Design & manufacture of; optical gas sensors (NDIR), Thin film coatings (optical, mechanical, semiconductor), Vacuum deposition systems

Optical coatings development for the advanced laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory (aLIGO) as part of the LIGO scientific collaboration (LSC).

KTP Associate working with Alphasense Ltd and The Institute of Thin Films, Sensors & Imaging at UWS on development of a miniature near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer for the speciation and detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) utilising Linear Variable Optical Bandpass Filters (LVFs). Project partners included Alphasense Ltd, Sensor Hut Ltd and UWS.

Appointed PDRA for IUK funded projects (No.'s 104007 and 103752) on the development of coatings for durable mid-infrared optics and for mechanical parts protection. The work involved the design, manufacture and build of a new vacuum coating system and process development on an existing system. Project partners included Teer Coatings Ltd (TLC), Helia Photonics Ltd (HPL), Orion Photonics Ltd (OPL), Qioptiq Ltd (QUK) and Shanghai Jason Vacuum (JAVAC).

Awarded funding from the Carnegie Trust for the universities of Scotland to undertake a research project with the (then) Thin Film Centre at UWS with a focus on obtaining low absorption in thin film silicon layers. This involved the design, manufacture and analysis of high performance thin film optical coatings and a Design of Experiments (DoE) analysis. Design carried out via the use of thin film design software TFCalc and experience was gained in the thin film production technique of DC magnetron sputtering in high vacuum.

Case studies were carried out on modern technologies such as Cloud Computing, Near Field Communication and Social Networking and their implementation in solving modern business problems. The course also consisted of exclusive tours of the IBM laboratories, servers and innovation centre as well as learning from experienced IBM business consultants from home and abroad about careers in business consultancy.