Article in Nano Research
January 31, 2023

Article in Small
January 30, 2023
Jampani Venkata Subba Rao, PhD from the Department of Condensed Matter Physics F5 and colleagues from Luxembourg have published in Small the article Continuous Flow Microfluidic Production of Arbitrarily Long Tubular Liquid Crystal Elastomer Peristaltic Pump Actuators.
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCE) are produced using glass-based microfluidics tools in tube geometry. The key innovation is generating arbitrary long-aligned LCE tubes through shear flow and showing the peristaltic actuation mechanism using local heating. Such tubes are the potential to generate active synthetic vasculature in biological contexts.
Article in Scientific Reports
January 24, 2023
Assistant Professor Anton Gradišek and Professor Tomaž Apih, together with colleagues from Lisbon, Portugal, published a study Observing short-range orientational order in small-molecule liquids in the journal Scientific Reports. The authors address a phenomenon that has been known for decades in the scientific community, but never systematically addressed. In the isotropic phase of liquid crystals, far from the clearing point, we can still observe short-lived clusters with local ordering. The same phenomenon was observed also in liquids that do not even form a liquid crystalline phase. The analysis was conducted with the use of NMR relaxometry and X-ray diffraction. The findings are important in view of understanding the crystallization process.

Article in Particle & Particle Systems Characterization
January 24, 2023
Abdelrahim Ibrahim Hassanien, PhD from the Department of Condensed Matter Physics F5 and colleagues from Germany have published in Particle & Particle Systems Characterization the article Neuronal-like Irregular Spiking Dynamics in Highly Volatile Memristive Intermediate-scale AgPt-Nanoparticle Assemblies.
Neuromorphic computing seeks functional materials capable of emulating brain-like dynamics to solve complex computational problems. Interestingly, the transport properties of memristive materials show feature that is closely oriented toward the behavior of artificial neurons. However, artificial neurons are rather rigid mathematical concepts than realistic projections of complex neuronal dynamics.
Neuroscience suggests that highly efficient information representation on the level of individual neurons relies on dynamical features such as excitatory and inhibitory contributions, irregularity of firing patterns, and temporal correlations. Here, a conductive atomic force microscopy approach is applied to probe the memristive dynamics of nanoscale assemblies of AgPt-nanoparticles at the stability border of the conducting state, where physical forces causing the formation and decay of filamentary structures appear to be balanced. This unveils a dynamic regime, where the memristive response is governed by irregular firing patterns. The significance of such a dynamical regime is motivated by close similarities to excitation and inhibition-governed behavior in biological neuronal systems, which is crucial to tune biological neuronal systems into a state most suitable for information representation and computation.
Article in Journal of Apicultural Research
January 24, 2023
Assis. prof. Anton Gradišek and colleagues published a paper Bumble bee nest thermoregulation: a field study in Journal of Apicultural Research. They studied six bumblebee colonies of different species using a home-made setup. The study focused on the nest thermoregulation, which is important in order for the larvae to develop properly. They identified some thermoregulation strategies that have not previously been reported in bumblebees.
Article in Sustainable Energy Fuels
December 14, 2022
Assistant Professor Anton Gradišek, PhD from the Department of Condensed Matter Physics F5 and colleagues from Australia have published in Sustainable Energy Fuels the article Hydrated lithium nido-boranes for solid–liquid hybrid batteries.
Hydridoborate salts are considered as promising solid-state electrolyte candidates for the development of solid-state batteries (SSBs). The presence of coordinated water in the crystal structure may facilitate the migration of the cation, yielding compounds with high ionic conductivity. In the present study, two samples of hydrated LiB11H14, here called LiB11H14·2H2O and a-LiB11H14·(H2O)n (n < 2), demonstrate remarkably different properties as solid-state electrolytes. Using a series of analytical methods, we studied these two materials as possible candidates for solid-liquid hybrid batteries.
Article in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
December 14, 2022
Assistant Professor Anton Gradišek, PhD from the Department of Condensed Matter Physics F5 and colleagues from the Department of Intelligent Systems E9 and University medical centre Ljubljana have published in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine the article Identification of decompensation episodes in chronic heart failure patients based solely on heart sounds.
