Former director of the “Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla”, he is head of the research group of “Nanotechnology on surfaces” of the said Institute. He is expert in thin films and plasma technology and in different aspects of surface science and catalysis, with high experience in different methods of characterization including synchrotron radiation techniques. His current scientific interest encompasses different problems related with the growth and application of porous thin films prepared by vacuum and plasma techniques and other functional plasma coatings and supported nanostructures with applications as sensors, optical devices, wetting control, microfluidics, fuel cells and other energy related problems. Plasma catalysis constitutes at present another topic of interest.
He is author or co-author of more than 400 publications in SCI international journals and has published and edited several books and reviews on surfaces and thin film growth and numerous short publications in books and proceedings. He holds several patents on different methods of preparation and characterization of thin films and the processing of hydrocarbons by means of plasmas. This research activity has been made possible through the participation and direction of numerous research projects funded by national and European agencies and contracted with the industry. This research activity has been completed with the collaboration in the advisory boards of several journals, evaluation committees, etc.