School of XFEL and Synchrotron Radiation Users – SFEL 2022

E-book

Vladimír Komanický

The aim of this textbook is to acquaint students in physics, chemistry and material science on both undergraduate and graduate level, with the techniques used to prepare micro-electromechanical devices, nanoobjects and nanostructures using the so called top down methodologies. The is no requirement for this course to pass any prior courses. The introduction part of the text defines the forces that affect nanoobjects and the interactions between them. Reader can understand in detail why properties of nanomaterials and nanostructures are so different when comprared to their macroscopic counterparts. Text gives also an overview of thin film preparation technologies as precursors for the preparation of nanostructures. The main emphasis in Volume I is on conventional lithographic technologies for the preparation and shaping of nanostructures, methods for characterization of thin films, nanoparticles and nanomaterials. Unconventional lithographic methods will also be discussed in the prepared upcoming Volume II. Student will also get acquainted with the applications of nanostructures in research focused on nanophysics, nanocatalysis and nanoelectronics. The textbook is used as a study material for the course ÚFV / MPN / 14 - Methods of preparation and characterization of nanostructures. Part of the course is also a laboratory exercise in which the student gets acquainted with the techiques used for the preparation and characterization of thin films and top-down technologies used for the preparation of nanostructures.

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Katarína Cechlárová (ed.)

This year, the Student Scientific Conference was held on April 24, 2019, across 17 sections in disciplines such as biology and ecology, chemistry, physics, geography, mathematics, informatics, and their didactics. Bachelor’s and master’s students presented a total of 124 contributions. The most successful participants advanced to national or traditional Czech-Slovak student scientific showcases in fields like physics, chemistry, mathematics, informatics, and mathematics didactics.

In addition to faculty students, 10 high school students participated outside the competition. They were invited based on their achievements in subject-specific Olympiads or because they were already engaged with the faculty under the guidance of dedicated teachers in laboratory work as part of their preparation for future studies. The day also featured a programming competition with 23 participants, an IHRA contest involving 16 teams of high school students and 15 teams from elementary schools, and a new Puzzle section where 72 high school students from the region competed.

The abstracts from the Student Scientific Conference demonstrate that our faculty's students not only absorb theoretical knowledge delivered in lectures but also actively engage in solving partial scientific problems that align with research objectives at the institutes of PF UPJŠ. This collection serves as both a record of scientific activity at the faculty and a dignified presentation for the broader public.

Prof. RNDr. Katarína Cechlárová, DrSc.

Vice-Dean for Education

Doc. RNDr. Gabriel Semanišin, PhD.

Dean of the Faculty

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Jozef Bednarčík

Crystallography deals with discerning the arrangement and bonding of atoms in crystalline solids. Almost immediately after their discovery, X-rays began to be used to study the internal structure of substances.

The first chapter of this textbook deals with the basic concepts of crystallography. At the beginning, crystalline solids are characterized. In the next section, the basic types of bonds and their characteristics are briefly presented. The main subject of this chapter is the interpretation of basic concepts such as symmetry operations, translational periodicity, grid, elementary cell. Spatial lattices and crystal systems are presented. At the end of this chapter, attention is paid to the description of individual types of defects in crystal structures. In the second chapter, the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom is presented. Individual quantum numbers and their meaning are given.

Next, energy levels and allowed transitions within an atom with multiple electrons are described. The second chapter concludes with the characterization of the basic absorption and emission processes. The third chapter is devoted to the production of X-ray radiation and its properties. Sources of X-ray radiation and a description of their operation are presented.

Interaction of X-ray radiation with matter, absorption and detection of X-ray radiation are the subject of the last part of this chapter.

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Ivana Šišoláková - Radka Gorejová - Jana Shepa - Renáta Oriňaková

The university textbook "Advanced Electrochemical Methods" is a teaching aid intended for master's or doctoral students studying electrochemical subjects at the Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice.

These textbooks follow and further develop textbooks focused on the basic electrochemical methods currently used in modern research. The presented teaching texts are processed in sixteen clear chapters, where they provide a theoretical principle and derivation of electrochemical processes and mechanisms in individual methods. Teaching texts also consist of practical laboratory exercises, in which students can try out the real application of the studied electrochemical methods.

The practical tasks are focused primarily on the demonstration of research that is carried out at our workplace. Students will be able to try, for example, electrochemical modification of the electrode surface, preparation of electrochemical sensors for the determination of analytes, preparation and characterization of a dye-sensitized solar cell or electrochemical evolution of hydrogen.

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Andrea Morovská Turoňová - Renáta Oriňaková - František Kaľavský 

The university textbooks "Practical Exercises in Physical Chemistry" are intended as teaching literature for students of the 2nd year of the Chemistry study program and the 3rd year of the interdisciplinary study program at the Faculty of Science of the Pavel Jozef Šafárik University in Košice.