Chronic heart failure is a pressing health concern, affecting 2% of population worldwide and up to 10% of people above the age of 65. Decompensation episodes, when the patient feels particularly bad, result in hospitalizations, which are a burden both for patients and the health system. However, if an upcoming decompensation episode is detected early enough, hospitalization can be avoided by adjustment of treatment. In this study, we developed a machine-learning algorithm that distinguishes between decompensation and recompensation (when the patient feels well) episode based on heart sounds, recorded using a digital stethoscope. Our algorithm substantially outperforms the classification by cardiology experts and has potential for incorporation into a tele-monitoring system to help the patients.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Andrej Zorko was awarded the Excellence in Science 2022 prize
December 12, 2022
From 1 to 2 December 2022, the Slovenian Research Agency organized the ARRS Day 2022: Supporting Excellence at the Grand Hotel Union in Ljubljana. This is a traditional event, which also included the awarding of the Excellence in Science 2022 prizes for the best research achievements in the previous year. Among the winners in the field of Natural Sciences and Engineering was Andrej Zorko, a member of the Condensed Matter Physics Department (F5). He made a public presentation of his group's achievement entitled "Ising spin liquid".

Dr. Žiga Kos received the Award for top research achievement from University of Ljubljana in 2022
December 10, 2022
Dr Žiga Kos, a member of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics F5 at the Jožef Stefan Institute and Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at University of Ljubljana, received the Top research achievent award for his paper titled Nematic bits and universal logic gates. Žiga Kos showed in collaboration with Jörn Dunkel that topological defects in nematic fluids can be used as computational elements (nematic bits). Logic operations on nematic bits can be implemented using time-dependent electric fields. Nematoelastic interactions lead to strong correlations in systems of multiple nematic bits, which can be used to implement universal logic gates. The paper is an important step towards processing information in soft matter systems and has been highlighted in
New Scientist and
Physics World.

Photo credit: Anže Malovrh/STA
Article in Applied Physics Letters
December 10, 2022
Professor Vid Bobnar, PhD from the Department of Condensed Matter Physics F5, researchers from the Advanced Materials Department K9, and researchers from France, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic have published in Applied Physics Letters the article Large imprint in epitaxial 0.67Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.33PbTiO3 thin films for piezoelectric energy harvesting applications.
Pure and high crystalline quality 500 nm thick PMN–33PT films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on various SrRuO3 buffered substrates. Under compressive epitaxial strain, i.e. under small lattice mismatch between the substrate and PMN–33PT, high teragonality and ferroelectric P-E loops are stabilized. On the other hand, the strain is relaxed in PMN–33PT grown on a substrate with a larger lattice mismatch, and the film displays a relaxor-like hysteresis loop and enhanced piezoelectric response. Both the strained and relaxed SRO/PMN–33PT/Au capacitors exhibit a very large negative self-bias, which is induced by the alignment of defect dipoles with the polarization and is tuned by the epitaxial strain. This imprint permits the stabilization of a robust positive polarization state and low dielectric permittivity. The functional response of our films is in fact comparable to PZT-based thin films with the highest figure of merit, and demonstrates the possibility of developing piezoelectric devices based on high quality PMN–PT thin films.
Dr. Matjaž Gomilšek received the Ceremonial Charter for Young University Teachers and Associates
December 7, 2022
As part of the University of Ljubljana Week 2022 dr. Matjaž Gomilšek, a member of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics F5 at the Jožef Stefan Institute and the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at the University of Ljubljana, received the
Ceremonial Charter for Young University Teachers and Associates. He was awarded for dedicated and innovative teaching and research work with the citation:
»Asist. dr. Matjaž Gomilšek is a teaching assistant at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, where he obtained his PhD in Physics in 2018. In addition to his regular teaching work he is a co-organizer of the Physics in Ljubljana summer school. He is exceptionally successful in scientific research as he has already published 23 papers in recognized international journals and gave several invited lectures abroad. He is a recipient of numerous awards, including the
Jožef Stefan Golden Emblem Prize 2020.«

Photo credit: Katja Kodba/Nebojša Tejić/STA


European C-MetAC Days 2022
December 1, 2022
During November 21–24, 2022, the international conference “European C-MetAC Days 2022” took place in Split, Croatia. The conference is organized annually by the European Integrated Center for the Development of New Metallic Alloys and Compounds, a legal successor of the European network of Excellence »Complex Metallic Alloys – CMA« from the 7th EU Framework program. A member of the European C-MetAC is also the Condensed Matter Physics Department of the Jožef Stefan Institute. The conference topics were the development and physical properties of new generations of metallic alloys. The first day of the conference was dedicated to honour scientific achievements of prof. Janez Dolinšek, at the occasion of his 65th birthday anniversary by a workshop “High-Entropy Alloys: From basic studies to industrial applications”. There, the lecturers have presented scientific achievements of Prof. Dolinšek in the fields of quasicrystals, complex metallic alloys and high-entropy alloys and emphasized his long-term cooperation with the members and groups incorporated in the European C-MetAC. After the workshop, the international colleagues and peers have arranged a short celebration entertainment.



