Pulsed Laser Deposition

Combinatorial pulsed laser deposition

A funded PhD position is available for work in this area with an early start possible (April 08, July 08) to work on growth of thin film optical materials using our new tri-beam laser deposition system (three lasers, three targets). The ideal person would have a keen experimental interest in optical materials growth and characterisation and the use of thin film materials for waveguide devices. The project is backed by a new EPSRC research grant that also runs for 3 years.

The project leader is Professor Rob Eason, and the research fellow working on the project is Dr Tim May-Smith. Feel free to contact either on rwe@orc.soton.ac.uk, or tcms@orc.soton.ac.uk for any informal discussions. Visit our Postgraduate Research pages to find out more about studying with the ORC.

Growth of thin film waveguides by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD)

PLD is a very versatile technique for growing thin films of crystalline, or glassy materials, for use in lasers, amplifiers, and nonlinear optical applications. The technique has recently been applied to growing thin film crystalline lasers, and photosensitive glass waveguides. The project is supported within the ORC Portfolio grant, and new techniques are being implemented to further improve film quality and uniformity. PLD is being conducted with both ns and fs laser systems, and comparison between these two regimes is one of the topics of current study. This project should appeal to those with good lab-based skills, as it encompasses laser use, surface science diagnostics, modelling, vacuum technology, and device manufacture.

For a full list of PhD projects available at the ORC click here