Project Title: Adaptable Large Area Meta-surfaces for customised Applications
Acronym: ALMA
WELCOME
Nanoenabled devices and components are revolutionizing how we control light and energy, offering unmatched efficiency and functionality. The ALMA project develops cutting-edge technologies for creating large-area metasurfaces through novel imprint-based nanofabrication and post-printing techniques. Our flexible approach enables tailored surfaces for applications in optics, security printing, and energy harvesting.
The objective of ALMA project is to develop a flexible technology for adaptable large area functional metasurfaces applications, based on smart (optical) designing, alternative nanofabrication process and post printing technologies. The proposed technology will enable the production of large area optical templates (surfaces), which after a post printing process, will provide tailored functionalities for applications in areas, such as security printing, optical components and energy harvesting systems.
ALMA project is a trans-disciplinary project that taking advantage from the synergies between nanophotonics, nanotechnology and advanced nanomanufacturing technologies will provide customised nano-enabled component and devices to creative industries. ALMA aims to provide a manufacturing chain to produce high value adaptable metasurfaces with custom functionalities by inexpensive post processing technologies.
ALMA Objectives
ALMA targets to set the basis for an innovative production chain of metasurfaces utilizing high throughput manufacturing processes.
The key objectives of ALMA are:
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Objective 1: To define novel optical designs for large area metasurface films
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Objective 2: To deliver low-cost manufacturing processes for large area production of metasurface templates
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Objective 3: To address and validate alternative post printing technique for tailored and customizable products
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Objective 4: To demonstrate three prototype metasurface films for key market applications
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Objective 5: To explore business opportunities base on the scientific results outcome
1
Energy harvesting
We have demonstrated a polymer-based radiative cooling films with additional functionalities tailored for specific applications through scalable post-processing methods. Our micro patterned film enhances the surfaces emissivity in the 7–14 μm range from 0.88 to 0.97.
2
Security printing
Overt and/or covert security features have been realised within tailored refractive index materials. In particular custom hologram designs with nanoscale resolution have be designed and fabricated demonstrating high security printing devices.
3
Optical surfaces
Large area RGB plasmonic color surfaces have been demonstrated by means of nanoimprint lithography. By varying the effective refractive index of the surrounding material we are in position to fine tune the optical responce of a pre-patterned film.
Meet the Team
Project coordinator
Dr. Nikos Kehagias
Dr. Nikos Kehagias is working on the development of alternative nanomanufacturing technique for photonic and biomimetic applications. He has 22-year experience in the field of nanofabrication and photonics. He is the founder of the start up company Nanotypos.
Optical designer
Dr. Nikolaos Mattheakakis
Dr. Mattheakakis work spans in various areas, including graphene and 2D materials, plasmonics, electron spectroscopies, metamaterials and metasurfaces, dynamically tunable nanophotonics, nonlinear optics, and ultrafast transient photonics.
PhD student
Ms. Nefeli Dimogerontaki
Ms. Dimogerontaki thesis explores the manipulation of properties such as transmittance, light guidance, structural coloration and heat dissipation through the control of surface topography at the nanoscale.