Title: Laser processing of functional micro/nanostructures for photonics, optoelectronics, and smart surfaces
Speaker: Maria Kandyla (National Hellenic Research Foundation)
Date: 25 February 2026

The need for advanced materials and systems with new functionalities has motivated the development of micro/nanostructures on solid surfaces, which are necessary for the fabrication of functional devices for novel applications. In this talk, we will discuss the development of functional micro/nanostructures, based on laser-processed surfaces.

Coating micro/nanostructures with thin metallic films results in plasmonic substrates with enhanced electromagnetic response across the entire visible range, which are used for plasmonic optical trapping [1]. Combining silicon micro/nanostructures with thin semiconducting films results in electronic heterojunctions with increased surface area for improved optoelectronic performance [2]. Furthermore, isotype heterojunctions result in wavelength-selective, high-speed photodetectors with self-powered operation, which can be further engineered by careful selection of the electronic properties of the constituting materials [3,4]. “Smart” surfaces of controllable extreme wetting states are obtained by combining photoresponsive metal oxides with laser-processed micro/nanostructured substrates, which can reach complete water repellence without chemical modification [5]. Also, surfaces with controlled topography, either at the micro- or at the nano-scale, for targeted cell cultures for biomedical applications [6]. We will present recent advances in these fields and discuss future applications.

References
[1] D.G. Kotsifaki, M. Kandyla, and P.G. Lagoudakis, Plasmon enhanced optical tweezers with gold-coated black silicon, Scientific Reports 6, 26275 (2016).
[2] G. Chatzigiannakis, A. Jaros, R. Leturcq, J. Jungclaus, T. Voss, S. Gardelis, and M. Kandyla, Laser-microstructured ZnO/p-Si photodetector with enhanced and broadband responsivity across the ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared range, ACS Applied Electronic Materials 2, 2819 (2020).
[3] G. Chatzigiannakis, A. Jaros, R. Leturcq, J. Jungclaus, T. Voss, S. Gardelis, and M. Kandyla, Broadband wavelength-selective isotype heterojunction n+-ZnO/n-Si photodetector with variable polarity, Journal of Alloys and Compounds 903, 163836 (2022).
[4] M.D. Tsanakas, A. Jaros, Y. Fleming, M. Efthimiadou, T. Voss, R. Leturcq, S. Gardelis, and M. Kandyla, Wavelength-selective, high-speed, self-powered isotype heterojunction n+-ZnO/n-Si photodetector with engineered and tunable spectral response, Advanced Materials Technologies 10, 2401740 (2025).
[5] M. Kanidi, A. Bardakas, A. Kerasidou, A. Anastasopoulos, C. Tsamis, and M. Kandyla, Hierarchical ‘rose-petal’ ZnO/Si surfaces with reversible wettability reaching complete water repellence without chemical modification, Applied Physics A 129, 320 (2023).
[6] M. Kanidi, A. Papadimitropoulou, C. Charalampous, Z. Chakim, G. Tsekenis, A. Sinani, C. Riziotis, and M. Kandyla, Regulating MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell adhesion on laser-patterned surfaces with micro- and nanotopography, Biointerphases 17, 021002 (2022).

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Laserlab-Europe Talks is a series of online seminars and panel discussions proposed and organised by our community on specific topics (thematic or research-specific) and provide a platform for regular information exchange and knowledge sharing. The Laserlab-Europe Talks are open to all interested parties, from PhD students to experts in the field and industrial and medical partners.

This Laserlab-Europe Talk is coorganised by Laserlab-Europe and Lasers4EU.

Lasers4EU offers international researchers from academia and industry access to state-of-the-art laser technology at 27 facilities across Europe. The project is co-funded by the European Commission.

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Websites:
Laserlab-Europe: https://laserlab-europe.eu/
Lasers4EU: https://lasers4.eu/