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Nikolaos Kalfagiannis

Nikalaos Kalfagiannis

Visiting Scholar

Staff Group(s)
Physics and Mathematics

Role

Nikolaos is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Mathematics with Research and Teaching duties (by promotion since 2019). Teaching duties include PHYS22224: Optics & Semiconductors, PHYS23134: Condensed Matter Physics, PHYS42612: Research Methodology & Ethics, PHYS42112: Current Topics in Physics, BSc and MSc research projects.

He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (status acquired in August 2019).

Career overview

  • 08/2022 -  Present: Associate Professor, School of Science and Technology, Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Mathematics, Nottingham Trent University.
  • 08/2021 -  07/2022: Senior Lecturer, School of Science and Technology, Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Mathematics, Nottingham Trent University.
  • 01/2019 – 07/2021: Senior Independent Research Fellow, previously Independent Research Fellow (2016 - 2018), School of Science and Technology, Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Mathematics, Nottingham Trent University.
  • 08/2015 – 07/2016: Lecturer in Physics (Fixed term), School of Science and Technology, Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Mathematics, Nottingham Trent University.
  • 05/2015 – 07/2015: Senior Research Fellow, School of Science and Technology, Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Mathematics, Nottingham Trent University.
  • 05/2013 – 04/2015: Marie Curie Fellow (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF) in Plasmonic Thin Films.
  • 01/2012 – 4/2013: Postdoctoral Researcher, Texas A&M University at Qatar.
  • 03/2010 – 12/2011: Postdoctoral Researcher, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Physics Department.
  • 05/2009 – 03/2010: Military Service.
  • 12/2005 – 05/2009: PhD in mono- and multi-layered nanostructures of Titanium and Boron based materials, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Physics Department.
  • 09/2003 – 11/2005: Multidisciplinary Master of Science in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
  • 09/1997 – 06/2003: MEng studies in Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Engineering.

Research areas

Dr Kalfagiannis research interests revolve around the design, modelling, characterisation and fabrication of photonic materials, processes and devices.

He is particularly focused on the light interactions with materials:

  • As a means of investigating the material’s optο-electronic properties and band structure, which in essence, are considered as non-destructive probe techniques;
  • Using high power lasers as a means to engineer, with precision, material’s optical, electrical and structural characteristics;
  • Exploit these tailored properties for various applications in electronics and photonics.

He is interested in:

  • Characterisation of the optical properties of solids via Spectroscopic Ellipsometry.
  • Finite-difference time-domain calculations.
  • Laser - matter interactions and metal nano-structuring.
  • Defect engineering via Laser Annealing in materials, such as transition metal nitrides, metal oxides, via laser annealing.
  • Alternative materials for plasmonics (such as transition metal nitrides, transparent conductive oxides) in collaboration with Prof. P. Patsalas (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki).

He is the contact Academic for an IR Variable Angle Spectroscopic Ellipsometer (IR-VASE). IR-VASE is the most accurate method for optically characterising thin films in the infrared. It provides accurate optical constants (n and k) from 1.7 to 40 microns (250 – 8000 cm-1) as well as film thickness, chemical information, semiconductor doping levels, and phonon absorption spectra. More information about the system can be found here: https://www.jawoollam.com/products/ir-vase-ellipsometer.

Dr Kalfagiannis is currently the Director of Studies of a PhD studentship in the area of “Defect Engineering of Transparent Conductive Oxides via laser processing for plasmonic applications”. He is also within the supervisory team of three additional PhD programmes (Photonic conversion of sol-gel organometallic precursors into inorganic thin films, Laser annealing of ZnO to produce an ultraviolet light-emitting diode, Laser engineered defect centres in nanomaterials for quantum technologies).

Opportunities arise to carry out postgraduate research towards an MPhil / PhD in the areas identified above. Further information may be obtained on the NTU Research Degrees website https://www.ntu.ac.uk/research/research-degrees-at-ntu.

