About

From light to sound,
nanoscale conversion of energy

I am a Professor of Physics at the Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Principal Researcher at CONICET, and Director of the Laboratorio de Electrónica Cuántica (LEC) at FCEyN-UBA.

I completed my PhD at UBA, where I pioneered laser-assisted near-field optical microscopies and the first plasmonics studies in Argentina, including the detection of optical rectification and electromagnetic enhancement at a tunneling junction. My postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan focused on ultrafast optics, coherent phonons, and quantum technologies, contributing to pioneering demonstrations of optically generated multi-spin entanglement and magnon squeezing below the standard quantum limit.

My research centers on light-matter interaction at the nanoscale. My group develops plasmonic and dielectric nanoantennas, high-Q metasurfaces, and mechanical nanoresonators capable of locally transducing electromagnetic energy into coherent mechanical excitations. Our work spans nonlinear nanophotonics, optomechanics, coherent acoustic phonon generation and detection, surface acoustic waves, thin-film mechanical characterization, and magnetoelastic control.

Key contributions from the group include the development of low-loss dielectric nanoantennas for surface-enhanced spectroscopies, the first far-field optical detection of hypersonic surface acoustic waves using single plasmonic nanoantennas, control of their propagation and focusing, and the use of nanoresonators as local sensors of elasticity, adhesion, and mechanical dissipation. More recently, the group demonstrated all-optical generation and detection of coherent phonons in individual dielectric nanoantennas and in nanocavities of two-dimensional materials.

I have published in Nature Materials, Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters, ACS Nano, Nano Letters, and ACS Photonics. I have supervised eight completed doctoral theses. I served as Director and Vice-Director of the UBA Physics Department and as a member of the UBA Superior Council. I am currently Topical Editor of JOSA B and Latin American representative on the Collaboration and Engagement Committee of the IEEE Photonics Society. My work was recognized with, among other distinctions, the Georg Forster Research Award 2023 from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

YACURA is a spin-off I co-founded in 2026 with Martín Aversa, developing metaphotonic intelligence platforms for water-quality optical sensing. Finalist, NanoImpact 2026.

Nanomechanics Optical nanoantennas Surface acoustic waves Plasmonics Dielectric metasurfaces Quasi-BIC resonances Nonlinear nanophotonics 2D materials Coherent phonons Magnetoelastics Ultrafast spectroscopy

Research lines

Active projects

Nanomechanics with optical nanoantennas

The defining line of the group. Plasmonic and dielectric nanoantennas can act as sub-diffraction transducers between electromagnetic and mechanical energy: ultrafast laser pulses excite coherent gigahertz vibrations through electrostriction and thermoelasticity, launching surface acoustic waves (SAW) that can be detected, directed, and focused in the far field. We study single nanoantennas as hypersound sources, acoustic coupling and directionality between antenna pairs, focusing with plasmonic hypersonic lenses, and the use of coherent phonons as local sensors of elasticity, adhesion, and dissipation in thin films and nanostructures.

SAW coherent phonons pump-probe hypersound optomechanics nanoresonators

Dielectric nanoantennas and high-Q metasurfaces

Silicon and gallium phosphide nanoantennas offer low optical losses and strong Mie resonances, enabling surface-enhanced spectroscopies with minimal heat conversion and efficient nonlinear photon generation (SHG, four-wave mixing). We design Si metasurfaces that support multiple quasi-bound states in the continuum (quasi-BICs) simultaneously, achieving Q-factors suited to degenerate and non-degenerate nonlinear mixing. Recent work also explores all-optical generation and detection of coherent acoustic vibrations in single GaP nanoantennas probed near the anapole excitation.

quasi-BIC SHG four-wave mixing GaP Si metasurfaces anapole

ħω

Two-dimensional materials and hybrid nanosystems

MoS₂ and related van der Waals crystals support coherent acoustic phonons, including breathing modes and guided acoustic waves, at frequencies in the hundreds of GHz that are sensitive to the number of layers and the substrate coupling. We fabricate MoS₂ nanocavities (both supported and freely suspended) by polymer-free wet transfer and study their acoustic and optical resonances with ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy. The broader goal is to integrate 2D materials with plasmonic and photonic nanoantennas for hybrid nonlinear and opto-acoustic platforms.

