MPRI Centralised Laboratories Gerrard Peters School of Physics 1

Introduction Centralised laboratories houses similar pieces of equipment – Better accessibility of equipment to researchers – Provides a wider scope for preparing and analysing materials MPRI Centralised Laboratories – Thin Films Lab – Furnace Lab – Sample Preparation Lab Research labs are utilised by : – Physics researchers and post graduate students – Students from other schools and faculties including; Chemistry Biology Metallurgical Engineering Mechanical Engineering 2

Thin Films Laboratory Houses various deposition systems Can deposit ~100nm thick layers of most metals (Al, Au, Cr etc,), and Organic thin film layers: pentacene 3

Thin Films Laboratory 4 PLD (pulsed laser deposition) system Hard coatings and protective layers - Transition metal Carbides and nitrides B4C, TiC, NbC, NbN, RF Sputtering system Single/Multi metallic layers, nano particles, Ti, Nb, Hf, diamond like carbon: doped & pristine Compounds: Oxides- BiFeO 3, carbides, nitrides, oxynitrides, composite oxides

Thin Films Laboratory 5 DC Sputtering system transparent conducting oxides reactive sputtering of composite oxides and oxynitrides Modification: multi-layer thin films Thermal evaporation system High vapor pressure materials Al, Au, Cr, Organic thin film layers

Thin Films Laboratory SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) with EDS attachment Large chamber (sample size up to 60mm dia x 40mm height) 50nm resolution (W-filament) Elemental surface analysis 6 I-V (electrical measurement) system two point and 4 point in air and at 50K - 325K Photoconductive experiments Photovoltaic materials: low cost Pulse measurements: C-V-t

Furnace Laboratory Carbolite tube furnace (max temp. ~1100°C) Carbolite tube furnace(max temp. ~1700°C) Sentro Tech tube furnace – 2 zone (max temp. ~1700°C) RF furnace (max temp. ~1400°C) Drying ovens 7

Sample Preparation Laboratory Precision cutting saws Metallographic polishing machines Variety of optical and stereo microscopes Facilities for working with chemicals 8

Sample Preparation Laboratory Low speed diamond saw diamond wire saw 9

Sample Preparation Laboratory Metallographic polisher Optical/stereo microscopes 10

11 Contact information For use of the Centralised facilities all initial contact to be made with Prof. Elias Haddad For more information on the facilities ; Thin Films Laboratory : Dr. Daniel Wamwangi Furnace Laboratory : Gerrard Peters Sample Prep. Laboratory : Gerrard Peters