External activity

  • 2016 – Present: Visiting Faculty: Computational Materials Science Laboratory (Department of Materials Science & Engineering of University of Ioannina, Greece). Dedicated computational physics group led by Prof. E. Lidorikis.
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
  • Invited Lectures: (i) Laser Annealing as a platform for optimising material’s properties, Institut Pprime, Université de Poitiers-CNRS-ENSMA, Département Physique et Mécanique des Matériaux, Chasseneuil-Futuroscope, France (2018), (ii) An Overview of Plasmonics, Institute of Physics, Winscales, Workington, UK (September 29, 2016).
  • Conference Invited Talks: (i) Unlocking the far-IR potential in plasmonics with metal oxide perovskites, META 2020, Warsaw - Poland, July 20 – 23, 2020. (Conference postponed due to covid-19), (ii) Laser Annealing as a platform for plasmonic nano-structuring, 12th International Conference on Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies, Thessaloniki, Greece (July 4-11, 2015), (iii) Subsurface Plasmonic Nano-Structuring by Laser-Induced Self-Assembly in Metal/Dielectric Media, 11th International Conference on Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies, Thessaloniki, Greece (July 5-12, 2014), (iv) Laser manipulation of plasmonic nanostructures, 10th International Conference on Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies, Thessaloniki, Greece (July 6-13, 2013), (v) A comprehensive study on the performance of plasmonic organic photovoltaics doped with silver nanoparticles, International Symposium on Flexible Organic Electronics, Thessaloniki, Greece (July 2-5, 2012).
  • Conferences/Workshops Organised: (i) Main organiser: E-MRS 2021 Symposium “Nanoengineered Coatings and Thin Films: from design to applications”. Proposal provisionally accepted but due to pandemic it will be transferred to the 2022 edition of the Conference, (ii) Member of the organising committee of the Workshop in “Nanoelectronics, Photonics, Plasmonics and Nanoenergy” – 17th International Conference in Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies (2020).
  • Member of the Technical Chamber of Greece.
  • Member of the European Materials Research Society
  • Member of the Laser Safety Forum.

Sponsors and collaborators

Dr. Kalfagiannis has an established network of academic and industrial collaborators which include:

Current and past Research Grants include:

  • 2021 – 2024: Competitive Research Grants (CRG) Program 2020 Framework, Large-Scale Electronics Manufactured by Light (OSR-2020-CRG9-4347). Budget: £1.3M.
  • 2017 – 2020: Knowledge Transfer Partnership, Innovate UK (KTP010745), in collaboration with D. C. Koutsogeorgis, Budget: (£219k).
  • 2016: Laser Annealing for improved flexible electronics (LAFLEXEL), EPSRC Pathfinder Large Area Manufacturing, Budget: (£62k).
  • 2013 – 2015: Laser manipulation of plasmonic nanostructures (LASER-PLASMON), FP7 Marie Curie Intra-European personal Fellowship, (grant agreement PIEF-GA-2012-330444), Budget: £186k.
  • 2012: Investigation of ferrite nanoparticles based fluids for wettability alteration in carbonate reservoirs (Qatar National Research Fund), Budget: £35k.
  • 2011 – 2014: Plasmonic architectures for solar energy harvesting, Greek National Research Funds (ARISTEIA II Project No 3049, European Social Fund under the General Secretariat of Research and Development, Greece), Budget: £162k.
  • 2011 – 2014: Green/Greek Sustainable Lighting, Greek National Research Funds (11ΣΥΝ_5_573 project, European Social Fund under the General Secretariat of Research and Development, Greece), Budget: £147k.
  • 2012 – 2015: Reinforce Organic Electronics Research Potential in Kentriki Makedonia (ROleMak), FP7-REGPOT-2011-1 (grant agreement 286022), Budget: £1,3M.

Publications

Invited Review Articles

  1. Optical Properties and Plasmonic Performance of Titanium Nitride. P. Patsalas, N. Kalfagiannis, S. Kassavetis, Materials 8(6) 3128-3154 (2015).
  2. Conductive Nitrides: Growth Principles, Optical and Electronic Properties, and Their Perspectives in Photonics and Plasmonics. P. Patsalas, N. Kalfagiannis, S. Kassavetis, G. Abadias, D. Bellas, Ch. Lekka, E. Lidorikis, Materials Science and Engineering R 123 1-55 (2018).
  3. Recent Progress in Photonic Processing of Metal Oxide Transistors. E. Yarali, C. Koutsiaki, H. Faber, K. Tetzner, E. Yengel, P. Patsalas, N. Kalfagiannis, D. C. Koutsogeorgis and T. D. Anthopoulos. Adv. Funct. Mater. 30 1906022 (2020).

