Title of Research Group: Applied Physics Research Group

Principal Investigator: Prof. Igor V. Shvets

Institution: Trinity College Dublin

School: School of Physics

Research: The Applied Physics Research Group has a broad range of interests within the area of Materials Science, spanning the fundamental to the commercial. As part of this we study the bulk and surface electronic properties of a wide range of oxide materials with applications in solar cells, magnetic and phase change RAM, as well as displays. The techniques available at synchrotrons crucially enable us to link material performance to fundamental properties of the material, or the materials surface. This helps us in optimising the material, improving the understanding of existing materials, but also designing new materials for these applications.

Techniques: XAS/NEXAFS, XMCD, XPS, XES, RVBPES

Facilities: MAXIV

Beamlines: D1011

Group (as of 2015): 11 PhD, 6 PostDoc

Participating group members at SR/FEL/neutron facilities (period 2008-2014):
1 Ph.D and 3 PostDoc

Emma Norton, PhD student: XPS, XAS, RVBPES of p-type transparent conducting oxides (http://physics.tcd.ie/applied-physics/people/norton/)
Dr. Olaf Lübben: XMCD of Fe nanoclusters,
Dr. Karsten Fleischer: XPS, XAS, RVBPES of p-type transparent conducting oxides, XMCD of magnetic oxides (http://physics.tcd.ie/applied-physics/people/fleischer/)

Impact: The results from our studies at MAXLAB has helped us to understand one of the p-type transparent conducting oxides significantly better as it gave us insights to the material composition and order not possible with standard laboratory based measurements. These information were crucial not only in understanding the material but also on focussing onto weaknesses and limitations caused by the synthesis of the oxide. Applying this knowledge lead to a recent discovery of a new p-type transparent oxide with record breaking performance for a low temperature processed material.

Publication Highlights:
Effect of Chemical Precursors On the Optical and Electrical Properties of p-Type Transparent Conducting Cr2O3:(Mg,N), J. Phys. Chem. C 117, p21901 (2013), http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp404230k
Spray pyrolysis growth of a high figure of merit, nano-crystalline, p-type transparent conducting material at low temperature, Appl. Phys. Lett. 107, 031901 (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4927241
Self-assembly of Fe nanocluster arrays on templated surfaces, J. Appl. Phys. 111, 2012, 07B515, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3676207

Website: http://physics.tcd.ie/applied-physics/