The three chapters summarize the basic knowledge of thermodynamics, electrochemistry and kinetics, the next chapter deals with the measurement of some other physico-chemical quantities. The tasks developed on the basis of cooperation with the Criminalistics and Expertise Institute of the Police in Košice, which also participates in the innovation of practical teaching, are also very attractive and interesting for students. Thematic units are updated and supplemented by new knowledge, principles as well as detailed working procedures using new instrumentation.

The aim of laboratory exercises in physical chemistry is to illustrate and confirm the physicochemical laws and correlations that apply to the quantitative description of chemical phenomena. Students will learn to use instruments and equipment that occur in physico-chemical laboratories, they will learn the principles of accurate and correct quantitative measurement of physical quantities, important from a chemical point of view. They can also develop professional and scientific communication skills, and we want to support their creative approach to making measurement protocols.

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E-publication

Beáta Valkay ed.
Ivana Slepáková-Andrej Mock a kol.

The publication EFFUSE – River Landscape, Volume 2: Guidelines for Experts, developed within the EFFUSE project, is intended for professionals in the field of environmental sciences. It provides recommendations for research in river landscapes and highlights their importance for understanding ecological processes. The text presents bioindicators as a key tool for assessing landscape health and biodiversity conservation. A dedicated section explains why studying river landscapes as natural laboratories is essential. The publication also includes a practical manual for the Olympus DSX-1000 High End Model microscope, expanding opportunities in scientific education and research. In this way, it combines theoretical guidelines with modern technologies that enhance environmental knowledge.

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Miroslav Almáši  Nikolas Király   eds.

The conference proceedings of Porous Materials for Environmental Applications 2026 represent a collection of scientific and professional contributions presented at the international scientific conference held on 15–19 March 2026 in Białka Tatrzańska (Poland). The conference focused on current trends in the research of porous materials and their applications in environmental, catalytic, energy-related, and biomedical fields. The event provided an interdisciplinary platform for the exchange of the latest scientific knowledge in the design, synthesis, characterization, and practical utilization of porous materials.

Particular attention was devoted to their application in adsorption and separation processes, heterogeneous catalysis, photocatalysis, energy storage and conversion, as well as in biological and medical applications. The published abstracts reflect current challenges related to sustainable development, green technologies, and advanced materials solutions. The proceedings offer a comprehensive overview of the current state of porous materials research at the international level and document the dynamic development of this field with significant overlap into environmental chemistry, materials science, and chemical engineering.

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Zuzana Vargová - Miroslav Almáši (eds.)

Proceedings of Abstracts from the 3rd Conference Advances in Inorganic Chemistry (Levoča, June 17–21, 2018)

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Andrej Mock

The structure of the animal body is extremely varied. Each species has its distinctive morphological features, which bears as a testimony to long-term development and belonging to the developmental lineage. At the same time, the body has been tested for a long time by natural conditions, resulting in unique adaptations to the environment and life strategy. Despite this admirable variety - which includes both recent and fossil animals and which we have far from mapped – a comparison of body parts brings knowledge we can generalize: the main building principles, and boundaries within which phenotypic diversity is realized.

Comparative animal morphology today uses the latest methodological material and knowledge from other disciplines, from genetics, molecular biology and experimental embryology, through progressive imaging methods (e.g. electron microscopy, computer micro-tomography) and the possibilities of subsequent software processing of image material (measurement, staining, etc.) to the view of physics, chemistry, statics and geometry on the structures (to nanostructures) of the living body. Detailed knowledge of historical and contemporary conditions on Earth is an important interpretative context in the study of animal morphology. Surprisingly, the knowledge accumulated after centuries of research is now rapidly supplemented by new knowledge, and often the traditional knowledge is subsequently reinterpreted. Finally, and no less important, in studying animal (and human) morphology, we learn surprising knowledge about ourselves.

The author of the presented textbook had the ambition in a simplified form to introduce the reader, especially the student of biological studies, into a dynamic and fascinating scientific discipline, as the current comparative animal morphology is.

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Lucia Andrezálová, Zdeňka Ďuračková,Mária Chomová,Vladimír Jakuš, Miriam Ježovičová, Jana Muchová, Zuzana Országhová,Ingrid Žitňanová

Chemistry and biochemistry at medical faculties are integral parts of basic theoretic knowledge of contemporary graduate. Educational book “Textbook of Medical Chemistry” is destined to students of study branches General Medicine and Dentistry for the course “Medical Chemistry”.

It is structured into 13 chapters concerning several topics: general and physical chemistry, organic chemistry, chemistry of natural substances (static biochemistry), enzymology and oxidative stress.

Individual chapters provide comprehensible explanation of the fundamentals of physico-chemical, chemical and biochemical relationships applying in living systems as well as the knowledge of the structure of biologically important molecules (simple molecules and macromolecules) related to their properties and biological function.

