Tomáš Roch, doc. RNDr. Dr.techn.

Academic, Scientific Research Department

Director for Administration

Contact

Bratislava
02/602 95 189
Tomas-Roch
0000-0002-6989-8774
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Bio

Researcher and since 2013 associate professor at the Department of Experimental Physics, FMPI CU. Currently an employee of CENAM. The areas of expertise includes structural analysis using X-ray scattering techniques, physical vapor deposition of thin films and micro-/nanotechnologies. Concerning teaching, he focuses on undergraduate basic physics, scattering diagnostic methods, renewable energy sources with an emphasis on solar energy.

Specialization research areas

Hard coatings Nanostructured materials Thin ceramic films Mechanical and tribological properties Oxidation resistance Thermal stability Transition metal diborides Nitrides Structure analysis Analysis of chemical composition Transmission electron microscopy Scanning electron microscopy X-ray diffraction Nanoindentation Ball-on-disc

Education

2013

Habilitation thesis: Molecular beam epitaxy and X-ray structural analysis of quantum semiconductor nanostructures

Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Department of Experimental Physics
2011

Rigorosum thesis: Investigations of thin films using X-ray reflectivity method

Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Department of Experimental Physics
2002

Dr. techn. (ekviv. PhD.) Thesis: Structural investigations of SiGe cascade multilayers and self-organized SiGe wires using x-ray scattering techniques

Institut für Halbleiterphysik, Technisch– Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Johannes Kepler University, Austria
1998

Master's thesis: Study of colossal magnetoresistance and pressure effects in La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 thin films

Department of Physics, Brock University, Canada
1996

Diploma thesis: Investigation of magnetic properties of high temperature superconductors

Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Solid State Physics

Reviewer activities

Reviewer

Surface and Coatings Technology, Thin Solid Films, Physica C, Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, Materials & Design, Materials Chemistry and Physics, J. of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Int. J. of Hydrogen Energy, Applied Surface Science, Applied Surface Science Advances

Elsevier, The Netherlands
Reviewer

Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A

American Institute of Physics (AIP), USA

Other activities

Member

American Physical Society

1998-1999
Member

Material Research Society

2001-2002
Member

Subject committee of Students Science Conference

Since 2008

Awards

1997

Thompson-Harrison Graduate Scholarship

Brock University, Canada

Projects

National

Hard coatingsSuperconductivitySensorsBiomaterials
Leader

Central European Platform for Plasma-Enabled Surface Engineering, HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-04-01

Horizon Europe
Hard coatings
Key Researcher

Ultra-high temperature thin coatings for aerospace industry. Contract No.: 4000136772/21/NL/SC/hm

European Space Agency (ESA)
Hard coatings
Key Researcher

Potential solid lubricant for extreme temperatures based on vanadium boride. Contract No.: 4000132355/20/NL/SC

European Space Agency (ESA)
Hard coatings
Key Researcher

Development of nanostructured coatings with an inactivating effect on viruses and bacteria for different types of flexible materials.; No. NFP313010AUH4;

Operational program Integrated infrastructure ERDF
Hard coatings
Principal Investigator

APVV-21-0042: Hard and tough boride- and nitride-based coatings prepared by advanced PVD techniques.

Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV)
Hard coatings
Researcher

VEGA 1/0473/24: Theoretical study and experimental preparation of multilayers based on transition metal diborides with enhanced fracture toughness

VEGA
Hard coatings
Researcher

VEGA 1/0296/22: Transition-metal diborides-based hard films prepared by advanced PVD methods

VEGA

Teaching activities

Courses taught

Course Objectives

Extension and deepening of knowledge from selected parts of high school physics so that the student can use the acquired knowledge in solving physics problems and reach the required entry level required for the subject Physics for Chemistry in next term.

Syllabus
System of SI units, dimensional analysis. necessary mathematical apparatus, point mass and determination of its position in 1D, 2D, 3D; Mass point motions: velocity, acceleration, force, Newton’s laws of dynamics. circular motion, oscillations and waves. Kinetic and potential energy, momentum, work, power, conservation laws in mechanics, torque, pressure, hydrostatics,
hydrodynamics. Temperature, heat, gas statistics, thermodynamics. Gravitational field, Kepler’s laws. Electric field, Coulomb’s law, intensity and potential of el. field, el. voltage, homogeneous el. field, el. current and resistance. Magnetic field – a vector of magnetic induction, the force acting on an electric charge (current) in a magnetic field, electromagnetic induction, electromagnetic radiation
Course Objectives

By completing the course, students will gain knowledge about overall photovoltaics, solar cells of various types, their physical principles, design and production, the use of thermal solar energy and the possibilities of solar energy storage.

