Category: Events

On Thursday, March 20, 2025, the workshop titled "Visualization and Analysis of Crystal Structures Using the VESTA Program" was successfully conducted at the seminar room of the Center for Solid State Physics and New Materials.

Led by Andrijana Solajić and Jelena Pešić, the session was primarily targeted at PhD students, though it also welcomed participants from all academic levels interested in crystallography. Attendees gained hands-on experience with the VESTA software, learning practical skills for visualizing crystallographic .cif files, creating high-quality crystal structure images, and analyzing lattice parameters and interatomic distances.

This workshop is part of the HIP-2D-QM project's ongoing initiatives aimed at spreading excellence, enhancing skills, and building capacity in advanced materials research.

We thank all participants for their active engagement and look forward to hosting more skill-building workshops in the future!

On February 26, 2025, Dr. Ivna Kavre Piltaver from the Faculty of Physics and the Centre for Micro- and Nanosciences and Technologies, University of Rijeka, delivered a seminar entitled "Atomic Layer Deposition of Semiconductor Thin Films for Photocatalytic Application" at the Institute of Physics Belgrade, in the "Zvonko Marić" lecture hall.

Dr. Kavre Piltaver introduced advanced methods of atomic layer deposition (ALD) for semiconductor thin films, discussing their promising applications in photocatalysis and environmental technologies. The seminar encouraged active discussion and valuable exchange of expertise among attendees.

This event reflects the Center for Solid State Physics and New Materials' ongoing efforts to strengthen regional scientific cooperation, promote knowledge sharing, and advance collaborative research initiatives within the HIP-2D-QM project.

We sincerely thank Dr. Kavre Piltaver and all participants for their engaging contributions!

Abstract:
Water pollution caused by industrial development and the release of organic pollutants presents a significant environmental challenge. As a result, wastewater recycling has become a global priority, demanding innovative solutions. One promising approach to address this issue is the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants, which utilizes light energy and semiconductor materials to break down organic contaminants into harmless by-products such as carbon dioxide and water. Recent research has concentrated on the development of efficient photocatalysts capable of performing this degradation process effectively. During the seminar, the instruments available at the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Physics, and the Centre for Micro- and Nanosciences and Technologies will be presented, along with the recently published research results, where the photocatalytic activity of copper-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films, synthesized using the atomic layer deposition method, was studied. Analysis using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction reveals a polycrystalline structure, with a decrease in crystallinity as the Cu content increases. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the presence of copper in the Cu+ oxidation state for samples with a Cu content lower than 1 at. %, suggesting that copper ions occupy substitutional CuZn acceptor sites in ZnO, which results in p-type conductivity. Additionally, the Cu-doped ZnO films exhibit enhanced optical absorption in the visible region, as demonstrated by UV-Vis measurements. The reduced electron-hole recombination rate, due to significantly lower intrinsic free charge carrier concentrations in the doped samples, coupled with increased light absorption in the visible region, leads to a substantial improvement in photocatalytic efficiency under simulated sunlight irradiation.

On February 26, 2025, a meeting was held at the Institute of Physics Belgrade between the ERA Chair HIP-2D-QM team members, IPB Director Dr. Aleksandar Bogojević, and representatives of Anton Paar GmbH, Graz Austria – Mina Mitrović Jeremić (MCLabor, local representative) and Dietmar Kröger (Distribution Partner Management EMEA Anton Paar). The discussion focused on potential collaboration in advanced measurement techniques and the joint development of research equipment to support cutting-edge material characterization.

On February 20, 2025, Dr. Aleksandar Matković from Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria, delivered an insightful seminar titled "Phyllosilicates as Functional Dielectrics in Two-Dimensional Materials-Based Electronics" at the library reading room "Dr. Dragan Popović," Institute of Physics Belgrade.

Dr. Matković presented recent advances in utilizing phyllosilicates as dielectric components in electronics based on two-dimensional materials, highlighting their potential to improve device performance and functionality. The seminar generated valuable discussions among participants, strengthening scientific exchange and collaboration.

