The Intelligent Nano-Surfaces group researches fabrication of and applications for patterned surfaces. The patterns are inspired by nature—the moth eye for antireflection, the lotus leaf for hydrophobicity— and are defined by a block co-polymer process and etched into different substrates. Currently, research in the group is focused on using glass but silicon and gallium nitride have also been used. The group is led by Parvaneh Mokarian and is based in CRANN and the School of Chemistry in Trinity College Dublin.
(back, left-to-right) Riley Gatensby, Andrew Selkirk and Brian Jennings.
One of our main projects at the moment is the development of antireflective glass. Having previously demonstrated low reflectivity from silicon over a wide range of angles and wavelengths, we intend to use a similar method to produce antireflective glass. The method relies on etching pillars into the surface of the glass.
Opportunities
- There is funding available for a four year PhD studentship on bio-inspired nanopatterning—applications can be made here. Further information on the project is available here.
The group's work is supported and funded by