Prizes of Dr. Uroš Seljak Prizes for the best scientific publications by students were awarded to F5 coworkers





Photo credit: Nebojša Tejić/STA
![]() | De Gennes Award 2022 goes to prof. dr. Slobodan Žumer ![]() Prof. dr. Slobodan Žumer was awarded the de Gennes Award at the International Liquid Crystal Conference 2022, which took place from July 24 to July 29 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal. This is the highest recognition awarded by the International Liquid Crystal Society (ILCS). Professor Žumer is an exceptional theoretician, pedagogue, co-worker, mentor and former ILCS president whose contributions were extremely important for the impressive development of the field of liquid crystal research. The ILCS Board of Directors based their decision on his exceptional scientific achievements, his key role in establishing new research fields from confined liquid crystals to topological liquid matter, his successful mentoring of several doctoral students, his extensive international collaboration and his contributions to the ILCS activities both as a regional representative, a member of the Board of Directors and as former president of the ILCS. Congratulations! |
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![]() | Andrej Zorko is the recipient of the 2022 Science Impact Award ![]() Andrej Zorko from the Department of Condensed Matter Physic is the recipient of the |
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![]() | Paper in Nature Communication ![]() Researchers Aljaž Kavčič, dr. Maja Garvas, Matevž Marinčič and doc. dr. Matjaž Humar from the F5 department and dr. Boris Majaron from the F7 department of the Jožef Stefan Institute have, in collaboration with researchers from Graz University, published a paper in Nature Communications entitled |
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![]() | Article in Nature Materials ![]() Associates of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics Tina Arh, Matej Pregelj, pHD, and prof. Andrej Zorko pHD, discovered the first realization of a quantum spin liquid on a Ising triangular-lattice antiferromagnet. They performed a large scale experimental study in collaboration with the researchers from the Slovenian Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics as well as researchers from India, Great Britain, France and the USA. The results were published in Nature Materials in the article ![]() |
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![]() | Article in Nature Reviews Methods Primers Doc. dr. Matjaž Humar from the Department of Condensed Matter Physics at Jožef Stefan Institute, and researchers from UK, USA and Japan have published an article titled ![]() |
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![]() | Article in Physical Review X In an extensive ![]() |
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![]() | Article in Science Advances ![]() The physical behavior of anisotropic charged colloidal particles in nematic solvents is determined by their dielectric anisotropy. Together with the experimental group of Professor Ivan Smalyukh at University of Colorado Boulder the authors Jeffrey C. Everts and Miha Ravnik from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at University of Ljubljana and the Department F5 of Jozef Stefan Institute demonstrated anisotropic electrostatic screening for charged colloidal particles in nematic electrolytes. The electrostatic potential and pair interactions decay with an anisotropic Debye screening length, contrasting constant screening length for isotropic electrolytes. Charged dumpling-shaped near-spherical colloidal particles in nematic media are used as model systems, demonstrating competing anisotropic elastic and electrostatic effective pair interactions for colloidal surface charges tunable from neutral to high, yielding particle-separated metastable states (Science Advances 2021, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd0662). The work was published in ![]() |
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![]() | News & Views Article in Nature Physics ![]() Dr. Martin Klanjšek from the Condensed Matter Physics Department published a News & Views article entitled ![]() ![]() |
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![]() | FPPT research at JSI ![]() Since March 2020, the researchers at "Jožef Stefan" Institute have been researching protective masks, which have turned out to be one of the key protective measures against the COVID-19 pandemic, as they reduce the aerosol viral transmissions. "Jožef Stefan" Institute researchers Anja Pogačnik Krajnc, Luka Pirker, Urška Gradišar Centa, Anton Gradišek, Igor B. Mekjavić and Maja Remškar in collaboration with other partners have recently published the article ![]() |
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![]() | Additional funding to research protective mask materials ![]() At the 2020 ARRS call for additional funding related to COVID-19, the research program “Physics of soft matter, surfaces and nanostructures” (P1-0099, coordinator Slobodan Žumer) was successful with the proposal “Study of materials for protective respiratory face masks” prepared by Maja Remškar and Miha Ravnik. The additional 2-year funding of 2700 working hours per year will support research at IJS (two thirds) & UL FMF (one third) and collaboration with Marjan Ješelnik from the company smartMELAMINE. |