MoS₂ van der Waals coherent phonons breathing mode guided acoustic waves pump-probe

M(t)

Ultrafast magnetoelastic control

A newer line in which surface acoustic waves generated optically are used to modulate the magnetic order in thin films of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) and other magnetic materials. Strain pulses at GHz frequencies couple to spin waves through magnetoelastic interactions, enabling all-optical, contactless control of magnon dynamics. We are also extending this work to altermagnetic thin films, materials with no net magnetization but broken time-reversal symmetry.

magnetoelastics YIG spin waves altermagnetism SAW ultrafast

Publications

Papers

2026 ACS Photonics Editor's Choice

Coherent Acoustic Phonons in Supported and Suspended MoS₂ Nanocavities

M. Aversa, N. A. Roqueiro, C. Borrazás, J. I. Sangiorgio, H. D. Boggiano, J. Bonaparte, A. Di Donato, M. C. Fuertes, A. V. Bragas, G. Grinblat

ACS Photonics 2026, 13 (1), 320–326

We study coherent acoustic phonons in MoS₂ nanocavities fabricated by polymer-free wet transfer, comparing supported and freely suspended geometries. Time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy reveals breathing-mode phonons at frequencies sensitive to the number of layers and the substrate interaction. Suspended nanocavities show significantly longer phonon lifetimes, enabling cleaner access to the intrinsic mechanical response. The results provide a quantitative platform for studying phonon confinement and dissipation in van der Waals materials at the nanoscale. Selected as Editor's Choice by ACS Photonics.

2025 Nano Letters

All-Optical Generation and Detection of Coherent Acoustic Vibrations in Single Gallium Phosphide Nanoantennas Probed near the Anapole Excitation

H. D. Boggiano, N. A. Roqueiro, H. Zhang, L. Krivitsky, E. Cortés, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas, A. I. Kuznetsov, G. Grinblat

Nano Lett. 2025, 25 (4), 1351–1357

We demonstrate all-optical generation and detection of coherent acoustic vibrations in individual gallium phosphide (GaP) nanoantennas, a low-loss dielectric platform. By probing near the anapole excitation, we achieve enhanced optical sensitivity to the acoustic mode and extract mechanical frequencies and quality factors as a function of nanoantenna size. The results establish dielectric nanoantennas as platforms for nanomechanical sensing without the ohmic losses intrinsic to plasmonic systems.

2024 Nano Letters

Focusing Surface Acoustic Waves with a Plasmonic Hypersonic Lens

H. D. Boggiano, L. Nan, G. Grinblat, S. A. Maier, E. Cortés, A. V. Bragas

doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01251

Plasmonic nanoantenna arrays arranged as a hypersonic lens can focus surface acoustic waves in the hypersonic regime. Each nanoantenna in the array acts as a point source of GHz acoustic emission upon ultrafast laser excitation; the array geometry controls the phase front of the acoustic field. We demonstrate far-field optical detection of focused SAW, measure the focal spot, and show that the focal position can be controlled by the array design. The work establishes a route to sub-diffraction acoustic manipulation at hypersonic frequencies.

2024 Nanophotonics

Si metasurface supporting multiple quasi-BICs for degenerate four-wave mixing

G. Q. Moretti, T. Weber, T. Possmayer, E. Cortés, L. de S. Menezes, A. V. Bragas, S. A. Maier, A. Tittl, G. Grinblat

doi:10.1515/nanoph-2024-0128

A silicon metasurface is designed to simultaneously support multiple quasi-bound states in the continuum (quasi-BICs), enabling resonant enhancement of degenerate four-wave mixing. The concurrent excitation of multiple high-Q resonances at the pump wavelength dramatically increases the local field intensity available for third-order nonlinear processes. We demonstrate enhanced FWM conversion efficiency and discuss the design rules for multiplexing quasi-BIC resonances in dielectric metasurfaces. Published in the special issue New Frontiers in Nonlinear Nanophotonics.

2023 JOSA B Review

Nanomechanics with plasmonic nanoantennas: ultrafast and local exchange between electromagnetic and mechanical energy

A. V. Bragas, S. A. Maier, H. D. Boggiano, G. Grinblat, R. Berté, L. de S. Menezes, E. Cortés

JOSA B 40(5), 1196–1211 (2023)

This review synthesizes a decade of research on nanomechanics with plasmonic nanoantennas, covering the first demonstrations of hypersound generation in single nanorods to the far-field optical detection of surface acoustic waves, acoustic coupling between antenna pairs, and the use of coherent phonons as local probes of thin-film mechanical properties. We cover the physical mechanisms of opto-acoustic transduction, the relevant timescales (femtosecond to nanosecond), the experimental techniques (pump-probe, heterodyne detection), and open directions including dielectric nanoantennas, 2D material phononics, and acoustic wave control.

