Dr Andrei Sapelkin

Andrei Sapelkin

Senior Lecturer

School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
www.qmul.ac.uk/spcs/staff/academics/profiles/asapelkin.html
Centre for Experimental and Applied Physics
Centre for Chemical Research

Research

Interests

My research interests are in the atomic structure, interatomic interactions, optical and electronic properties of non-periodic materials with particular focus on ultra-small nanoparticles and quantum dots (QDs). A part of my work includes investigating materials under a variety of in situ perturbations including high pressure, high and low temperatures and laser excitation. My research activities include both experimental and computational components.

On the experimental side I extensively use x-ray absorption spectroscopy and scattering, hence my long-standing involvement with large scale facilities such as synchrotron radiation and neutron sources. I have also been utilising and developing a selection of Raman scattering, photoluminescence and spectral imaging methods for materials characterisation.

On the computational side I utilise a selection of specialised codes (e.g. FEFF, FDMES, Excurve) for electronic structure, x-ray scattering and absorption calculations using ab initio and DFT codes for modelling x-ray and electron spectroscopies and materials properties.

Another long-standing interest of mine is in the bio-applications of nanoscale system and to sustain this activity I maintain extensive collaborations with chemist, biologists and materials scientists.