What is the NOLIMITS Research Group at Ghent University?

NOLIMITS is an advanced research group and Core Facility at Ghent University's Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences. Led by Prof. dr. Pieter Geiregat, the group investigates and controls ultrafast electronic and vibrational processes in nanomaterials like quantum dots, metal halide perovskites, and 2D materials.

What equipment and capabilities does the NOLIMITS Core Facility offer?

The NOLIMITS Core Facility offers state-of-the-art ultrafast laser infrastructure, including Light Conversion Pharos and Carbide femtosecond lasers, sub-20 fs pulse compression (MIKS_L multi-pass cells, hollow-core fibers), broadband transient absorption from 350 nm to 12 µm, optical pump - THz probe spectroscopy, and 4K cryogenic probe stations.

How can external researchers or industrial partners access the NOLIMITS Core Facility?

Academic and industrial researchers can apply for service access or collaborative projects by contacting Prof. dr. Pieter Geiregat via email at Pieter.Geiregat@UGent.be or through the Ghent University Department of Chemistry.

Are there opportunities for PhD students and Postdocs at NOLIMITS?

Yes, NOLIMITS regularly hosts PhD researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting Master students funded through FWO, ERC, and European fellowships in ultrafast spectroscopy, photonics, and nanomaterials chemistry.

Department of Chemistry • Ghent University

NOLIMITS Research Group & Core Facility

Pioneering ultrafast non-linear imaging and spectroscopy of novel optical materials at Ghent University, led by Prof. dr. Pieter Geiregat.

Recent Publications Meet the Team

RESEARCH FOCUS

Ultrafast Spectroscopy & Nanomaterials Research Focus

NOLIMITS is a specialized research group and core facility at the Department of Chemistry (Faculty of Sciences), Ghent University, Belgium, founded in 2019 by Prof. Pieter Geiregat.

Our research investigates and controls ultrafast electronic and vibrational processes in materials structured on the nanometer scale. We explore how electrons, spins, phonons, and excitons evolve far from equilibrium on femtosecond time scales in novel optical materials like colloidal quantum dots, metal halide perovskites, and two-dimensional (2D) layered materials.

By pushing the frontiers of ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy and non-linear imaging into exotic wavelength ranges—spanning the ultraviolet, visible, short-wave infrared (SWIR), mid-infrared (MIR), and terahertz (THz) domains—we uncover nonequilibrium dynamics that govern energy relaxation, charge transport, and light-matter interactions.

Colloidal Nanocrystals & Quantum Dots

Investigating ultrafast carrier dynamics, hot-carrier relaxation, and carrier trapping in direct bandgap semiconductors such as heavy-metal-free InP quantum dots, PbS nanocrystals, and colloidal quantum shells for laser gain and SWIR detection.

Metal Halide Perovskites

Revealing exciton-polaron formation, singlet-triplet annihilation, and stimulated emission thresholds in 0D, 2D, and bulk lead halide perovskite crystals and mixed-phase thin films.

2D Inorganic & Organic Materials

Studying excitonic molecules, optical Stark effects, and non-linear light-matter coupling in atomically thin 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), CdSe nanoplatelets, and covalent organic frameworks (COFs).

LEADERSHIP

Principal Investigator: Prof. dr. Pieter Geiregat

Prof. dr. Pieter Geiregat is an Associate Professor (Hoofddocent) at the Department of Chemistry, Ghent University. He directs the NOLIMITS research group and the Ghent University Core Facility for Non-linear Imaging and Ultrafast Spectroscopy. His research is supported by competitive grants from the European Research Council (ERC), the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), and Ghent University's Special Research Fund (BOF).

Affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University • Address: Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 289 (Building S3), 9000 Ghent, Belgium

INFRASTRUCTURE

NOLIMITS Core Facility & Ultrafast Laser Equipment

The NOLIMITS Core Facility offers academic and industrial researchers access to high-end femtosecond pulsed lasers and spectroscopy systems, including:

Femtosecond Laser Sources: High-power Light Conversion Pharos and Carbide Yb:KGW lasers with tunable repetition rates and pulse energy.
Pulse Compression: Multi-pass gas cells (n2 photonics MIKS_L compressing down to 18 fs), Hollow-Core Fiber (HCF), and multi-plate compression.
Broadband Transient Absorption: UV-Vis-NIR (350–1600 nm), SWIR extended InGaAs (up to 2.5 µm), and mid-infrared (2.3–12 µm).
Optical Pump - Terahertz Probe: 0–10 THz window probing using spintronic emitters.
Cryogenic Microscopy: Attocube Photonic Probe Station with 4K vibration-damped cryostat and TCSPC single-photon counting.
Two-Photon Polymerization: Sub-200 nm resolution direct laser writing for 3D micro- and nano-fabrication.

PUBLICATIONS

Peer-Reviewed Scientific Publications – NOLIMITS

Our team publishes research in premier international scientific journals, including Nature Nanotechnology, Advanced Materials, ACS Nano, Nano Letters, and JACS.

Explore All Publications on UGent Biblio →