2020 Nano Letters Nature Physics highlight

Direct detection of optical forces of magnetic nature in dielectric nanoantennas

M. Poblet, Y. Li, E. Cortés, S. A. Maier, G. Grinblat, A. V. Bragas

Nano Lett. 2020, 20(10), 7627–7634

Highlighted in Nature Physics: Nature Physics 16, 1090 (2020) — “A show of magnetic force”

We demonstrate the first direct measurement of optical magnetic forces at the nanoscale using photoinduced force microscopy. A silicon nanoantenna supporting an anapole mode concentrates a strong magnetic near-field; using a silicon tip, we map both electric and in-plane magnetic optical forces with strengths reaching 20 pN around the antenna. The result opens a route to characterizing the magnetic component of light-matter interaction at the nanoscale. Highlighted as “A show of magnetic force” in Nature Physics 16, 1090 (2020).

2018 Physical Review Letters Milestone

Acoustic far-field hypersonic surface wave detection with single plasmonic nanoantennas

R. Berté, F. Della Picca, M. Poblet, Y. Li, E. Cortés, R. V. Craster, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas

Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 253902 (2018)

We report the first optical far-field detection of GHz surface acoustic waves generated by a single plasmonic nanoantenna. A pump pulse excites coherent vibrations in an individual gold nanorod; the resulting SAW propagates across the substrate and is sensed by a second, separate nanoantenna acting as a transducer. The experiment establishes plasmonic nanoantennas as both sources and detectors of hypersonic waves, a key step toward nanoantenna-based acoustic devices and acoustic microscopy at the nanoscale.

2015 Nature Communications Most cited

Non-plasmonic nanoantennas for surface enhanced spectroscopies with ultra-low heat conversion

M. Caldarola, P. Albella, E. Cortés, M. Rahmani, T. Roschuk, G. Grinblat, R. F. Oulton, A. V. Bragas, S. A. Maier

Nature Communications 6, 7915 (2015)

Press: London Centre for Nanotechnology · NexCiencia (UBA)

Metallic plasmonic nanoantennas generate heat as an unavoidable byproduct of optical confinement. We show that silicon dimers sustaining Mie resonances can provide near-field enhancement comparable to gold nanoantennas while converting orders of magnitude less energy to heat, making them particularly attractive for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and fluorescence in heat-sensitive environments. Near-field calculations and SERS measurements demonstrate enhancement factors above 10³ with silicon structures, opening low-loss dielectric nanophotonics as a competitive platform for enhanced spectroscopies. Among the most highly cited papers from the group.

2004 Physical Review Letters Highly cited

Magnon squeezing in an antiferromagnet: reducing the spin noise below the standard quantum limit

J. Zhao, A. V. Bragas, D. J. Lockwood, R. Merlin

Phys. Rev. Lett. 93(10), 107203 (2004)

We report the observation of magnon squeezing in antiferromagnetic MnF2 and FeF2 using ultrafast Raman spectroscopy. The spin fluctuations of the two magnon branches are shown to be entangled, with one branch exhibiting noise reduced below the standard quantum limit. This is the first demonstration of quantum squeezing of a collective spin excitation in a solid, directly analogous to squeezed light in quantum optics. Selected for the Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science.

2003 Nature Materials Highly cited

Optically induced multispin entanglement in a semiconductor quantum well

J. Bao, A. V. Bragas, J. K. Furdyna, R. Merlin

Nature Materials 2, 175–179 (2003)

Press: Science a Go Go · New Scientist · Space Daily

We demonstrate all-optical generation of entangled many-spin states involving donor-bound electrons in a Cd1-xMnxTe diluted magnetic semiconductor quantum well. Ultrafast laser pulses resonantly drive the system, creating coherent superpositions of multispin states via the spin-photon interaction. This was the first demonstration of optically induced multispin entanglement in a solid-state system, opening a route to scalable spin-based quantum information processing in semiconductors.

2000 Optics Letters OSA “Optics in 1998”

Field-enhanced scanning optical microscope

A. V. Bragas, O. E. Martínez

Optics Letters 25(9), 631–633 (2000)

OSA distinction: Selected as one of the 20 most relevant works of the year in Optics & Photonics News “Optics in 1998” (guest Ed. Bob Guenther), Optical Society of America.

