Novel glass

The Novel Glass Group plays a central role in a broad spectrum of ORC activities, providing the next generation of optoelectronic materials, with a particular strength in chalcogenide glasses. Unlike traditional glasses made from silica and oxides, these unusual materials are formed from sulphur. Believe it or not, these glasses already find use as the active layer in rewritable DVDs, high efficiency solar cells, next generation FLASH memory, as well as more traditional infrared optics.

Our group’s mission is to explore all aspects of new types of glass for application in cutting edge optoelectronic devices. It is an active group collaborating with many other ORC research groups as well as university and industry worldwide. This strength is reflected in the hundreds of publications, large number of patents, state of the art glass making facilities and the career paths which our students follow after a post graduate degree with us.

Group webpage

PhD Projects:

New Glasses for plasmonics and metamaterials

Multidisciplinary group: Novel glass and
nanophotonics & metamaterials

Supervisor: Prof Dan Hewak

Chalcogenide glasses have the potential to become key components in photonic circuits, providing phase change, high speed switching, feedback, wavelength selection, and energy generation and storage combined with low bend radius and ultra-low threshold lasing. Many of these properties stem from strengthening the interaction of light with the material through high-Q resonances and plasmonics.  Moreover, these materials offer transmission at wavelengths far beyond the transparency of traditional glasses. 

This project targets the fabrication and characterization of reversible (electronic and/or optical) switching functionality in metamaterials hybridized with chalcogenide glasses.  You will explore cutting edge resonance switching in a reflective, IR, negative devices and explore a variety of chalcogenide glass systems, some of which are unique to the ORC. 

The project's main aim is to demonstrate a chalcogenide metamaterials device.  Research is highly collaborative and there will be opportunities to work with with our research partners in the USA and EU.

Chalcogenide Opticoelectronics

Supervisor : Prof Dan Hewak

In this project we will do what silicon did for microelectronics with chalcogenides, offering a new material platform that provides both electronic and optical functionality. We will abandon silicon and use chalcogenide materials for the integration of optics and microelectronics. The ultimate long-term objective of this program is to make significant positive advances in the synthesis, processing and application of chalcogenide glass and semiconductors in all aspects of modern optoelectronics. This innovation will be achieved by drawing in leading European research groups in optical materials, photonic device engineering, modelling, optical signal processing and nanophotonics with expected applications to include high speed communications, switching, data storage and biosensing.

Supervisor: Prof Dan Hewak and Dr Kevin Huang

The chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process is widely used in the semiconductor industry to produce thin films. For the past decade, we have been developed chemical vapour technology for a wide range of optoelectronic materials and device applications. Materials include chalcogenides, graphene, transparent conductors all of which find important application in a range of optoelectronic devices we are developing. This project will involve the development of new chemical vapour technology for state of the art optoelectronics applications

Supervisor: Prof Dan Hewak

New, inexpensive infrared optical components are an important and growing field of research for medical, aerospace and thermal imaging applications in the 3-5 and 8-12 μm atmospheric transmission windows. The objective of this industrially focussed project is to develop new active and passive optical components; for example acousto-optic modulators, infrared lens assemblies and solid state lasers. The project initiates a new direction of research, and will generate considerable industrial interest. There will be opportunities to work with University spin out companies as well as large international companies working in defence.

Other student projects are possible in a wide range of areas. If you have an idea on how new glasses can be applied, why not have a chat with us and propose your own project.

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