Partner full and short name: Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH)
Location: Heraklion, Greece
FORTH (https://www.forth.gr/) is the largest and most successful research institution in Greece, employing 1300 personnel and incorporating seven institutes.
The Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (FORTH-IESL) is a multidisciplinary scientific laboratory focusing its research on fundamental and applied issues in materials science and technology, as well as laser interactions with matter. Special emphasis is placed on studying laser interactions with materials using novel ultrafast laser systems.
The facilities cover a broad range, including state-of-the-art amplified ultrashort pulsed laser systems and instrumentation for materials research. These facilities encompass a variety of techniques for analytical measurements and characterization. The laser facility combines cutting-edge equipment with highly specialized human expertise, enabling support for interdisciplinary research projects in scientific fields.
In the Ultrafast Laser Micro- and Nano-processing Laboratory of IESL (ULMNP), research is concentrated on fundamental and applied issues related to laser interactions with matter, alongside the development of advanced photochemical functionalization schemes for novel materials. ULMNP is a world-leading expert group in laser micro/nano processing and material functionalization, comprising highly skilled scientists.
The unique characteristics of ultrashort pulsed lasers, emitting light pulses shorter than a few tens of picoseconds, have opened new avenues in photonic applications. Our aim is to utilize ultrashort laser pulses for material-independent micro/nano structuring, synthesis, and functionalization, as well as diagnostics for a variety of applications, including biomimetic structures, microfluidics, flexible optoelectronics, and tissue engineering. The application of focused femtosecond (fs) laser pulses to the fundamental processing of materials offers significant potential for exploring exciting emerging avenues for innovation and exploitation in the photonics industry.
