Optical & Multispectral Material Imaging and Characterization
Research in Optical and Multispectral Material Imaging and Characterization employs advanced optical, imaging, and multispectral techniques to study natural, biological, geological, industrial, and cultural heritage materials. The research aims to investigate the morphological, spectral, and microstructural characteristics of materials and biological systems using non-destructive or minimally destructive approaches.
More specifically, multispectral imaging is used to study the surface and spectral characteristics of different categories of materials. The research activities include the analysis of spectral responses across different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, the investigation of changes associated with physical or chemical processes, and the development of approaches for the identification, classification, and mapping of materials and biological structures.
Within a similar framework, optical microscopy is applied to the morphological and microstructural investigation of materials and biological samples. The research includes the study of micromorphological features, surface structures, and growth or alteration processes in different systems, as well as applications involving biological materials such as microalgae and other microorganisms.
A major component of the activities also involves the use of electron microscopy to study microstructures, investigate high-resolution morphological features, and correlate morphology with the functional properties of materials. These approaches are applied to natural and synthetic materials, geological samples, biological organisms, and cultural heritage objects.
Emphasis is also placed on the combined processing of imaging and spectral data using computational techniques and artificial intelligence tools, with the aim of enabling automated image analysis, feature extraction, and support for identification and classification processes.