![]() | Prof. dr. Samo Kralj received Zois Certificate ![]() This year's winners of the Slovenian highest awards for science were presented on December 1, 2020, in a documentary |
![]() | Article in Advanced Materials ![]() Dr. Simon Čopar form the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, and dr. Uroš Tkalec from the Condensed Matter Physics Department at the »Jožef Stefan« Institute in collaboration with Korean researchers led by Dong Ki Yoon have published article |
![]() | Article in Advanced Materials ![]() Led by dr. Janez Štrancar, PhD, the researchers of the Biophysics Laboratory of the Condensed Matter Physics Department at the “Jožef Stefan” Institute have made crucial contributions to a large study of the mechanisms for nanomaterial toxicity and inflammation predictions without the use of test animals, published in the Advanced Materials under the title |
![]() | Article in Journal of Membrane Science ![]() As the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a general lack of medical protective equipment, the researchers from “Jožef Stefan” Institute, including associates of our department, decided to look into the option of using ionizing radiation to sterilize used masks and allow their reuse. The results showed that facepiece respirators type FFP2 and FFP3 can be sterilized by Gamma irradiation and electron beam irradiation. This method of sterilization preserves the mechanical and chemical characteristics of masks and does not harm the efficiency of aerosol particle filtration. While 20 kGy radiation does cause the loss of the polypropylene membrane filters static charge, re-application of the charge brings the filtration efficiency back to the previous level. Masks can be sterilized up to two times using this method. The research was carried out by Luka Pirker, Anja Pogačnik Krajnc, Anton Gradišek, Andreja Jelen, Maja Remškar, Igor B. Mekjavić, Janez Kovač, Miran Mozetič, Luka Snoj, Jan Malec and Vladimir Radulović, and the results were published in the Journal of Membrane Science in the article entitled |
![]() | Article in Journal of Advanced Electronic Materials ![]() Abdou Hassanien from the F5 Department of Jozef Stefan Institute has published, in collaboration with Biao Zhou and Akiko Kobayashi from Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan, an article in the Journal of Advanced Electronic Materials titled |
![]() | Article in Physical Review X ![]() Guilhem Poy from Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at University of Ljubljana and Slobodan Žumer from Jozef Stefan Institute in collaboration with the group of Ivan Smalyukh from University of Colorado in Boulder in Physical Review X published the paper that |
![]() | Article in Physical Review Letters ![]() Slobodan Žumer from Jozef Stefan Institute and Guilhem Poy from Faculty of mathematics and Physics at University of Ljubljana in collaboration with Andrew Hess and Ivan Smalyukh from University of Colorado in Boulder published the paper |
![]() | Athena gender equality project ![]() As a member of an international consortium, “Jožef Stefan” Institute received the European Athena project, whose aim is the implementation of gender equality plans to release the potential of research institutions in Europe. The F5 department will have an active role in this project, joined by 9 other “Jožef Stefan” Institute departments (U1, F4, K1, K3, K5, K7, E3, E5 and E7). Despite the large number of highly qualified women with degrees, women make up only a third of research workforce in the EU. The aims of this project are to remove the barriers that make it difficult for women to become employed in a research facility and to be promoted to researchers, to strengthen the presence of the gender dimension within research programs and to address the gender inequality in decision making. The two main project goals are development and implementation of a plan for gender equality on a systemic, institutional level. The members of the international consortium are research institutions from Central and Eastern Europe and from remote regions with a low gender equality index, as the project aims to reduce the gap between research organizations across Europe. |
![]() | Article in Physical Review Letters ![]() Tina Arh, Matjaž Gomilšek, Matej Pregelj, Martin Klanjšek and Andrej Zorko from the Solid State Physics Department and Peter Prelovšek from the Department of Theoretical Physics at the “Jožef Stefan” Institute, in collaboration with researchers from United Kingdom, USA and China, have published a paper “Origin of Magnetic Ordering in a Structurally Perfect Quantum Kagome Antiferromagnet” in |
![]() | Increased nanoparticle exposure due to pyrotechnics during a football match ![]() During a football match at the Stožice Stadium in Ljubljana in 2019, the F5 department researchers measured nanoparticle air pollution. During the match, the fans of both teams used pyrotechnic devices to support their teams despite the prohibition. Researchers of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Luka Pirker, Anton Gradišek, Bojana Višić and Maja Remškar discovered the number of nanoparticles in the range between 30 nm to 300 nm increased by 1200 percent when flares were light and the players inhaled 300 % more particles than usual. In addition to carbon, the chemical analysis also showed the presence of potentially poisonous elements which are used for colouring and as fuel such as strontium (red colour), barium (green colour), potassium, magnesium and chloride. The findings were published in the |
