Janez Zavašnik is a research associate at the Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI), group leader of the joint JSI – Max-Planck-Institut für Nachhaltige Materialien Research Group, and assistant professor at Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School. His main expertise are crystallography and advanced electron microscopy techniques, with a particular focus on transmission electron microscopy and analytical methods.
Dr. Zavašnik’s research is focused on two core topics: (i) research of surface electronic states that arise at sharp transitions from solid to vacuum, confined to near-surface atomic layers with reduced potential, surfaces with defects where translational symmetry is broken, and interfaces between radically different compounds, and (ii) research of condensed matter on micron- and nano-scale comprising synthesis, modification, and applications of materials. This topic also considers irregularities and deviations of the perfect crystal lattice, either chemically induced by doping or as a result of external stimuli.
The atomic-scale investigation of the crystal structure, either amorphous or crystalline, including non-periodic and incommensurable structures, allows us fundamental insight into the principles of mechanical, magnetic, electrical, optical and thermal properties of pure metals and alloys, oxides, electronic ceramics and semiconductors.