We describe an apertureless near-field scanning optical microscope based on a laser-illuminated metal tip that provides sub-diffraction optical resolution through electromagnetic field enhancement at the tip-sample junction. Combined with a scanning tunneling microscope, the instrument enables simultaneous optical and topographic imaging. This was the first demonstration of this type of near-field microscopy in Argentina, and contributed to the first plasmonics and laser-STM studies in the country.

1J. I. Sangiorgio, D. Xie, E. Cortés, G. Grinblat, A. V. Bragas. “Plasmonic metasurfaces: enhancing mechanical modes” Matter & Light (in preparation).

2M. Aversa, N. Roqueiro, C. Borrazás, J. I. Sangiorgio, H. D. Boggiano, J. Bonaparte, A. Di Donato, M. C. Fuertes, A. V. Bragas, G. Grinblat. “Acoustic Guided Waves in MoS₂ thin flakes” ACS Applied Optical Materials (2026) 4 (7): 2235–2242.

3M. Aversa, N. A. Roqueiro, C. Borrazás, J. I. Sangiorgio, H. D. Boggiano, J. Bonaparte, A. Di Donato, M. C. Fuertes, A. V. Bragas, G. Grinblat. “Coherent Acoustic Phonons in Supported and Suspended MoS₂ Nanocavities” ACS Photonics 2026, 13 (1), 320–326 Editor's Choice.

4C. Borrazás, M. Aversa, A. V. Bragas, G. Grinblat. “Método de transferencia húmeda libre de polímeros de materiales de van der Waals” Anales AFA, 36(4), 90–94, 2025.

5H. D. Boggiano, N. A. Roqueiro, H. Zhang, L. Krivitsky, E. Cortés, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas, A. I. Kuznetsov, G. Grinblat. “All-Optical Generation and Detection of Coherent Acoustic Vibrations in Single Gallium Phosphide Nanoantennas Probed near the Anapole Excitation” Nano Letters 2025, 25, 4, 1351–1357.

6H. D. Boggiano, T. Possmayer, L. Morguet, L. Nan, L. Sortino, S. Maier, E. Cortés, G. Grinblat, A. V. Bragas, L. de S. Menezes. “Coherent Acoustic Phonons in Plasmonic Nanoparticles: Elastic Properties and Dissipation at Low Temperatures” ACS Nano 18, 46, 31903–31911, 2024.

7B. Miralles, M. Y. Paredes, A. V. Bragas, G. Grinblat, E. Cortés, A. F. Scarpettini. “Arsenic Oxidation Kinetics with Plasmonic Nanocatalysts” Journal of Physical Chemistry C 2024, 128, 24, 10017–10024.

8G. Q. Moretti, T. Weber, T. Possmayer, E. Cortés, L. de S. Menezes, A. V. Bragas, S. A. Maier, A. Tittl, G. Grinblat. “Si metasurface supporting multiple quasi-BICs for degenerate four-wave mixing” Nanophotonics, 13(18), 3421–3428, 2024.

9H. D. Boggiano, L. Nan, G. Grinblat, S. A. Maier, E. Cortés, A. V. Bragas. “Focusing Surface Acoustic Waves with a Plasmonic Hypersonic Lens” Nano Letters 2024, 24, 21, 6362–6368.

10A. V. Bragas. “The Progress of the Latin American Photonics Community, and a Brief Mention about Mechanical Nanoresonators” IEEE Photonics Journal, 15(6), 0600306, 2023.

11H. D. Boggiano, J. I. Ramallo, L. Nan, A. Litwiller, E. Cortés, S. A. Maier, G. Grinblat, M. C. Fuertes, P. C. Angelomé, A. V. Bragas. “Optical Readout of the Mechanical Properties of Silica Mesoporous Thin Films Using Plasmonic Nanoantennas” ACS Photonics 2023, 10, 11, 3998–4005.

12A. V. Bragas, S. A. Maier, H. D. Boggiano, G. Grinblat, R. Berté, L. de S. Menezes, E. Cortés. “Nanomechanics with plasmonic nanoantennas: ultrafast and local exchange between electromagnetic and mechanical energy” Journal of the Optical Society of America B 40(5), 1196–1211, 2023 Review.

13M. Y. Paredes, L. P. Martínez, B. C. Barja, M. C. Marchi, M. Herran, G. Grinblat, A. V. Bragas, E. Cortés, A. F. Scarpettini. “Efficient method of arsenic removal from water based on photocatalytic oxidation by a plasmonic-magnetic nanosystem” Environmental Science: Nano, 2023, 10, 166–177.