This event was part of the Center for Solid State Physics and New Materials and HIP-2D-QM project's efforts to foster scientific excellence, promote knowledge exchange, and enhance collaboration in advanced materials research.

We warmly thank Dr. Matković and all attendees for their participation and engaging discussions!

Abstract:
Since the last decade, the number of isolated two-dimensional (2D) materials keeps growing exponentially, focusing on high-performance semiconducting and spontaneously polarized materials. However, the number of vdW insulators is extremely disproportional to both semiconductors and metals. Almost exclusively the entire field relies on hexagonal boron nitride. Surely, this cannot be the only technologically relevant system.

Inspired by naturally occurring van der Waals (vdW) crystals – 2D minerals – from the phyllosilicate family, our team works on establishing 2D phyllosilicates as a vdW dielectric platform. In this talk, we will focus first on the potential application of non magnetic phyllosilicates – hBN alternatives – in 2D materials-based transistors, and opportunities for this material class to be used as charge-trap layers for computing in memory applications. Afterwards, we will look into intrinsic magnetism in phyllosilicates, magnetic domains, their layered antiferromagnetic ordering, and ion implementation as a potential pathway to engineer magnetic impurities.

On Monday, February 10, 2025, at 12 PM, researchers from the Center for Solid State Physics and New Materials presented the recently approved ERA Chair project “Hidden Phases in 2D Quantum Materials (HIP-2D-QM)” at the Institute of Physics Belgrade.

The seminar highlighted the project’s goals, including the establishment of a new research unit focused on advanced structural characterization, integration with existing research directions at the Institute, and the long-term impact on institutional development, training, and international collaboration within the European Research Area (ERA).

From January 5 to 12, 2025, Dr. Jelena Pešić visited the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste to attend the 22nd International Workshop on Computational Physics and Materials Science: Total Energy and Force Methods.

This renowned biennial event brings together leading researchers in the field of ab initio electronic structure methods. The 2025 edition featured in-depth discussions on emerging topics such as novel energy functionals, machine learning integration, correlated systems, electron-phonon interactions, materials discovery, and the role of quantum computing. The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for scientific exchange and insight into future directions in electronic structure research.

From December 14 to 19, 2024, Dr. Emil Bozin traveled to Krvavec-Cerklje, Slovenia, to deliver an invited talk at the 13th Nonequilibrium Quantum Workshop (NQW), organized by the Jožef Stefan Institute. His presentation, “Resolving Length Scale Dependent Transient Disorder Through an Ultrafast Transition,” highlighted recent advances in ultrafast pair distribution function techniques, based on pioneering work published in Nature Materials in 2024.

On November 27, 2024, Dr. Jelena Pešić from the Center for Solid State Physics and New Materials visited the Mathematical Grammar School (MGS), a specialized Serbian school dedicated to talented students in mathematics, physics, and computer science, to deliver an engaging presentation.

In her talk, Dr. Pešić introduced students to the exciting world of quantum materials and provided insights into contemporary research in solid-state physics. She also highlighted career pathways in physics and emphasized the importance of studying physics for addressing future scientific and technological challenges.

This event underscores the HIP-2D-QM project's commitment to outreach and inspiring younger generations to pursue careers in science and research.

We warmly thank the Mathematical Grammar School for hosting the presentation and look forward to future collaborations!

Researchers from the European Horizon projects ULTIMATE-I and HIP-2D-QM, has a workshop focused on nanotechnology and molecular interaction modeling, the workshop "Challenges in Bridging Theory and Experiment" was held on Friday, November 22, 2024, at 10 AM in the “Dr Dragan Popović” Library Reading Room at the Institute of Physics in Belgrade.

During the workshop, research findings were presented by Dr. Igor Stanković, Dr. Jelena Pešić, Dr. Fernando J. Bonetto, and Dr. Miljan Dašić, covering topics such as molecular dynamics simulations, behavior of semiconductor-based devices, and quantum-mechanical modeling.

Program of the Workshop