![]() | Article in Nature Physics ![]() Andrej Zorko from the Department of Condensed Matter Physics at Jožef Stefan Institute and the Physics department at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, was part of the international research team that confirmed the gapless ground state in the archetypal quantum kagome antiferromagnet ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2. Their research, which was published in the |
![]() | Article in Nature Communications ![]() A team of researchers from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics and Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, and »Jožef Stefan« Institute, including Uroš Tkalec from our department, have studied previously unresearched dynamic chiral states which arise before the homeotropic to flow-aligned transition. In the article published in the |
![]() | Article in Physical Review X ![]() Simon Čopar, Jure Aplinc, Žiga Kos, Slobodan Žumer and Miha Ravnik, researchers from the Department of Condensed Matter Physics and the Physics Department of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, were the first team who managed to research the topology of three-dimensional active nematic turbulence under the spherical confinement. Based on mesoscopic imaging, they used numerical modeling to show the dynamics in active nematics – usually complex biological liquids, in which the particles propel themselves using energy they receive from the environment. The team described the complex chaotic dynamic of active turbulence using topological events that govern the defects appearing in such matter. They also demonstrated coupling of surface and bulk topological defect dynamics by changing from strong perpendicular to in-plane surface alignment. This article, published in |
![]() | Best Oral Presentation Award ![]() At the international conference European C-MetAC Days 2019, held in December 2019 at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids in Dresden, Germany, Darja Gačnik received the award for the best oral presentation in the young scientists’ category. In her presentation Superconductivity in Ti–Zr–Hf–(Sn,Ni,Nb) high-entropy alloys she presented her research of superconductivity in a new type of metal alloys, called high-entropy alloys. The research results she presented were uncovered in collaboration with her co-workers at the Department of Condensed Matter Physics (S. Vrtnik, A. Jelen, M. Krnel, P. Koželj, J. Dolinšek) and dr. Qiangom Hujem from the Institute of Applied Physics at the Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, China. |
![]() | Article in Scientific Reports ![]() An article conceptualised by Abdou Hassanien, associate Department of Condensed Matter Physics at the “Jožef Stefan” Institute, and co-written by Alexander Vahl, Niko Carstens, Thomas Strunskus in Franz Faupel from the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany, was published by Scientific Reports. The article describes behaviour of memristors (memory resistors) at the level of individual nanoparticles to find the best conditions for robust operation of devices. Their discoveries also help understand the underlying physical mechanisms. Furthermore, they discovered that application of alloy nanoparticles effectively limits the formation of stable metallic filaments and results in reproducible diffusive switching characteristics. |
![]() | Jean-Pierre Bourguignon visits the F5 Department ![]() Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, president of the European Research Council, visited Slovenian for the third time on November 28, 2019. In the morning he visited the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ljubljana. In the afternoon he met with representatives of the “Jožef Stefan” Institute, primarily with the ERC grant winners, dr. Dragan Mihailovič and our own dr. Matjaž Humar. He also visited the laboratories of the Department for Condensed Matter Physics where dr. Humar’s Cell Lasers Project is being undertaken. In addition to boosting the international visibility of the researchers, the ERC grants also allow them to implement several years of independent research at the highest level, including the acquisition of the necessary research equipment. |
![]() | Žiga Zois Prizes and Awards ![]() On November 20, 2019, the Republic of Slovenia awarded the highest prizes and awards for outstanding achievements in science, research and development to 18 top scientists. Among them were two associates of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics. Professor dr. Desnis Arčon received the Žiga Zois prize for outstanding achievements in the fields of quantum magnetism and unusual superconductivity and assistant professor dr. Miha Ravnik received the Žiga Zois Award for outstanding achievements in the field of soft matter physics.
