Research
I am interested in the study of nanoscale photo-thermal phenomena and their applications in real-world macroscale systems.
In particular, in our group, we explore the timescales involved in several light-driven physical processes to understand how electromagnetic energy can be harnessed in different time regimes, depending on the application.
Research topics by timescale and applications
My expertise is in developing theoretical models to predict the performance of realistic devices.
Metallic nanostructures can interact with free propagating electromagnetic fields (e.g. sunlight) to generate bounded oscillations which result in strong electromagnetic energy confinement.
Light-absorbing nanoparticles are a neat example of nanostructures capable to localize electromagnetic energy and heat.
Depending on the application, different aspects of the light-nanostructures interaction can be explored.
The interaction of electromagnetic fields with nanostructures represents a rich platform for many physical phenomena
Among the many possible applications, the use of light-absorbing nanoparticles can be beneficial for water desalination. Our approach, named NESMD (Nanophotonics Enabled Solar Membrane Distillation), is an example of the engineering of nanoscale phenomena for large scale devices.
One of the main topics I am working on is the use of efficient light-absorbing nanoparticles for low-cost and sustainable water desalination.
The temperature gradient generated by the light absorbing nanoparticles between the channels induces water vapor to flow from feed to distillate