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles: 2014 onward

  1. Room Temperature Phase Transition of W-doped VO2 by Atomic Layer Deposition on 200 mm Si Wafers and Flexible Substrates. K. Sun, C. Wheeler, J. Hillier, S. Ye, I. Zeimpekis, A. Urbani, N. Kalfagiannis, O. L. Muskens, C.H. (Kees) de Groot. Adv. Opt. Mater. 2022. Just Accepted.
  2. Photo-engineered optoelectronic properties of indium tin oxide via reactive laser annealing. J. A. Hillier, P. Patsalas, D. Karfaridis, S. Camelio, W. Cranton, A. V. Nabok, C. J. Mellor, D. C. Koutsogeorgis, N. Kalfagiannis. Sci. Rep. 2022
  3. Reactive laser annealing of indium tin oxide: implications to crystal structure, defect composition, and plasma energy. J. A. Hillier, P. Patsalas, D. Karfaridis, W. Cranton, A. V. Nabok, C. J. Mellor, D. C. Koutsogeorgis, N. Kalfagiannis. Opt. Mater. Express. 2022. Just Accepted
  4. Edge-engineered self-assembled hierarchical plasmonic SERS templates. N. Pliatsikas, N. Kalfagiannis, J. Arvanitidis, D. Christofilos, DC Koutsogeorgis, A. Kagkoura, K. Sefiane, V. Koutsos, P. Patsalas. Appl. Surf. Sci. Adv. 2021, 6, 100186.
  5. Self-Assembled Dichroic Plasmonic Nitride Nanostructures with Broken Centrosymmetry for Second-Harmonic Generation. D. Babonneau, S. Camelio, G. Abadias, D. Christofilos, J. Arvanitidis, S. Psilodimitrakopoulos, GM Maragkakis, E. Stratakis, N. Kalfagiannis, P. Patsalas. ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 2021, 4, 9, 8789-8800.
  6. Room temperature mid-infrared fiber lasing beyond 5 µm in chalcogenide glass small-core step index fiber. J. Nunes, L. Sojka, R. Crane, D. Furniss, Z. Q. Tang, D. Mabwa, B. Xiao, T. M. Benson, M. Farries, N. Kalfagiannis, E. Barney, S. Phang, A. B. Seddon, S. Sujecki. Optics Letters 2021, 46, (15) 3504-3507.
  7. When Ellipsometry Works Best - A Case Study With Transparent Conductive Oxides. J. A. Hillier, S. Camelio, W. Cranton, A. V Nabok, C. J. Mellor, D. C. Koutsogeorgis, N. Kalfagiannis. ACS Photonics DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.0c00389 (2020).
  8. Embedded Metal Oxide Plasmonics Using Local Plasma Oxidation of AZO for Planar Metasurfaces. K. Sun, W. Xiao, S. Ye, N. Kalfagiannis, K. Shen Kiang, C. H. (Kees) de Groot, O. L. Muskens. Adv. Mater. 32 2001534 (2020).
  9. 3D-to-2D Morphology Manipulation of Sputter-Deposited Nanoscale Silver Films on Weakly Interacting Substrates via Selective Nitrogen Deployment for Multifunctional Metal Contacts. A. Jamnig, N. Pliatsikas, M. Konpan, J. Lu, T. Kehagias, A. N. Kotanidis, N. Kalfagiannis, D. V. Bellas, E. Lidorikis, J. Kovac, G. Abadias, I. Petrov, J. E. Greene, K. Sarakinos. ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 3 4728–4738 (2020).
  10. Laser induced ultrafast combustion synthesis of solution-based AlOx for thin film transistors. E. Carlos, S. Dellis, N. Kalfagiannis, L. Koutsokeras, D. C. Koutsogeorgis, R. Branquinho, R. Martins, E. Fortunato. J. Mater. Chem. C 8 6176–6184 (2020).
  11. Near-Zero Negative Real Permittivity in Far Ultraviolet: Extending Plasmonics and Photonics with B1-MoNx. S. Kassavetis, B. D. Ozsdolay, N. Kalfagiannis, A. Habib, J-H Tortai, S. Kerdsongpanya, R. Sundararaman, M. Stchakovsky, D. V. Bellas, D. Gall, P. Patsalas. J. Phys. Chem. C 123 (34) 21120–21129 (2019).
  12. Mid- to Far- Infrared Sensing: SrTiO3, a Novel Optical Material. N. Kalfagiannis, J. L. Stoner, J. Hillier, I. Vangelidis, E. Lidorikis, J. Mater. Chem. C 7 7851–7857 (2019).
  13. Broadband luminescence in defect-engineered electrochemically produced porous Si/ZnO nanostructures. S. Dellis, N. Pliatsikas, N. Kalfagiannis, O. Lidor-Shalev, A. Papaderakis, G. Vourlias, S. Sotiropoulos, D. C. Koutsogeorgis, Y. Mastai & P. Patsalas. Scientific Reports 8 Article number: 6988 (2018).
  14. Low temperature sputter-deposited ZnO films with enhanced Hall mobility using excimer laser post-processing. C. Tsakonas, V.L. Kuznetsov, W.M. Cranton, N. Kalfagiannis, K.M. Abusabee, D.C. Koutsogeorgis, N. Abeywickrama, P.P. Edwards. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 50 (48) 485306 (2017).
