Research
I offer PhD and MSc projects on pressing engineering topics in sustainable nano energy and power electronics; such as energy harvesting using new materials and device concepts (thin films, plasmonics, perovskites), oxide materials for wide band gap semiconductors (GaN, SiC, Ga2O3), bio-sensors. The Lab is equipped with fabrication and characterisation tools, including sputtering, metallisation, variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE), electrical characterisation. Apply for postgraduate research
Materials for energy harvesting applications
Theoretical understanding, fabrication and characterization of nanostructures, which employ resonant tunnelling and plasmonics effects, for energy harvesting in THz region.
High-k dielectrics
Theoretical understanding and engineering solutions for novel high-k dielectric stacks down to the 5 nm node (2022 ITRS generation).
In particular Ge-channel devices as well as high-k oxides on GaN for power electronics.
DNA bio-transistors and sensors
Exploration of DNA bio-polymers for electronic applications, within Grand Challenge ‘Silicon meets life: interfacing electronics to biology’,
Research groups
Research grants
Portable and low-cost Mass Based Sensing of Hydrocarbons
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
February 2018 - September 2018
Dielectric engineering on GaN for sustainable energy applications
UK-INDIA EDUCATION AND RESEARCH INITIATIVE (UK)
April 2018 - March 2021
Making Sense of your Sole
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
June 2015 - January 2016
ZnO MESFETs for application to Intelligent Windows
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
May 2013 - May 2016
Engineered resonant tunnelling nanostructures for Terahertz realm
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
April 2013 - March 2015
High permittivity dielectrics on Ge for end of Roadmap application.
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
January 2011 - March 2014
Small items of Research Equipment at the University of Liverpool
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
November 2012 - March 2013
Impact Acceleration Account - University of Liverpool 2012
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2012 - March 2017
Research collaborations
Prof. O. Engstrom
High-k dielectrics
Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
Band offset measurements and defects in high-k oxides.
Dr P.-E. Hellstrom
Ge interface engineering
KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Research on rare-earth Tm2O3 dielectrics on germanium.
Dr S. Schamm-Chardon
HRTEM and EELS studies
CEMES-CNRS and Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
Research on HRTEM and EELS characterisation on rare-earth high-k oxides on Si and Ge.
Dr J. Hilfiker
VUV-VASE
LOT-Oriel Ltd, Nebraska, USA
Vacuum ultra-violet variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VUV-VASE) studies of high-k gate stacks for advanced CMOS devices applications.
Dr P. Williams
High-k dielectrics precursors development
SAFC Hitech Ltd, UK
Hitech has been strong supporter of Electrical Engineering and Electronics grants related to fabricating devices by various depositions methods (ALD, CVD, MBE) in the state-of-the-art Laboratory in School of Engineering. They have provided continuous support in terms of precursors supply for various high-k oxides depositions over last decade.
Dr V.R. Dhanak
X-ray photoelectron (XPS) characterisation
Physical characterisation of high-k gate stacks for advanced CMOS, ZnO and energy harvesting devices applications.
Prof. P. Chalker
Deposition of high-k dielectrics
ALD, CVD and MBE deposition of a number of different material systems for applications in advanced CMOS, power electronics and energy harvesting devices. This prolific collaboration has been on-going for the past 10 years.
Prof. K. Durose
MIIM and ZnO based devices
Deposition, electrical and physical characterisation of metal-insulator-insulator-metal rectifiers for applications in nantennas for energy harvesting; also ZnO-based devices.
Prof. S. Beeby
Nanorectifiers for NIR energy harvesting
University of Southampton
ALD and sputtering deposition of metal/insulator based nanostructures.
Dr J. Schubert
High-k dielectrics
Research Centre Julich, Germany
Physical and electrical characterisation study of LaLuO3 on Si gate stacks for advanced CMOS devices.
Prof. I.G. Thayne
High-k dielectrics on GaN
University of Glasgow
XPS study of high-k dielectrics on GaN for applications in power electronics devices.
Prof. A. Peaker
High-k dielectrics
University of Manchester
Electrical characterisation of high-k dielectrics for CMOS applications.
Dr A. Dimoulas
Ge interface engineering
NCSR Demokritos, MBE Laboratory, Institute of Materials Science, Greece
Research on rare earth La2O3 and Y2O3 dielectrics on germanium.
Prof. B. Hamilton
High-k dielectrics
University of Manchester
Breakdown mechanisms in high-k gate stacks by a conductive atomic force microscope (C-AFM).
Dr P. Hurley
Deposition and characterisation of high-k dielectrics
University College Cork and Tyndall National Institute, Ireland
Deposition of W for MIIM nanorectifiers.
Dr A. Santoni
XPS study
ENEA, Frascati Research Centre, Italy
XPS studies on RE-oxides for Ge channel devices.
Dr T.C.Q. Noakes
High-k dielectrics
STFC Daresbury Laboratory, UK
MEIS studies on ultra-thin high-k gate stacks.
Prof. H. Przewlocki
Internal photoemission (IPS) study
Institute of Electron Technology, Poland
Analysis and interpretation of band offsets derivation on high-k gate stacks by XPS and IPS.
Prof. P. Ashburn
SiGeC HBTs
University of Southampton
Electrical characterisation of SiGe and SiGeC heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) for RF communications.
Dr I. Alexandrou
High-k dielectrics
NanoPort FEI COMPANY, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
HRTEM and EELS studies on LaLuO3 based gate stacks on Si for advanced CMOS devices applications.
Dr O. Buiu
Spectroscopic ellipsometry
LOT-Oriel SRL Company, Bucharest, Romania
Assessment of thickness and optical constants of high-k gate stacks by spectroscopic ellipsometry technique in the infra-red energy region.