Professor dr. Nives Ogrinc from the Department of Environmental sciences and professor dr. Boris Rogelj, head of the Department of Biotechnology were also among the 18 awarded scientists. |
![]() | Dr. Brigita Rožič – winner of the Fulbright grant ![]() Brigita Rožič, researcher of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics at the “Jožef Štefan” Institute, has received the Fulbright grant for her excellent scientific and research work. The Fulbright grant is awarded every year to successful scientists from all over the world. In Slovenia this grant is awarded by the US Embassy in Ljubljana as part of the Fulbright programme financed by the US government. The grant further inspired dr. Rožič for her future research and increased her visibility as well as the visibility of the “Jožef Štefan” Institute. The grant allowed her to do research at the Case Western Reserve University with prof. Charles Rosenblatt’s team, working in an area that was entirely new to her. Furthermore, she loved living in Cleveland, whose many lakes and wonderful environment reminded her of home. Dr. Rožič also received congratulations for the award from the president of the United States. |
![]() | Blinc Awards![]() Dr. Martin Klanjšek, associate of the F5 Department, was awarded the Blinc Award for Extraordinary One-time Achievements for proving the existence of unusual quasiparticles called anyons. On October 24, 2019, the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of the University of Ljubljana and the “Jožef Stefan” Institute awarded the first Blinc awards for research and theoretical work in physics. The awards were founded to celebrate the best physicists and to commemorate Robert Blinc, one of the sharpest Slovenian researchers and a member of the Slovenian Academy of Science and Arts.
Two other awards were bestowed in addition to the Blinc Award for Extraordinary One-time Achievements: prof. dr. Matjaž Perc from the Faculty of Natural sciences and Mathematics was awarded the Blinc Award for Physicist at the Beginning of their Career and prof. dr. Peter Prelovšek, the most visible Slovenian researcher in the field of theoretical physics of condensed matter in Slovenian and abroad, received the Blinc Award for Lifetime Achievement. |
![]() | ERC Starting Grant![]() Dr. Matjaž Humar, head of the |
![]() | Best poster at the ICQ14![]() The International Conference on Quasicrystals – ICQ14 took place in Kranjska Gora from May 26 to May 31, 2019. It was attended by 120 scientists from 18 countries and three continents (Europe, Asia and America). Dr. Andreja Jelen of the F5 Department also attended the conference, where she presented the poster “Microstructure and magnetic properties of a single-crystalline FeCoCrMnAl high-entropy alloy”. The committee of three scientists from France, Japan and Poland selected her poster as the best poster contribution at the ICQ14 conference. The Best Poster Prize was sponsored by the Crystals journal. The photo shows dr. Andrej Jelen and the president of the committee, prof. Hiroyuki Takakura from the University of Hokkaido, Japan. |
![]() | Article in Nature Physics![]() Matjaž Gomilšek, Martin Klanjšek, Matej Pregelj and Andrej Zorko from the Condensed Matter Physics Department and Rok Žitko from the Department of Theoretical Physics at the “Jožef Stefan” Institute, in collaboration with researchers from Switzerland and China, have published the paper ![]() |
![]() | Article in npj Quantum Materials![]() Researchers from the Condensed Matter Physics Department (F5), Matej Pregelj, Andrej Zorko, Matjaž Gomilšek, Martin Klanjšek and Denis Arčon, in collaboration with colleagues from Switzerland, UK and Croatia, published an article in npj Quantum materials entitled ![]() |
![]() | Dr. Koželj awarded the JSI Golden Emblem Prize![]()
For the 27th time, the Jožef Stefan Institute awarded the Golden Emblem Prize to authors of doctoral theses with the highest impact in Slovenia and abroad, which were defended in the Republic of Slovenia in the past three years. This year, the Golden Emblem was awarded to dr. Primož Koželj and dr. Victor Vega Mayoral. Dr. Koželj received the Golden Emblem for the high impact of his dissertation “Physical Properties of High-Entropy Alloys and their Comparison to Complex Intermetallics” and dr. Mayoral for his dissertation “Photophysics of transition metal dichalcogenides obtained from liquid phase exfoliation”. The Golden Emblems were awarded on March 27, 2019, in the Cankarjev dom conference centre as part of the celebration in honour of 70 years of the Jožef Stefan Institute. Keynote speakers were the director of JSI, prof. dr. Jadran Lenarčič, and president of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Marjan Šarec. |
![]() | Article in Science Advances![]()
The article |
![]() | Condensed Matter Physics at TEDxLjubljana 2018![]()
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![]() | Article in Science Advances![]()
The article |
![]() | Dr. Posnjak's doctoral thesis published by Springer![]() Monograph |
![]() | Article in Nano Letters ![]() Researchers from Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS) I.Urbančič, M.Garvas, H.Majaron, B.Kokot, P.Umek, Z.Arsov, T.Koklič, M.Škarabot, I.Muševič in J.Štrancar (F5) and M.Čeh (CEMM in K7) as well as from University of Oxford (UO) F.Schneider, S.Galiani in C.Eggeling and from from University College Dublin (UCD) have identified the causal connection between inhalation of nanoparticles, lipid wrapping and triggerring of the coagulation signal cascade in lung epithelium. Recently installed super-resolution STED microscope significantly contributed to this findings together with expertise transfer from UO and new proteomics techniques at UCD. The work entitled |
