteris pralenkusi savo laiką”) written by Curie museum and Marion Augustin was translated and published in 2020 by BASNET Forumas association in collaboration with Vilnius University. The publication of Lithuanian edition was initiated and coordinated by the president of BASNET Forumas Assoc. Prof. Dr Dalia Šatkovskienė. The book was presented to the public on 9 November 2020. The presentation of the book to the wide public was organized remotely using direct translation by “15 min” TV channel: https://www.15min.lt/video/knygos-marija-kiuri-moteris-pralenkusi-savo-laika-lietuviskojo-leidimo-pristatymas-visuomenei-190382.
- Video Under One Sky: Astronomy around the World | Lithuania, the video highlighting the 100 years anniversary of the IAU and providing a brief look at astronomy in Lithuania (created by: Kotryna Reimerytė, Egilė Petrauskytė, Ignas Kančys, Viktorija Zonytė, Šarūnas Mikolaitis, and Gražina Tautvaišienė), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joC3rucGfUw.
- Science popularization article by Prof. Gediminas Juzeliūnas at the Webpage of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences What are distinctive features of ultracold atomic gases (in Lithuanian), http://www.lma.lt/news/952/38/Kuo-ypatingos-labai-saltos-atomu-dujos.