14G. Q. Moretti, A. Tittl, E. Cortés, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas, G. Grinblat. “Introducing a Symmetry-Breaking Coupler into a Dielectric Metasurface Enables Robust High-Q Quasi-BICs” Advanced Photonics Research 2022, 2200111.

15I. L. Violi, L. P. Martinez, M. Barella, C. Zaza, L. Chvátal, P. Zemánek, M. V. Gutiérrez, M. Y. Paredes, A. F. Scarpettini, J. Olmos-Trigo, V. R. Pais, I. Díaz Nóblega, E. Cortes, J. J. Sáenz, A. V. Bragas, J. Gargiulo, F. D. Stefani. “Challenges on optical printing of colloidal nanoparticles” Journal of Chemical Physics 156, 034201, 2022.

16G. Q. Moretti, E. Cortes, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas, G. Grinblat. “Engineering gallium phosphide nanostructures for efficient nonlinear photonics and enhanced spectroscopies” Nanophotonics 10(17), 4261–4271, 2021.

17M. Poblet, R. Berté, H. D. Boggiano, Y. Li, E. Cortés, G. Grinblat, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas. “Acoustic Coupling between Plasmonic Nanoantennas: Detection and Directionality of Surface Acoustic Waves” ACS Photonics 2021, 8, 10, 2846–2852.

18M. Poblet, Y. Li, E. Cortés, S. A. Maier, G. Grinblat, A. V. Bragas. “Direct detection of optical forces of magnetic nature in dielectric nanoantennas” Nano Letters 2020, 20(10), 7627–7634 Nature Physics highlight.

19H. D. Boggiano, R. Berté, A. F. Scarpettini, E. Cortés, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas. “Determination of Nanoscale Mechanical Properties of Polymers via Plasmonic Nanoantennas” ACS Photonics 2020, 7(6), 1403–1409.

20F. Della Picca, M. V. Gutiérrez, A. V. Bragas, A. F. Scarpettini. “Monitoring the photothermal reshaping of individual plasmonic nanorods with coherent mechanical oscillations” Journal of Physical Chemistry C 122(51), 29598–29606, 2018.

21R. Berte, F. Della Picca, M. Poblet, Y. Li, E. Cortés, R. V. Craster, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas. “Acoustic far-field hypersonic surface wave detection with single plasmonic nanoantennas” Physical Review Letters 121, 253902, 2018.

22C. von Bilderling, M. Caldarola, M. E. Masip, A. V. Bragas, L. I. Pietrasanta. “Monitoring in real-time focal adhesion protein dynamics in response to a discrete mechanical stimulus” Review of Scientific Instruments 88, 013703, 2017.

23J. V. Pellegrotti, E. Cortés, M. D. Bordenave, M. Caldarola, M. P. Kreuzer, A. D. Sanchez, I. Ojea, A. V. Bragas, F. D. Stefani. “Plasmonic photothermal fluorescence modulation for homogenous biosensing” ACS Sensors 2016, 1(11), 1351–1357.

24F. Della Picca, R. Berte, M. Rahman, P. Albella, J. M. Bujjamer, M. Poblet, E. Cortés, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas. “Tailored hypersound generation in single plasmonic nanoantennas” Nano Letters 16(2), 1428–1434, 2016.

25M. Caldarola, P. Albella, E. Cortés, M. Rahmani, T. Roschuk, G. Grinblat, R. F. Oulton, A. V. Bragas, S. A. Maier. “Non-plasmonic nanoantennas for surface enhanced spectroscopies with ultra-low heat conversion” Nature Communications 6, 7915, 2015.

26A. Scarpettini, A. V. Bragas. “Harmonic demodulation and minimum enhancement factors in field enhanced near-field optical microscopy” Journal of Microscopy 257(1), 54–64, 2015.

27G. Grinblat, M. Rahmani, E. Cortés, M. Caldarola, D. Comedi, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas. “High efficiency second harmonic generation from a single hybrid ZnO nanowire/Au plasmonic nano-oligomer” Nano Letters 14(11), 6660–6665, 2014.

28M. G. Capeluto, G. Grinblat, M. Tirado, D. M. Comedi, A. V. Bragas. “Nonlinear excitation of polariton cavity modes in ZnO single nanocombs” Optics Express 22(5), 5341–5349, 2014.

29A. V. Bragas, M. R. Singh. “Hybrid Plasmonic Nanodevices: Switching Mechanism For The Nonlinear Emission” AIP Conference Proceedings 1590, 187–194, 2014.

