Study of exciton-polariton modes in nanocrystalline thin films of ZnO using reflectance spectroscopy. Fryar, J; McGlynn, E; Henry, M.O; Mosnier, J.-P. Nanotechnology 2005
The NCPST investigates plasma based technologies for new and improved energy production and storage.
About the Research Area
With environmental requirements there is a need to reduce carbon emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels. This alongside an increase in worldwide energy demand requires investing in clean sustainable energy solutions. We conduct fundamental research on developing energy related technologies. These include nuclear fusion energy production and sustainable energy storage options. Fusion energy has the potential to provide a sustainable solution to global energy needs and in particular provide a continuous baseload power supply which is sustainable, large-scale and environmentally responsible. The conditions required to induce a self-sustaining fusion reaction are almost unbelievably extreme: A temperature of millions of degrees must be produced. This is very challenging, but it seems to be getting closer to realisation. The NCPST is a member of the EUROfusion consortium and part of a large-scale international scientific experiment that is exploring the ability to produce commercial energy from fusion – ITER.
Alongside new sustainable energy sources, storage and transport solutions are equally important. With increasing employment of renewable energy sources e.g. wind and solar, there is a need for flexible storage solutions to handle discontinuous energy supply. Plasma technologies can be quickly and easily turned on and off and used to convert energy into fuels or chemicals. We research plasma gas conversion concepts e.g. CO_2 conversion into value-added chemicals and renewable fuels. The NCPST is a partner in the ITN PIONEER project on Plasma Catalysis for CO_2 Recycling.
Research Projects
Energy Publications
Transient enhanced diffusion and deactivation of ion-implanted As in strained Si. Dilliway, G.D.M; Smith, A.J; Hamilton, J.J; Benson, J; Xu, L; McNally, P.J; Cooke, G; Kheyrandish, H; Cowern, N.E.B. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 2005
Synchrotron X-ray topographic study of dislocations and stacking faults in InAs. Lankinen, A; Tuomi, T; Riikonen, J; Knuuttila, L; Lipsanen, H; Sopanen, M; Danilewsky, A; McNally, P.J; O’Reilly, L; Zhilyaev, Y; Fedorov, L; Sipilä, H; Vaijärvi, S; Simon, R; Lumb, D; Owens, A. Journal of Crystal Growth 2005
Synchrotron X-ray topography study of defects in epitaxial GaAs on high-quality Ge. Lankinen, A; Knuuttila, L; Tuomi, T; Kostamo, P; Säynätjoki, A; Riikonen, J; Lipsanen, H; McNally, P.J; Lu, X; Sipilä, H; Vaijärvi, S; Lumb, D. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 2006
Antimony for n -type metal oxide semiconductor ultrashallow junctions in strained Si: A superior dopant to arsenic?. Bennett, N.S; Smith, A.J; Gwilliam, R.M; Webb, R.P; Sealy, B.J; Cowern, N.E.B; O’Reilly, L; McNally, P.J. Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures 2008