![]() | Cover and article in Small![]() Collaboration between Tilen Koklič from the F5 Department and N. Aničić, M. Vukomanović and D. Suvorov from the K9 Department resulted in discovery of basic principles of contact-based mechanism of MgO antibacterial activity. Their research confirmed the key role of MgO surface defects in hydrolysis, antibacterial activity and ROS generation, setting guidelines for further development of MgO-based medical devices. The findings were published in the |
![]() | Article in Nature Physics ![]() Nature Physics published an article entitled |
![]() | Image captured by F5 associates on the cover of Liquid Crystals ![]() An image captured by the Calorimetry and dielectric spectroscopy group of the F5 Department was published on the cover of the August issue of the Liquid Crystals Journal. An article of frustrated liquid-crystalline TGB phase stabilisation in the presence of nanoparticles was published in the same issue, based on the study by Maja Trček, George Cordoyiannis, Brigita Rožič, Vassilios Tzitzios, George Nounesis, Samo Kralj, Ioannis Lelidis, Emmanuelle Lacaze, Heinz Amenitsch and Zdravko Kutnjak. The background of the image shows the texture of the TGB order as captured with a camera under a polarised optical microscope. The foreground of the image shows a schematic rendering of the TGB phase structure. The TGB phase is stabilised in a mixture of chiral liquid crystal and nanoparticles. The nanoparticles populated the topological defects of the screw dislocations which are located between the blocks in smectic order. |
![]() | Dr. Koželj receives Best Oral Presentation Award at C-MAC Dasy 2017![]() At the international C-MAC Days 2017 conference held at the end of November in Athens, Primož Koželj, PhD, was awarded the Best Oral Presentation Award in the Young Scientists category. In his invited lecture, Dr. Koželj spoke about the magnetism of eutectic high-entropy alloys CoCrFeNiZrx and proved the existence of multi-component magnetic structure inside them, which is the consequence of a complicated microstructure consisting of the eutectic matrix made from two phases and dendrites. The presented research was based on a collaboration between the associates of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics at the JSI (P. Koželj, S. Vrtnik, A. Jelen, J. Luzar, A. Kocjan, J. Dolinšek) and their Slovene colleagues at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of the University of Ljubljana and the Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics, as well as international collaboration with Swedish (Chalmers University of Technology) and South Korean (Korea Basic Science Institute) scientists. |
![]() | Liquids 2017![]() The ![]() |
![]() | Third Conference of young researchers and students![]() On 4 July 2017, the third Conference of young researchers and students was held at the "Jožef Stefan Institute", under the honorary patronage of academician Tadej Bajd, president of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. In the morning, the present ministers and the hosts stressed the importance of circulation of knowledge, ideas and practices among the young in Slovenia, across the borders and abroad. Then Matjaž Humer from the Deparment of Condensed Matter Physics and Igor D. Gregorič, cardiovascular surgeon who has been operating in the USA for the last 30 years, presented their career paths as an inspiration for future generations. In the afternoon, numerous participants talked about topics such as a successful career path as a challenge for the next generation, the opportunity presented by exchanges, the challenge of finding employment for young Slovenes abroad and networking of young Slovene researchers. |
![]() | Paper in ACS Nano![]() Brigite Rožič, associate of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics, published a paper titled |
![]() | Bose-Einstein Condensation of Cesium atoms ![]() Researchers of the Laboratory for Cold Atoms at the Condensed Matter Physics Department F5 have confirmed Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) of Cesium atoms on March 31, 2017. They used the laser light to cool Cesium atoms to temperatures near absolute zero (below 20 nK) and compressed them into BEC using light and magnetic fields. The picture shows cooling and compression of cold atoms into BEC, forming a coherent cloud of 50 microns diameter containing 15.000 atoms. In this fascinating quantum matter, quantum physics is observable at the macroscopic level, making it an ideal system to simulate quantum phenomena, study quantum computing, or using quantum physics for metrology. With this achievement the Department joined a prominent laboratories performing experiments in quantum technologies. |
![]() | Hidden topological constellations and polyvalent charges in chiral nematic droplets![]() The Nature Communication journal published the article |