30J. D. Cox, M. R. Singh, C. von Bilderling, A. V. Bragas. “A nonlinear switching mechanism in quantum dot and metallic nanoparticle hybrid systems” Advanced Optical Materials 1(6), 460–467, 2013.

31M. D. Bordenave, A. F. Scarpettini, M. V. Roldán, N. Pellegri, A. V. Bragas. “Plasmon-induced photochemical synthesis of silver triangular prisms and pentagonal bipyramids by illumination with light emitting diodes” Materials Chemistry and Physics 139(1), 100–106, 2013.

32G. Grinblat, M. G. Capeluto, M. Tirado, A. V. Bragas, D. Comedi. “Hierarchical ZnO nanostructures: Growth mechanisms and surface correlated photoluminescence” Applied Physics Letters 100, 233116, 2012.

33M. Caldarola, V. Bettachini, A. Rieznik, P. Konig, M. Masip, D. Grosz, A. V. Bragas. “High-speed tunable PCF-based femtosecond soliton source without dispersion pre-compensation” Papers in Physics 4, 040001, 2012.

34P. M. Jais, D. B. Murray, R. Merlin, A. V. Bragas. “Metal Nanoparticle Ensembles: Tunable Laser Pulses Distinguish Monomer from Dimer Vibrations” Nano Letters 11(9), 3685–3689, 2011.

35E. M. Perassi, A. F. Scarpettini, M. E. Masip, A. V. Bragas, E. A. Coronado. “Understanding the Behavior of New Plasmonic Probes with Sub-Nanometric Resolution in Field Enhanced Scanning Optical Microscopy” Journal of Physical Chemistry C 115(21), 10455–10461, 2011.

36P. M. Jais, C. von Bilderling, A. V. Bragas. “Plasmon-enhanced Second Harmonic Generation in semiconductor quantum dots close to metal nanoparticles” Papers in Physics 3, 030002, 2011.

37A. F. Scarpettini, A. V. Bragas. “Coverage and aggregation of gold nanoparticles on silanized glasses” Langmuir 26(20), 15948–15953, 2010.

38E. A. Domené, F. Balzarotti, A. V. Bragas, O. E. Martínez. “Photothermal measurement of absorption and scattering losses in thin films excited by surface plasmons” Optics Letters 34(24), 3797–3799, 2009.

39C. von Bilderling, M. Tagliazucchi, E. J. Calvo, A. V. Bragas. “Molecular orientation in self-assembled multilayers measured by Second Harmonic generation using femtosecond pulses” Optics Express 17(13), 10642–10647, 2009.

40M. Masip, A. Rieznik, P. König, D. Grosz, A. V. Bragas, O. E. Martínez. “Femtosecond soliton source with fast and broad spectral tunability” Optics Letters 34(6), 842–844, 2009.

41A. F. Scarpettini, N. Pellegri, A. V. Bragas. “Optical imaging with subnanometric resolution using nanoparticle-based plasmonic probes” Optics Communications 282(5), 1032–1035, 2009.

42M. L. Martinez Ricci, J. Mazzaferri, A. V. Bragas, O. E. Martinez. “Photon counting statistics using a digital oscilloscope” American Journal of Physics 75, 707, 2007.

43J. Zhao, A. V. Bragas, R. Merlin, D. J. Lockwood. “Magnon squeezing in antiferromagnetic MnF₂ and FeF₂” Physical Review B 73, 184434, 2006.

44A. V. Bragas, C. Aku-Leh, R. Merlin. “Raman and ultrafast optical spectroscopy of acoustic phonons in CdTe₀.₆₈Se₀.₃₂ quantum dots” Physical Review B 73, 125305, 2006.

45J. M. Bao, A. V. Bragas, J. K. Furdyna, R. Merlin. “Control of spin dynamics with laser pulses: Generation of entangled states of donor-bound electrons in a Cd₁₋ₓMnₓTe quantum well” Physical Review B 71, 045314, 2005.

46J. Zhao, A. V. Bragas, D. J. Lockwood, R. Merlin. “Magnon squeezing in an antiferromagnet: reducing the spin noise below the standard quantum limit” Physical Review Letters 93(10), 107203, 2004.

47A. V. Bragas, C. Aku-Leh, S. Costantino, A. Ingale, J. Zhao, R. Merlin. “Ultrafast optical generation of coherent phonons in CdTe₁₋ₓSeₓ quantum dots” Physical Review B 69, 205306, 2004.

48J. Bao, A. V. Bragas, J. K. Furdyna, R. Merlin. “Optical Implementation of Entangled Multi-Spins States in a CdTe Quantum Well” Solid State Communications 127(12), 771–775, 2003.