Syllabus
Solar photons – solar radiation spectrum and its concentration, Lambert and Kirchhoff radiation law, Abbe’s sine condition, Semiconductor physics – basics, band theory, electron and hole statistics, transport, scattering mechanisms of charge carriers, generation and recombination, separation, diffusion, Dember effect, surface phenomena, metal-semiconductor contact, pn junction, optical properties and photoelectric phenomena, absorption and emission, conversion of thermal radiation
into chemical energy, conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy. Composition of different types of solar cells (SC) and their properties – volumetric and thin-film SC, third generation, efficiency and optimization, production technologies, Photovoltaics in practice – real applications, batteries and power electronics, solar power plants. Perspective materials and new trends in photovoltaics. Solar thermal energy – from low-temperature to high-temperature collectors, design and construction, conversion to electricity, new trends, thermal energy storage, applications. Presentation of the FMFI solar power plant. Demonstration experiments
Course Objectives

The student will learn the basics of characterization of material surfaces and thin films using IR / NIR / VIS / UV / soft- and hard X-ray.

Syllabus
Overview of experimental techniques for the analysis of surfaces and thin layers of materials using electromagnetic radiation. The lecture will be an introduction to the following experimental techniques: spectroscopic and imaging ellipsometry, optical profilometry, dynamic and static scattering, confocal Raman / fluorescence microscopy, X-ray reflectometry and scattering. Comparison with touch techniques of surface analysis. Finally, I will introduce techniques of surface modification by laser radiation. The lecture will include practical demonstrations of the above experimental techniques at the Institute of Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences.
Course Objectives

By completing the course, students will gain an overview of selected analytical, spectroscopic and microscopic methods used for studies of solids in terms their structure, composition, surface topography and other properties.

Syllabus
Electron and ion optics, types of analyzers for analytical and spectroscopic methods.
Principles and description of methods:
– X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, UPS, IS
– X-ray and electron diffraction, small angle scattering and related methods
– Scanning and transmission electron microscopy and related methods (EDX, WDS, FIB)
– Scanning probe microscopy (STM, AFM, EFM, MFM, SSRM, KPFM)
and others.
Course Objectives

Acquisition of skills in registration and data processing by computer, measurement of electrical and magnetic quantities. Physical interpretation and written / graphic presentation of processed results.

Syllabus

In the initial two or three exercises, joint acquisition of skills and measurement with analog and digital devices (oscilloscope, digital multimeter, A / D converter), processing of measured data by computer. This is followed by five to six separate laboratory works on electricity and magnetism selected from the offer: electrical properties of substances – electric bridges, Hall effect; electric field mapping; magnetic field mapping – air coils; electromagnetic induction – transformer; electrical RLC oscillations – transient RLC phenomenon, serial and parallel RLC circuit; magnetic properties of substances – hysteresis loops, permeability of substances, separation of magnetic losses; fuel cell; determination of the specific charge of an electron (e / m0).

Course Objectives

The student will understand principles of electric and magnetic phenomena and the laws describing them. He/she will be able to calculate topology of electric and magnetic fields in rather simple situations, calculate properties of components based on application of electric and magnetic fields, including electric circuits. He/she will understand relationship between electric and magnetic fields, electromagnetic induction, and Maxwell’s equations.

Syllabus

Electric charge, electric field, Coulomb’s and Gauss’s laws, electric potential, Poisson’s and Laplace’s equation, electric fields around conductors, capacity. Dipole model of dielectrics, electric fields and Gauss’s law in dielectrics. Electric current, continuity equation, Kirchoff’s laws. Magnetic field, Biot-Savart law, Ampère’s law, displacement current, electromagnetic induction. Dipole model of magnetic materials, ferromagnetic materials, Ampère law in magnetic materials. Relativistic relation of electric and magnetic field. Maxwell’s equations.

Students supervision

Supervisor of bachelors, master, and PhD. students.

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