Abril 16, 2026
10:30
Sculpting with Light: A Story of Laser Irradiation, Stability, and Hollow Nanostructures
Where and when
Date
Abril 16, 2026
10:30
Location
Provisional: Seminari department d’òptica
Featured speakers
Behnoush Khammar
Read bio
Behnoush Khammar is a PhD candidate in Physics, specializing in ultrafast laser–matter interactions, nanoscale thermomechanics, and plasmonic nanostructures. She conducts research at the Universitat Politècnica de València, focusing on non-equilibrium material transformations induced by femtosecond laser irradiation, particularly the formation dynamics of hollow metallic nanoparticles. Her work combines molecular dynamics simulations and atomistic modeling to investigate transient structural evolution at the nanoscale.She holds an MSc in Nuclear Physics, where she gained research experience in nuclear detection techniques and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) for the characterization of porous materials and microstructural defects. Her expertise also extends to thin-film physics, including nanoscale material fabrication and advanced characterization methods.
Femtosecond laser irradiation of metallic nanoparticles provides a powerful platform for exploring non-equilibrium thermomechanics at the nanoscale. The use of ultrafast laser pulses enables the formation of hollow nanoparticles by driving the system far from equilibrium, overcoming limitations imposed by high surface tension and rapid atomic diffusion. Well-controlled nanoparticle sizes and irradiation conditions allow detailed investigation of cavity nucleation and growth dynamics. Our focus in this work lies on the underlying physical mechanisms that govern structural transformation and stability. By combining two-temperature modeling with atomistic simulations, we analyze how ultrafast lattice heating induces extreme tensile stresses that trigger cavity formation, and how critical particle size determines the emergence of stable hollow nanostructures. Through these approaches, we describe phenomena such as cavity nucleation, breathing-mode oscillations, and nanoscale elasticity—insights that are essential for understanding experimental observations and guiding the design of functional hollow nanoparticles.