49J. Bao, A. V. Bragas, J. K. Furdyna, R. Merlin. “Optically induced multispin entanglement in a semiconductor quantum well” Nature Materials 2, 175–179, 2003.

50A. V. Bragas, O. E. Martínez. “Field-enhanced scanning optical microscope” Optics Letters 25(9), 631–633, 2000.

51S. M. Landi, A. V. Bragas, J. A. Coy, O. E. Martínez. “Avoiding photothermal noise in laser assisted STM” Ultramicroscopy 77(3–4), 207–211, 1999.

52A. V. Bragas. “Field enhancement in laser assisted Scanning Tunneling Microscope” Physics of Low-Dimensional Structures 9/10, 1–15, 1998 Review.

53A. V. Bragas, S. M. Landi, O. E. Martínez. “Laser field enhancement at the Scanning Tunneling Microscope junction measured by optical rectification” Applied Physics Letters 72(17), 2075–2077, 1998.

54A. V. Bragas, S. M. Landi, O. E. Martínez. “Laser field enhancement at the Scanning Tunneling Microscope junction measured by optical rectification” Optics & Photonics News 9(12), 28, 1998.

55A. V. Bragas, S. M. Landi, J. A. Coy, O. E. Martínez. “Spectroscopic Response of Photoinduced Currents in a Laser Assisted Scanning Tunneling Microscope” Journal of Applied Physics 82(9), 4153–4158, 1997.

Conference proceedings

56R. Berté, F. Della Picca, M. Poblet, Y. Li, E. Cortés, R. V. Craster, S. A. Maier, A. V. Bragas. “Generation and Detection of Surface Acoustic Waves using Single Plasmonic Nanoresonators” OSA Technical Digest, Latin America Optics & Photonics Conference, Lima, Peru, 2018, paper Th3C.1.

57M. Caldarola, C. von Bilderling, M. E. Masip, L. I. Pietrasanta, A. V. Bragas. “Combined Optical-AFM Microscope for Life Sciences” Frontiers in Optics, Rochester, NY, 2012, paper FTu1C.6.

58G. Grinblat, M. G. Capeluto, M. Tirado, D. Comedi, A. V. Bragas. “Two-Photon Photoluminescence from Hierarchical ZnO Nanostructures” ECS Transactions 45(5), 67–72, Seattle, 2012.

59A. A. Rieznik, V. A. Bettachini, P. G. Konig, D. F. Grosz, M. E. Masip, M. Caldarola, A. V. Bragas. “PCF-based Tunable Source of Femtosecond Pulses in the Visible Region” Nonlinear Photonics 2010, OSA, paper NTuC34, Karlsruhe, Germany.

60A. V. Bragas, C. Aku-Leh, R. Merlin. “Ultrafast generation of optical and acoustic phonons in nanocrystallites” Proc. SPIE 5725, 126–135, 2005 Invited.

61J. Bao, A. V. Bragas, J. K. Furdyna, R. Merlin. “Optically-Generated Many Spin Entanglement in a Quantum Well” Proc. 27th ICPS, AIP Conf. Proc. 772, p. 1429, 2005.

62R. Merlin, J. M. Bao, A. V. Bragas, J. K. Furdyna. “Optical Generation of Many-Spin Entangled States in a Quantum Well” Proc. SPIE 5472, 200, 2004.

63J. Zhao, A. V. Bragas, R. Merlin, D. J. Lockwood. “Observation of spin squeezing in MnF2” QELS 2003, Baltimore, OSA TOPS Vol. 89, article QWC7.

64J. Bao, A. V. Bragas, R. Merlin, J. K. Furdyna. “Optical generation of many spin entangled states in a quantum well” QELS 2003, Baltimore, OSA TOPS Vol. 89, article QThF5.

65A. V. Bragas, S. Costantino, A. Ingale, R. Merlin. “Resonant excitation of coherent phonons in CdTe_1-xSe_x quantum dots” QELS 2001, Baltimore, OSA TOPS Vol. 57, p. 67.

66O. E. Martínez, A. V. Bragas, M. Lester. “Giant near-field optical enhancement with subnanometer tip-sample distance sensitivity” QELS 2000, OSA Technical Digest Series, pp. 61–62.

67A. V. Bragas, S. M. Landi, J. A. Coy, O. E. Martínez. “Assisted scanning tunneling microscopy with visible polarized laser light” QELS 1996, Anaheim, OSA Technical Digest Series Vol. 9, pp. 51–52.

