Optics Webinar | Thin Films and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry
the chair
1st Optics Webinar
Thin Films and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry
Thin films play a central role in many modern technologies, including electronics, optoelectronics and photonic devices. Their investigation is largely based on spectroscopic measurements using different techniques. Regardless of the specific approach, the quality and reliability of spectral data are crucial for extracting meaningful physical and materials-related information. For this reason, a core theme of this webinar is the removing of noise in spectra through linear and nonlinear filtering methods, which represent powerful, technique-independent tools for improving data interpretation. In parallel, the webinar highlights advanced thin-film materials and their characterization for optoelectronic applications.
By bringing together general strategies for spectral data refinement and application-oriented studies of thin films, the webinar provides a coherent perspective on how reliable spectroscopic analysis, particularly spectroscopic ellipsometry, and material design jointly drive progress in thin-film research.
Date: 03 February 2026
Time: 3:00 pm CET | 9:00 am EST | 10:00 pm CST Asia
Webinar ID: 867 8673 4497
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Meet the Event Chair
Meet Our Speakers
Prof. Dr. David Aspnes
Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, United States;
Professor Aspnes received his PhD in 1965 from the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign (UIUC). Following a year as a postdoctoral research associate at UIUC and another at Brown University, he joined Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, as a member of the technical staff. In 1984, he became Head of the Interface Physics Department of the Bellcore, the part of Bell Laboratories that went with the operating companies in the AT&T divestiture. He joined NC State University as a Professor of Physics in 1992, and was named Distinguished University Professor of Physics in 1999.
https://physics.sciences.ncsu.edu/people/aspnes/
Prof. Dr. Adele Sassella
Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy;
Adele Sassella is Full Professor of Experimental Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Milano–Bicocca since 2016. At the beginning of her career, starting in the ‘90, her research focused on impurities and defects in single-crystal silicon, as well as on silicon-based dielectric thin films. Since 1997, she has worked on organic molecular materials, which have become her main area of research.
Her activity was at first devoted to the establishment of a laboratory for the deposition of thin films and heterostructures of organic molecular materials under ultra-high vacuum, using organic molecular beam epitaxy (OMBE). Subsequently, the characterization and study of the deposited samples became the central focus of her research. Her work has addressed thin films and heterostructures belonging to several families of organic materials, including oligothiophenes, porphyrins, acridines, and oligoacenes, enabling comparative studies within molecular families.
A key aspect of her recent research is the selection of crystalline solid substrates that promote epitaxial growth of the materials of interest. This approach allows precise control over the morphological and structural properties of the grown films and, consequently, over their optical and transport properties.
The main experimental techniques employed in the study of OMBE-grown films and heterostructures include optical spectroscopy techniques - such as polarized light absorption and ellipsometry - and scanning probe microscopies. Through numerous national and international collaborations, the structural and light-emission properties of the grown systems are also investigated to reach a more comprehensive understanding of their physical properties.
Dr. Georgy Ermolaev
Emerging Technologies Research Center, XPANCEO, United Arab Emirates, Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy;
Georgy Ermolaev received a Ph.D. in “Broadband optical properties of MoS2 for photonic applications” in 2022 from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. After receiving a Ph.D. Georgy Ermolaev became Research Studies Manager in Xpanceo (Dubai, United Arab Emirates), a deep tech company specializing in next-generation optoelectronic devices. In 2023 Georgy Ermolaev also joined the University of Rome Tor Vergata (Rome, Italy) as a Visiting Researcher. His research interest encompasses various areas, such as ellipsometry, 2D and quantum materials, integrated nanophotonics, biosensors, plasmonics, scanning near-field optical microscopy, and smart contact lenses. Georgy Ermolaev has an impressive publication record, with over 50 published papers and more than 1500 citations during the last 5 years.
Sponsors and Partners
Organizer
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Optoelectronic Thin Films
Edited by Dr. Jigang Wang, Prof. Dr. Junming Li, Dr. Zhenjun Li, Prof. Dr. Tao Jiang and Dr. Meng Li
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026
To honor Professor Michele Parrinello’s enduring legacy in advancing computational science, MDPI officially launched the Michele Parrinello Award on 1 November 2025. This biennial international award recognizes senior researchers who have made outstanding contributions to computational physical sciences, encompassing physics, chemistry, and materials science.
Chair of the Award Committee: Prof. Xin-Gao Gong, Fudan University, China.
Prize:
- EUR 50,000.
- An award medal and a certificate.
Nomination Deadline: 31 March 2026.
Submit your nomination online: https://mparrinelloaward.org/.