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Rudolf Gális

The presented work provides basic knowledge of astronomy and astrophysics in a completely new multimedia format. The scope of the knowledge presented is mainly focused on stellar astrophysics and supplemented by cosmology beyond the title of the work.

A new approach in this work is the large proportion of visual materials, graphs, and video clips, contrasted with the brevity of the accompanying text. Such a form of presenting knowledge in this field is unprecedented in Slovakia, and therefore this work can be considered a completely innovative piece. It should be emphasized that the engaging form of the presented knowledge does not come at the expense of its content. The work contains all the necessary information that a physics student, especially one with a pedagogical focus, should master. The work can also be an invaluable aid to teachers in secondary and even primary schools, as well as professional astronomers in popularizing astronomical knowledge.

This suggests that the work covers a relatively wide range of needs at various institutions dealing with astronomy, from universities, through faculties of education and grammar schools, to observatories, planetariums, and astronomy clubs.

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E-book

Alena Gessert

Caves have always been very specific places throughout history. In some cultures, they served as sites for sacrifices or remembrance, while in others, they were seen as places where one could cross to the "other side of life." People used caves for shelter, as places to leave messages, to wait out bad weather, and in some cases, even lived in them. During wars in our region, entire families or villages would hide from enemies in caves, or they would use them to conceal weapons.

Today, in most countries, caves are destinations for tourists who want to experience something new and unknown: darkness, high humidity, and the fascinating beauty of underground formations. They are also sought after by cavers who long to explore caves, enter worlds where no human has set foot before, find evidence of previous habitation, or conduct research that continually advances our knowledge.

In the publication you are holding, we present both traditional and less conventional topics about the formation of karst and caves, selected ecological aspects, maps and their creation, significant caves of the world, and the life of people in such areas. We also offer an overview of important karst locations that are definitely worth learning more about or visiting in person. This publication is intended for readers among pupils, students, teachers, and the general public, and we believe it will draw you into this mysterious world.

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Matúš Harminc

Učebný text je určený poslucháčom medziodborového štúdia v kombinácii s matematikou, jednoodborového štúdia matematiky ako aj rozširujúceho štúdia matematiky. Je zameraný na základné poznatky o deliteľnosti celých čísel, kongruenciách a aritmetických funkciách.

Autor

E-publication
Soňa Király

The Book of Abstracts of the institutional conference Novel Trends in Chemistry, Research and Education 2025 consists of 88 contributions that reflect the current scientific direction and disciplinary diversity of chemical research at our faculty. The publication is divided into several chapters, including abstracts of 6 invited lectures, 4 plenary lectures, and thematically oriented sessions covering a broad spectrum of chemical disciplines. A total of 78 abstracts are included within the sections.

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Danica Sabolová

This university textbook is intended for students of the Faculty of Science of the University of Applied Sciences in Košice who have enrolled in practical exercises in Biotechnology, but also for all other students who are interested in learning about the practical applications of biotechnology.

The aim of the practical course is to familiarize students with basic biotechnological methods and their applications. The students will verify in practice the theoretical knowledge acquired in the Biotechnology lectures such as the course of fermentation processes, wine production, preparation of fermented milk products and cheese, preparation of culture media, inoculation and cultivation of microorganisms, etc. The practical exercises also include the use of analytical and spectral methods, which are an integral part of biochemistry.

The scripts are published only in electronic form and are available on the University's website: http://kosice.upjs.sk/~kbch/sk, for the reason that it will always be possible to update and modernize the content of the laboratory exercises.

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Mária Ganajová - Jozef Hanč - Ivana Sotáková - Petra Letošníková (eds.)

The International Conference on Research in Didactics of the Science – DidSci+ 2022, continues in the educational legacy of the successful series of the previous DidSci conferences held from 2004 in Krakow, Prague, Brno, or Trnava. The DidSci+ conferences present a platform for enduring international cooperation, focusing on the frontiers and current challenges in science education research. This special edition of DidSci conferences, celebrating its 10th anniversary, was held in Košice, at the Faculty of Science of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University, from June 26 to 29, 2022. The careful double-blind review process has led to two major publications offering a comprehensive look at the latest advances in STEM and science subjects education. The first volume of selected papers is published as the IOP Conference Series proceedings, Vol. 3037 with open access at https://iopscience.iop.org/issue/1742-6596/3037/1, and is primarily devoted to STEM education, assessment, evaluation, feedback strategies, and teacher development. The second volume of selected papers, published by ŠafárikPress, focuses more on curriculum development, educational innovation, and digital technologies, primarily in chemistry and biology. Both publications are intended for a wide audience, including in-service and pre-service teachers of science subjects, university students in scientific disciplines, researchers in science education, professionals in pedagogical and methodological centers, curriculum developers, and textbook authors.

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