Departments and R&D centre | physics.muni.cz :: Web page of the Departments of Physics at Masaryk University in Brno.

Physics departments and R&D Centre

Department of Plasma Physics and Technology
Department of Condensed Matter Physics
Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics
R&D Centre CEPLANT

Department of Plasma Physics and Technology

The Department of Plasma Physics and Technology has more than 60 years of experience in the field of atmospheric pressure low-temperature plasma and also in magnetron sputtering. The principal areas of scientific research are R&D of low-temperature plasma and ionised gases applications (theoretical and experimental), plasma-chemical reactions in non-isothermal plasmas and plasma-surface interactions, plasmas in liquids and thin films depositions (at atmospheric and also low-pressure conditions).

The Department of Plasma Physics and Technology is fully equipped and skilled to reflect the research and industrial needs of environmentally friendly and low-cost scalable nano-fabrication solutions for the advanced nanomanufacturing and creation of advanced materials based on high-level plasma nanoscience basic research.

The Department of Plasma Physics and Technology has a four-year doctoral degree study programme focusing on fundamental and applied research in the field of non-isothermic plasma excited at low and atmospheric pressures.

Location: Kotlářská 267/2, 602 00 Brno, Building 06, 07
Web: https://www.physics.muni.cz/ustavy/uftp

prof. Mgr. Petr Vašina, Ph.D.

Department head, Department of Plasma Physics and Technology

E‑mail:

Petr Vašina received his PhD in 2005 from Université Paris-Sud in the discipline Waves and Matter and at Masaryk University in the discipline Plasma Physics. He has worked at Masaryk University since 2004. Currently, he is a professor at CEPLANT. His primary research areas are the study of elementary processes in discharges, diagnostics and the modelling of reactive plasmas, the study of a hybrid PVD-PECVD deposition process and its application for thin film deposition, high power impulse magnetron sputtering and the deposition of nanostructured composite materials.

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Department of Condensed Matter Physics

Research activities of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics are focused on studies of selected materials and layered structures, in particular of their optical response and structural properties. We are particularly interested in selected metals, semiconductors and insulators: they are studied either independently in their bulk form, or as constituents of layered systems. Optical spectroscopy in a wide range (from far-infrared to ultraviolet) is used to investigate vibrational and electronic states and their interactions, e.g. as the changes of the optical response with temperature. The structural properties are studied preferentially by X-ray diffraction and reflection. Attention is paid mainly to low-dimensional semiconductor structures, high-temperature superconductors, metal-semiconductor-insulator multilayers, and polymers.

The main educational activities of the Department consist of basic and specialised courses in physics, extensive laboratory courses, and they also involve parts of the courses of theoretical physics. The department is responsible for a range of courses in the inter-faculty studies in physical engineering and bachelor and master studies of optometry. The department runs a cleanroom facility for semiconductor technologies (sponsored by ON Semiconductor CR); they are devoted mainly to educational purposes. The department is also responsible for the education in biophysics and operates a biophysical laboratory.

Location: Kotlářská 267/2, 602 00 Brno, Building 09
Web 1 (up-to-now, but still actively maintained): www.physics.muni.cz/ufkl
Web 2 (department in the university hierarchy): https://www.muni.cz/en/about-us/organizational-structure/faculty-of-science/312020-deptof-condensed-matter-physics

prof. Mgr. Dominik Munzar, Dr.

Department head, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

E‑mail:

Dominik Munzar received his PhD in solid state physics in 1994 from Masaryk University, where he subsequently worked as a researcher, later as an assistant professor and since 2003 as a professor of condensed matter physics. From 1997 to 1999 he has been a postdoctoral research associate at MPI for Solid State Research (Stuttgart, Germany). In 2015 he became head of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics. His research is focused on the electronic structure and optical response of semiconductor nanostructures and, more recently, of high-Tc superconductors and other oxide materials with strongly correlated electrons, and on mechanisms of superconductivity in these materials.

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Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics

Research areas at the Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics may be divided into following topics:

Astrophysics of Stars and Interstellar Medium
High Energy Astrophysics
Physics Education
Quantum Gravity
Mathematical Structures for Theoretical Physics
Wave and Particle Optics

Wide range of areas of research at the department ensures high quality education provided by experts with deep understanding and current overview of teached topics.

Location: Kotlarská 267/2, 602 00 Brno, Building 06

prof. Rikard von Unge, Ph.D.

Department head, Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics

E‑mail:

Rikard von Unge received his Ph.D. at Stockholm university in 1997. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Stony Brook University, New York and Princeton University, New Jersey. Then he started to work at Masaryk University as a researcher, since 2004 as an assistant professor and since 2004 as a professor. He has been head of the Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics since 2011.
Rikard von Unge's research group is focused on supersymmetry and its consequences for other theories as string theory or supergravity. One of his main interests is study of supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models and their relations to complex geometry.
He also tutors these lectures: Advanced quantum mechanics, Quantum electrodynamics, General relativity, Advanced problems in theoretical physics and Advanced quantum field theory.

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R&D Centre CEPLANT

The R&D Centre for Low-Cost Plasma and Nanotechnology surface Modifications – CEPLANT – was established in December 2010 at the Department of Physical Electronics (since 2023 the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology), Masaryk University in Brno and the centre was built on a tradition of applied plasma physics research at the department lasting for more than 50 years, which has resulted in several innovations successfully transferred into industry.

The CEPLANT infrastructure was built thanks to the Operational Programme Research and Development for Innovations of the European Regional Development Fund and Czech state budget during years 2010-2014 (the total budget was 8.5 million EUR). Since 2015, CEPLANT has been partially financed from the National Programme of Sustainability from the Czech state budget and other national or international funding schemes. Thanks to the international orientation of CEPLANT, international funds have been gradually increasing over the last few years.

Location: Kotlářská 267/2, 602 00 Brno, Building 06, 07

prof. RNDr. Mirko Černák, CSc.

CEPLANT head – Department of Physical Electronics

E‑mail:

Mirko Černák received his PhD in Physics at Comenius University in 1985. Besides that he has post-doctoral experience from foreign universities (Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan, Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu, Japan and CNRS, Paris, France). Since 2003, he has been a professor in Plasma Physics at Masaryk University. Currently, he is the chair of the Department of Physical Electronics and Director of CEPLANT at Masaryk University. Mirko's primary research areas are plasma physics, plasma chemistry, applied electrostatics and the fundamental and applied study of the atmospheric pressure discharge mechanism.

CEPLANT