NCPST National Centre for Plasma Science & Technology - Ireland
 

Research

Nanoscience and Photonics

Aura over FinlandThe main thrust of the research work of this programme is the study and control of the interaction of light with matter (photonics), and the ways in which such interactions are affected by extreme dimensionality in either space or time or both. In extremely tiny physical matter structures (< 1 ten millionth of a meter across, known as nanostructures) we know that the interaction of light with electrons in the material are strongly affected by the size of the structure and the interaction can be effectively controlled by controlling the nanostructure dimension. Similarly, ultra-short laser pulses (less than a billionth of a second in duration) can accelerate electrons to ultra-relativistic speeds, and heat plasmas to temperatures found at the surface of the sun. The ability to control the interaction of light and matter in such extreme conditions may allow us to explore previously undiscovered scientific territory and utilise such control for practical applications.

List of Projects within programme

Current
  • Chemical Modification of ZnO Nanowires (E. McGlynn & H. Vos, Chemistry)
  • SFI Investigator Grant .ZnO-based material systems for ICT applications. (E. McGlynn, J.-P. Mosnier & M.O. Henry)
  • ZnO nanowires for surface adhesion modification (E. McGlynn & A. Lyons, Bell Labs)
  • ZnO nanowires for bio-applications (E. McGlynn & M. Clynes, Biotechnology)
  • Flexible Polymer Displays using Cu-Ha Nanoparticles, EI POC 2005
  • Cu-Ha Electroluminesence device development IRCSET
  • Thrombigenic/Bicocompatible Costings Using PECND, EI RIF
  • Exploiting radioactive isotopes for impurity analysis of ZnO at the ISOLDE facility in CERN (M Henry and E McGlynn)
  • Time Resolved Imaging and Spectroscopy of Colliding Plumes (J. T. Costello)
  • Pump Prove Experiments with the DESY FEL (J. T. Costello and E. T. Kennedy)
  • Two colour photoionization of atoms and ions (P. van Kampen and J. T. Costello
  • Photocatalytic Inactivation of Pathogenic Bacterial biofilms on ZnO Thin Films grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition , Collaborators, J-P Mosnier, DCU & K. McGuigan, RCSI
Proposed
  • Next generation CMP of fixed abrasive pads, SFI investigator in collaboration with Prof. Gerry Byrne, UCD
  • Next Generation Nanoscale Surface Modification mount using FDR, EU Tech. Dev. Appl. 2006
  • CuCI Cathodolumineseuce (E. McGlynn & P. McNally (RINCE)), SFI RFP 2006 proposed
  • ZnO nanostructure passivation (E. McGlynn & Greg Hughes (Physics)), SFI RFP 2006 proposed
  • Laser plasma driven stagnation layers as high density sources of atoms and molecules for materials science (J. T. Costello and J-P. Mosnier), SFI RFP 2006

Technical Overview

The Materials, Photonic and Nanotechnology strand of the NCPST has a broad research activity in the growth, characterisation, processing and utilisation of photonic and opto-electronic materials and nanostructures, in addition to study of the generation and utilisation of laser-produced plasmas and their properties in the visible, UV, VUV and x-ray, including spatial mapping and time-resolved behaviour. The materials and nanostructure effort is particularly centred on wide bandgap inorganic semiconductors such as ZnO, GaN, CuCl and also in the area of electronic materials such as Si and SiGe.

Structure and Personnel

The MPN consists of 3 research groups within the NCPST, namely the Semiconductor Spectroscopy Laboratory (SSL), the Centre for Laser Plasma Research (CLPR) and the Nanomaterials Processing Laboratory (NPL, jointly with RINCE). The SSL research effort under the MPN strand is led by Prof. Martin Henry and Dr. Enda McGlynn, the CLPR by Prof. John Costello, Dr. Jean-Paul Mosnier, Prof. Eugene Kennedy and Dr. Paul van Kampen and the NPL by Dr. Stephen Daniels and Prof. Patrick McNally. The details of the current research staff numbers in the MPN may be found in the appendices accompanying this document.

Internal DCU Collaborations

The SSL (EMcG and MOH) and CLPR (JPM) have a long standing collaboration on the utilisation of laser . produced plasmas in pulsed laser deposition of wide bandgap semiconductors such as GaN and lately, ZnO, and this collaboration is funded by a number of grants including an SFI Investigator award. The SSL (EMcG and MOH) also collaborate with the Microelectronics Research Laboratory in RINCE and Prof. Han Vos in NCSR. The TFMRL collaborates extensively with both the Microelectronics Research Laboratory in RINCE and the Plasma Research Laboratory in NCPST.

