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Zoran Miskovic

Professor, Applied Mathematics

Research interests: optical properties of carbon nano-structures

Biography

Professor Miskovic has published over 150 articles in physics journals, presented dozens of seminars and invited lectures at international meetings, and he acted as a referee for several journals and granting agencies. His research focuses on mathematical modeling and computer simulation of physical processes taking place when nanometer-sized structures interact with the surrounding media and with external probes. Currently, he explores how electron microscopy of graphene and other 2D materials can be used to reveal their properties for applications in nano-plasmonics and nano-photonics, as well as in biochemical sensing. Prof Miskovic’s collaborations include, besides his colleagues at the UW, several theoretical and experimental groups working on four continents.

Education

PhD, Engineering Physics, University of Belgrade, 1991
BEng, Engineering Physics, University of Belgrade, 1981

Zoran Miskovic

Research

Past work

Interaction of energetic particles with matter is a common theme describing processes that occur when accelerated beams of electrons or atomic, molecular and cluster ions interact with the bulk or surface regions of solid and plasma targets. Such processes find technological applications in traditional areas such as materials science, semiconductor fabrication, fusion technology, radiation medicine, and environmental studies.

Recent work

When applied to the nano-meter sized targets, particle beams may be used to produce atomic -scale defects with possible applications for chemical functionalization and formation of nano-composite materials. On the other hand, non-destructive interactions may be realized under channeling conditions, where collimated particle beams can be used as a diagnostic tool for studying the structure of, e.g., bundles of carbon nanotubes. Further studies of particle transport through nanotubes and nanocapillaries may be of interest in bio-medical applications, e.g., for drug delivery. In a somewhat different vein, using Brownian dynamics simulation of interactions among the likely-charged dust particles in plasmas can help understand the mechanisms of dust aggregation and its role in (for example) stellar formation.

Current interests

Investigation into polarization of nano-structures helps understand how electronic transport in these structures is affected by their environment. Such studies are of interest for applications in nano- and micro-electronic devices, as well as in bio-chemical sensors. For example, using electrolytical top-gating can significantly improve the conductivity of graphene and carbon nanotubes for such applications. Moreover, studies of the collective, or plasmon excitations in the nano-meter sized structures are of interest, e.g., for THz electronics applications, and may provide means to realize the sub-wavelength light transmission of interest in nano-photonics.