Material Physics

High-Tc Superconductivity. Magnetism and electronic transport in metals, rare-earth alloys, intermetalic compounds, semiconductor and insulator. Effects of disorder and electronic interactions. Colossal magnetoresistance and giant magnetocaloric effect. Polar properties in molecular crystals, ceramics and liquid crystals. Theoretical and computational models of materials.

Statistics of Complex Systems

Dynamics of stochastic out of equilibrium systems. Self-organized criticality, reaction/difusion, complex networks, granular materials, interfaces. Applications to socio-economical systems (econophysics). Critical phenomena and phase transitions. Advanced computational methods.

Gravitation and Cosmology

Physics of fundamental interactions: unification theories, superstring theory in particular. Black holes: classic and quantum theory and their astrophysical aspects. Cosmology: cosmological models and their relations with unification theories; observational tests - large scale structures, cosmic background radiation and supernovas.

Micro e Nanophysics

Micro and nanostructured systems: magnetic films (multilayers, granular materials), ferroelectric films, fullerenes and nanotubes. Spin junctions, spin valves, superconductor films.

Lasers and Quantum Optics

Ultra-fast and extreme non-linear optics. Ultra-short pulse lasers and their applications. Propagation of optical ultra-short pulses in non-linear media (fiber optics, lasers, photonic crystals and Bose-Einstein condensates).

Optoelectronics

Microfabrication in integrated optics and sensors. Fiber optic devices and sensors. Optical communications advanced systems technology.

Technological Applicaitons

Magnetoresistive devices for magnetic recording and sensors. Magnetometry and magneto-optic imaging. Magnetic cooling. Piezoelectric micro-devices. Liquid crystal electro-optical components. Interferometry, holografy and optical information processing techniques. Optical environment, structural and biochemical monitorization systems. Optical instrumentation in medical imaging. Optical communication devices.