68A. V. Bragas, S. M. Landi, J. A. Coy, O. E. Martínez. “Microscopía túnel fotoasistida con resolución atómica” Reunión Anual AFA, Bariloche, 1995. Anales AFA Vol. 7, pp. 153–155.

Book chapter

69A. V. Bragas, R. Merlin. “Laser in Physics, Squeezed phonons in Solids” Encyclopedia of Modern Optics, Vol. 4, p. 280, ed. R. D. Guenther, D. G. Steel and L. Bayvel, Elsevier, Oxford, 2005.

Other publications

70C. Iemmi, A. V. Bragas, J. Torga. “Global Optics. Optics in Argentina” Optics & Photonics News 20(11), p. 14, Optical Society of America, November 2009.

Full links and citation metrics on Google Scholar · Scopus ID: 6602896140

Curriculum vitæ

Academic record

↓ Abbreviated CV (PDF)

Current positions

2026 –
present

Profesora Titular (dedicación exclusiva) current

Departamento de Física, FCEyN, UBA · Área Física Experimental – Óptica

2017 –
present

Investigadora Principal, CONICET current

Laboratorio de Electrónica Cuántica (LEC), Departamento de Física, FCEyN-UBA

2012 –
present

Directora, Grupo de Nanofotónica current

Laboratorio de Electrónica Cuántica (LEC), FCEyN-UBA

Previous positions

2017 – 2019

Directora, Departamento de Física

FCEyN, UBA

2015 – 2017

Directora Adjunta, Departamento de Física

FCEyN, UBA

2012 – 2017

Investigadora Independiente, CONICET

LEC, Departamento de Física, FCEyN-UBA

2007 – 2012

Investigadora Adjunta, CONICET

LEC, Departamento de Física, FCEyN-UBA

Education

2000 – 2003

Postdoctoral researcher

Department of Physics, University of Michigan, USA

Ultrafast optics, coherent phonons, quantum technologies, multi-spin entanglement, magnon squeezing.

1999

Doctora en Física (sobresaliente)

FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires

Thesis: "Interacciones de la luz con una unión túnel." Director: Prof. Oscar E. Martínez. Premio J.J. Giambiagi 2000 (mejor tesis doctoral en Física Experimental 1998–1999, AFA).

1993

Licenciada en Ciencias Físicas

FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires

Awards & Distinctions

2024

Mención Académica

Universidad de Buenos Aires

2023

Georg Forster Research Award

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Recognition for career contributions to nanophotonics and light–matter interaction.

2015

Premio Innovar, Nuevas tecnologías en investigación científica

Con el equipo del LEC

2000

Premio J.J. Giambiagi

Asociación Física Argentina

Mejor tesis doctoral en Física Experimental, años 1998–1999.

Active grants

2024 – 2029

Phenomenas, IRP CNRS Francia

Fonónica y nanofotónica. Coord.: Daniel Kimura

2024 – 2026

BAYLAT, Centro Académico Bávaro para AL

Generación y detección de fonones acústicos coherentes en nanosistemas híbridos

Dir. general: Emiliano Cortés (LMU Munich).

2023 – 2027

PICT-2021-I-A-00363, Agencia I+D+i

Acusto-plasmónica con nanoantenas: aplicaciones en películas delgadas y materiales bidimensionales

Investigadora responsable.

2023 – 2027

FFFLASH, Red Federal MinCyT

Fotónica integrada para conversión de frecuencias y flujo no-recíproco

Investigadora responsable nodo UBA. Coordinador: A. Fainstein.

2023 – 2027

UBACyT 20020220200078BA, UBA Grupo Consolidado

Dinámica electrónica y fonónica ultrarrápida en plataformas nanoplasmónicas

Directora.

Editorial & leadership roles

2025 – 2027

Topical Editor, JOSA B

Optica Publishing Group, USA

2026 –
present

Global Strategy Representative, Latin America

Collaboration & Engagement Committee, IEEE Photonics Society

2025

Chair, Phonons 2025

18th International Conference on Phonon Scattering in Condensed Matter

First edition hosted in Latin America. Buenos Aires, 1–5 December 2025.

ongoing

Steering Committee, CLEO Europe-EQEC

European Physical Society / Optica Foundation

2015 –
present

Co-organizer, DINAMO series

Discussions on Nano & Mesoscopic Optics

From light to sound,nanoscale conversion of energy

Active projects

Papers

Academic record

From light to sound,
nanoscale conversion of energy