  15. Simulating the opto-thermal processes involved in laser induced self-assembly of surface and sub-surface plasmonic nano-structuring. D.V. Bellas, D. Toliopoulos, N. Kalfagiannis, A. Siozios, P. Nikolaou, P.C. Kelires, D.C. Koutsogeorgis, P. Patsalas, E. Lidorikis. Thin Solid Films 630 7–24 (2017) (Research highlight in Advances in Engineering).
  16. 16. Rapid laser-induced photochemical conversion of sol-gel precursors to In2O3 layers and their application in thin-film transistors. S. Dellis, I. Isakov, N. Kalfagiannis, K. Tetzner, T. D. Anthopoulos, D. C. Koutsogeorgis. Journal of Materials Chemistry C 5 3673-3677 (2017).
  17. Photoluminescence enhancement of ZnO via coupling with surface plasmons on Al thin films. S. Dellis, N. Kalfagiannis, S. Kassavetis, C. Bazioti, G. P. Dimitrakopulos, D. C. Koutsogeorgis, P. Patsalas. Journal of Applied Physics 121 103104 (2017).
  18. Selective Modification of Nanoparticle Arrays by Laser-Induced Self Assembly (MONA-LISA): putting control into bottom-up plasmonic nanostructuring. N. Kalfagiannis, A. Siozios, D. V. Bellas, D. Toliopoulos, L. Bowen, N. Pliatsikas, W. M. Cranton, C. Kosmidis, D. C. Koutsogeorgis, E. Lidorikis, P. Patsalas, RSC Nanoscale 8 8236-8244 (2016).
  19. Enhanced electrical and optical properties of room temperature deposited Aluminum doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) thin films by excimer laser annealing. S. O. El hamali, W. M. Cranton, N. Kalfagiannis, X. Hou, R. Ranson, D. C. Koutsogeorgis, Journal of Optics and Lasers in Engineering 80 45-51 (2016).
  20. Laser annealing-driven structural modifications and diffusion phenomena of plasmonic AlN/Ag stratified films. E. Delli, C. Bazioti, N. Pliatsikas, N. Kalfagiannis, G. Vourlias, A. Siozios, G.P. Dimitrakopoulos, D.C. Koutsogeorgis, P. Patsalas, Surface and Coatings Technology 295 46-53 (2016).
  21. Self-assembled plasmonic templates produced by microwave annealing: Applications to surface-enhanced Raman scattering. N. T. Panagiotopoulos, N. Kalfagiannis, K. Vassilopoulos, N. Pliatsikas, S. Kassavetis, G. Vourlias, M. A. Karakassides, and P. Patsalas, Nanotechnology 26 205603 (2015).
  22. Sub-surface laser nanostructuring in stratified metal/dielectric media: a versatile platform towards flexible, durable and large-scale plasmonic writing, A. Siozios, N. Kalfagiannis, D. V. Bellas, C. Bazioti, G.P. Dimitrakopulos, G. Vourlias, W.M. Cranton, E. Lidorikis, D. C. Koutsogeorgis, P. Patsalas, Nanotechnology 26 155301 (2015).
  23. High performance transistors based on the controlled growth of triisopropylsilylethynylpentacene crystals via non-isotropic solvent evaporation. C. Pitsalidis, N. Hastas, N. Kalfagiannis, P. Karagiannidis, C. Kapnopoulos, A. Ioakeimidis, S. Logothetidis, RSC Advances 4 20804 (2014).
  24. Performance of hybrid buffer PEDOT:PSS layers doped with plasmonic silver nanoparticles. N. Kalfagiannis, P. G. Karagiannidis, N. T. Panagiotopoulos, C. Pitsalidis, D. Georgiou, P. Patsalas, E. Lidorikis, S. Logothetidis, Thin solid Films 560 27–33 (2014).

Invited Book Chapters

Laser Annealing as a Platform for Plasmonic Nanostructuring. By Nikolaos Kalfagiannis, Demosthenes C. Koutsogeorgis, Elefterios Lidorikis and Panos Patsalas (DOI: 10.5772/67670) in “Nanoplasmonics: Fundamentals and Applications” ISBN 978-953-51-3278-3 (2017).

Patents

Razor Blade Coating, Application numbers: US20180215056, US10442098, EP3175014, WO2016015771, WO2016016359.

Description: Razor blade comprising a blade edge portion with a profiled geometry, which is covered by a strengthening coating. The strengthening coating comprises a strengthening layer made of a titanium- and boron-containing material. These materials were fabricated in the framework of my Ph.D programme.

Inventors: S. Logothetidis, N. Kalfagiannis, C. Mavroidis, V. Papachristos and M. Karoussis

See all of Nikolaos Kalfagiannis's publications...

Press expertise

  • Optical properties of solids
  • Photonics / Plasmonics
  • Materials science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Fabrication of nanostructures
  • Laser processing