![]() | First successful catalysis of aldol condensation with protonated titanate nanotubes![]() The associates of the »Jožef Stefan« Institute, Melita Sluban (F5), Polona Umek (F5) and Jernej Iskra (K3), in collaboration with the researchers from the University of Ljubljana (Faculty of chemistry and chemical technology) and the University of Bucharest, for the first time successfully catalysed the aldol condensation, which is the most common reaction for creation of new carbon-carbon bonds, using protonated titanate nanotubes. Such a reaction is a 'green' alternative to the current industry practice of using stoichiometric amounts of homogeneous catalyst, which cannot be recycled after the reaction ends. In contrast, when using protonated titanate nanotubes, a mere catalytic amount of material ensures a successful reaction, the catalyst can be used several times and it was even successful in a large-scale experiment. The work was published in the article Protonated titanate nanotubes as solid acid catalyst for aldol condensation in the Journal of Catalysis, one of the lead journals in the field of catalysis. |
![]() | Paper in Nature Communications![]() On January 24, 2017, Nature Communications published a paper called |
![]() | Paper in the Physical Review Letters![]() The Physical Review Letters published a paper called |
![]() | Paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ![]() The journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America published a paper entitled |
![]() | Dr. Janez Pirš awarded the Hononrary distinction of 'Jožef Stefan' Institute ![]() On October 20, 2016, the Scientific Counsil of the J. Stefan Institue warded the Honorary distinction of the 'Jožef Stefan' Intitute to dr. Janez Pirš. Dr. Janez Pirš was awarded the Honorary distinction for his contribution to development of new high-tech products based on scientific and technological achievements of the 'Jožef stefan' Institute. Dr. Janez Pirš worked for a long time at the F5 department and was the instigator of the first real collaboration with Slovene industry in 1980. His most important achievement was the collaboration between the Institute and the Balder d.o.o. company, which was in 1997 created as a sipin-off company od the Institute for development, production and selling of protictive weldinf filters. Thanks to dr. Janez Pirš, the 'Jožef Stefan' Insitute and Balder d.o.o. have been successfully collaborating from the very begining, and this collaboration continued also after 2012, when Balder d.o.o. became part of the international company Kimberly Clark Proffesional. |
![]() | Article in Nature Communications![]() Liquid crystal elastomers are promising for building actuators due to their excellent thermomechanical response, but it is challenging to manufacture them additively. Members of the Solid State Department (F5) of Jožef Stefan Institute, A. Rešetič, J. Milavec, B. Zupančič, B. Zalar and V. Domenici from Italy have shown that limitations imposed by the synthesis of liquid crystal elastomers can be overcome by doping microparticles to the polymer matrix and curing the composite resin in external magnetic field. The new composite material provides for conventional moulding of elastic objects of general shapes and thermomechanical deformation modes. This work has been published in an article ![]() |
![]() | WLCP 2016![]() From September 14 to Septemebr 16, 2016, the 'Jožef Stefan' Institute hosted the 6th |
![]() | 1st Place Poster Prize at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings![]() Matjaž Humar from Condensed Matter Physics department at Jožef Stefan Institute won 1st Place Poster Prize at prestigious Nobel Laureate Meeting 2016. The meeting has taken place in Lindau, Germany from 26. June to 1. July. There were 400 invited young scientists from 80 countries and 29 Nobel laureates attending the 66. Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. The attendees of the meeting are carefully selected by a committee giving priority to young scientists who are strongly committed to science and research. This year meeting was focused on physics. Matjaž presented a poster about lasers embedded into single live cells. His poster got the most votes given by the young scientists and Nobel laureates. |
![]() | Dr. Matjaž Humar receives funding for Live and Edible Photonics Project![]() Director's Council reached an unanimous decision to finance the Live and Edible Photonics Project, proposed by dr. Matjaž Humar form the Departement for condensed matter physics. The goal of the project is to build a leading bio-integrated photonics laboratory in the 'Jožef stefan' Institue. The laboratory will be located in the former library rooms, which will be renovated and adapted to form the ![]() |
![]() | Article in Scientific Reports![]() The journal Scientific Reports published on May 20, 2016 the article entitled "Points, skyrmions and torons in chiral nematic droplets", by Gregor Posnjak, Simon Čopar and Igor Muševič, members of the Solid State Department (F5) of JSI and Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana. They discovered a new method of reconstructing 3D orientational field of a liquid crystal, labelled with fluorescent molecules and imaged with a confocal optical microscope. Using this method they were able for the first time to determine unambigously the topological properties of a chiral liquid crystal, captured in a micro-droplet, as tiny as a hair. They could see singular point-like topological defects, separated by 3D topological objects, which are known in physics as skyrmions and torons. |