PhD thesis supervisor: dr. Lina Grinevičiūtė (apply for recommendation)
Nanostructured coatings for polarizing optics: investigation of PVD and ALD combinations
This PhD project focuses on the development and investigation of nanostructured coatings for polarizing optics, with particular focus on porous structures fabricated using physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques with glancing angle deposition (GLAD) method. Due to their highly anisotropic and porous morphology, GLAD coatings exhibit strong polarization dependent optical properties but are often sensitive to environmental conditions and lack long-term stability.
The research will explore hybrid coating architectures in which GLAD nanostructures are combined with additional PVD layers to tailor optical functionality and with atomic layer deposition (ALD) coatings to enhance structural stability and environmental isolation. The influence of different PVD–ALD combinations on optical, polarizing, and stability-related properties will be systematically investigated.
The project includes the fabrication and optimization of nanostructured coatings, detailed structural and optical characterization, and evaluation of their performance under varying environmental conditions such as humidity and temperature. The ultimate goal is to develop stable, high-performance nanostructured coatings suitable for practical applications in polarizing optical elements and advanced photonic systems.