AuSn and AuSn₂ thin films (5 nm) were used as precursors during the formation of semiconducting metal oxide nanostructures on a silicon substrate. The nanoparticles were produced in the processes of annealing and oxidation of gold–tin intermetallic compounds under ultra-high vacuum conditions. The formation process and morphology of a mixture of SnO₂ and Au@SnO_x (the core–shell structure) nanoparticles or Au nanocrystalites were carefully examined by means of spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The annealing and oxidation of the thin film of the AuSn intermetallic compound led to the formation of uniformly distributed structures with a size of ∼20–30 nm. All of the synthesized nanoparticles exhibited a strong absorption band at 520–530 nm, which is typical for pure metallic or metal oxide systems.

Division of Surface Science was established in 2021 as a result of its separation from the Department of Physics. Its research initially focused on the design and fabrication of metallic and dielectric thin films with tailored properties. Particular attention was also given to the analysis of their microstructures and optical characteristics. For this purpose, various deposition techniques were used, including physical vapour deposition (PVD) and spin coating. The samples were characterised using a range of techniques, including atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal optical microscopy (COM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), four point probe (4PP) method, spectrophotometry, and Raman spectroscopy. In parallel, chemometric methods were developed and applied to the analysis of experimental data. In subsequent years, the scope of research was expanded to include the synthesis of hybrid nanostructures incorporating diatom biosilica matrices, as well as materials synthesised via green chemistry approaches. Experimental studies confirmed the antibacterial properties of these materials. At the same time, research on the nanostructures was directed towards advanced analytical techniques, such as nanostructure-assisted laser desorption/ionization (NALDI) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Furthermore, the scope of research conducted at the Division of Surface Science was expanded to include studies of functional proteins. The use of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) enabled experiments with unattainable conditions using conventional sources. These studies focused on the structural characterisation of proteins exhibiting antibacterial and anticancer properties. The Division of Surface Science is currently a highly interdisciplinary team, bringing together diverse expertise to advance next-generation materials.