Scientific Outputs

The main scientific output of the research programme is the production of highly qualified postgraduate (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) students, with a detailed expertise in the areas of materials, photonics and nanotechnology, areas which underpin the future growth of many technologies, including optical data storage and retrieval, display technology, environmentally sound lighting solutions and many others. The other major scientific outputs of the research programme consist of refereed publications in high quality international scientific journals, presentations at conferences, book chapters and other scientific communications, all of which raise the international profile of Ireland as a centre of competence in this field. The details of postgraduate degrees awarded over the past 5 years to students from the MPN is listed in the educational outputs section below, while the research output is detailed in appendix 11 of the review document.

Educational Outputs

The main educational output of the research programme is in the education of research postgraduate students and this output continues to be developed in line with best practice in the evolution of the M.Sc./Ph.D. education in Irish universities based on national priorities concerning 4th level training and education through research. Over the past 5 years a total of 14 Ph.D. and 5 M.Sc. graduates have been produced by the MPN research theme.

In addition to these 4th level educational benefits, the programme also provides educational outputs at the undergraduate and other levels. Undergraduate education is provided mainly through the provision of final year B.Sc. and taught Master.s project work, enabling such students to use the research equipment in the MPN laboratories and interact with the postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers during their project work. Undergraduate placements for 2nd and 3rd year students (e.g. INTRA placements) are also provided. Over the past 5 years a wide range of 4th year and taught Master.s projects have been conducted in the MPN laboratories. The research activities of the staff in the MPN feed into a range of undergraduate modules in various Schools in DCU, particularly as final year specialist elective modules.

In addition the MPN actively participates in a range of educational outreach activities at the secondary level such as the SFI-supported UREKA/STARS undergraduate/secondary teacher research placements, engaging both 3rd and 2nd level students and teachers, respectively, in the research process. Involvement of undergraduates and secondary teachers in the education-research continuum is an influential way to interest future generations in science and engineering and to secure Ireland.s scientific development in the long term. In particular, such participation can very positively address the major disconnect we are currently experiencing between the numbers of students who study sciences for Leaving Certificate and those who chose to carry on to study science and engineering at university. A number of STARS/UREKA placements have been hosted by the MPN over the past 5 years, and this activity will be continued in line with the plans discussed in section 9.4 of this document.

Commercial Outputs

The research of the MPN is predominantly basic research in a variety of applied areas, and as such the primary indicators of our work remain scientific and educational excellence, as detailed in previous sections. However, our research programme is strongly aligned with designated areas key to national development and will contribute to the knowledge base on these priority subjects.

In particular, this research has great value in terms of enabling DCU and Ireland to develop a world leading expertise and reputation in crucial areas of materials science, photonics and nanotechnology. The then Minister for Enterprise & Employment said, during a Dail debate in 2003: "Enterprise Ireland (has) also developed strategies for the establishment and implementation of new sector businesses such as photonics, nanotechnology, biotechnology and consumer foods.. (http://www.gov.ie/debates-03/3Jul/Sect7.htm). Enterprise Ireland report that there are currently 11 Irish client companies working in photonics and 15 start-ups and 120 researchers. Their goal is to increase the number of researchers up to 300 and to double the funding available.

Topics such as materials science, photonics and nanotechnology are also areas of strategic national interest within the ICT focus and our research is strongly aligned with designated areas key to national development and will contribute to the knowledge base on these priority subjects.

While our main aims and outputs are scientific and educational all researchers in the MPN strand are acutely aware of the safeguarding of IP in the modern research environment and the need to catalyse interactions between the university researchers and photonics/nanotechnology companies which can potentially leverage economic benefit for the country through technical product innovation based on our scientific results. Hence, as well as the dissemination of our results through the normal channels of publication and conferences, we carefully examine our outputs and seek IP protection for potentially applicable outcomes (in partnership with the DCU Invent Centre).

One particularly notable achievement in this regard is that a member of the MPN team members (Stephen Daniels) has established a number of technology-based campus companies, including one recipient (Lexas Research) of the Mallin Entrepreneur award in 2005 (http://www.dcu.ie/news/2005/dec/s1205j.shtml).