Staff member: Prof. Werner Blau

There is increasing technological promise in using light for transmission, processing and storage of information, often called photonics. Much progress in this area depends on the development of dedicated materials which are designed to perform specific functions such as switching, guiding or converting of optical signals. These new materials frequently exhibit unique and novel properties which, in themselves, are of great scientific and technological interest. Most basic, is the concept of designing single molecules which perform specific functions, an area called molecular electronics. This may ultimately lead towards the development of smaller and faster electronic and optical devices.

The research group combines a mixture of scientific skills ranging from chemical synthesis to material preparation and characterisation to fabrication and testing of devices, predominantly made from highly tailorable, organic and polymeric materials. Currently, the group comprises 6 senior staff and 12 postgraduate students.

Much of the work is in collaboration with major European and international industries and research institutes and is funded by collaborative programmes such as ESPRIT, COST, ACTS, BRITE/EURAM and TMR Network.

Examples of research projects include:

• Optoelectronic uses of Fullerenes and Carbon Nanotubes.
• Fluorescent polymers for use as solid state laser sources in the blue-green spectral region.
• Polymeric light emitting diodes and photovoltaic cells.
• Polymeric waveguides for ultrafast all-optical switching in optical communication systems.
• Characterisation of fundamental processes in novel materials for nonlinear optics.

Click here for  Lecture Course Notes

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Click here for Recent Publications

Click here for Abstracts from recent Ph.D. Theses

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