Fyzikální ústav Akademie věd ČR

Research subjects at department 21

Optical Spectroscopy - Characterization of Phase Transitions in Martensites by Ellipsometry

Ellipsometric study of a martensitic single crystal NiMnGa was carried out in a wide temperature range and allowed to detect all the critical temperatures of the sample.

               
  The full text >>

Optical spectroscopy - Interface and Strain Effects in Epitaxial Perovskite Structures

Perovskite-type metal oxides exhibit variety of electronic phases and ferroic orderings that makes these materials multifunctional and enables numerous applications. Conceptually new devices can be created using advanced oxides, in which composition-dependent or epitaxy-controlled nanoscale phenomena lead to creation of novel or improved response functions. One of the fundamental problems here is a detection of the phase states in ultra–thin perovskite epitaxial films (couple of nm thick).  The full text >>

Cell Biology - Magnetic Targeting of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a condition that results in significant mortality and morbidity. Treatment of SCI utilizing stem cell transplantation represents a promising therapy. However, current conventional treatments are limited by inefficient delivery strategies of cells into the injured tissue. In this study, we designed a magnetic system and used it to accumulate stem cells labelled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) at a specific site of a SCI lesion. The loading of stem cells with engineered SPIONs that guarantees sufficient attractive magnetic forces was achieved.  The full text >>

Cell Biology - Magnetic Control of Living Cell Machinery

The influence of spatially modulated high-gradient magnetic fields on human leukemia cells behavior is second line of research. We demonstrate that exploiting high-gradient micro-magnet arrays induces swelling and apoptosis of THP-1 cells as well as inhibits cell proliferation in the absence of chemical or biological agents. Under a prolonged exposure to a high-gradient magnetic field THP-1 cells were observed to swell up to 90% in volume.  The full text >>

Cell Biology - Plasma Medicine

Non-thermal plasma has been recognized as a promising tool across a vast variety of biomedical applications, with the potential to create novel therapeutic methods. However, the understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind non-thermal plasma cellular effects remains a significant challenge. In this study, we show how two types of different non-thermal plasmas induce cell death in mammalian cell cultures via the formation of multiple intracellular reactive oxygen/nitrogen species [1-3].  The full text >>

Study of refraction occurring during x-ray diffraction and its application


We have developed various types of x-ray synchrotron radiation monochromators with some additional properties: focusing, collimating, beam splitting and harmonics filtering. This, so called diffractive-refractive optics, was entirely developed in our group and was published in more than 20 papers and one book.  The full text >>

Research in the field of x-ray crystal optics for synchrotron radiation

Research is focused on development of dynamical theory of x-ray diffraction on perfect crystals and the utilization of the results for the design and realization of new x-ray optical elements based on Si single crystals.

  The full text >>

Delete ? or Save as it is ? - Optical spectroscopy of crystals, ceramics, thin films, and nanostructures of dielectric and semiconducting materials.

Optical spectroscopy of crystals, ceramics, thin films, and nanostructures of dielectric and semiconducting materials suitable for application in optic, optoelectronic, microelectronic, acoustooptic, pyroelectric, and piezoelectric devices.

The aim of study of photoluminescence, thermoluminescence and optical absorption in the UV, visible, and IR spectral range is
••• to reveal intrinsic point defects and impurities,
••• to elucidate their electronic structure,
••• and to determine their influence on material properties.
  The full text >>

Copyright © 2008-2014, Fyzikální ústav AV ČR, v. v. i.