Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology at the University of Glasgow brings together the expertise of more than 70 academics across a range of academic disciplines, to influence the emergent technologies of the 21st century.

We specialise in multi-disciplinary research and development in four key areas:

• nanotechnology for medical and biotechnology;
• fabrication and characterisation of nanoscale technologies;
• nanotechnology for structural and functional materials; and
• nano-electronics and opto-electronics.

The University has been pushing the frontiers of nano-scale technologies forward for more than 30 years. Transcending the traditional subject boundaries of physics, chemistry, engineering, biology and earth science, our work is highly interdisciplinary and has established a number of world records in nano-scale science and technology.

Nanotechnology expertise

Key expertise at Glasgow University in the area of nanoscale science and technology can be divided into the following research themes.

1. Nano-Electronics and Opto-electronics
These groups deliver world-leading fundamental and commercially driven research in nanofabrication; electronic materials and devices; micro- and nano-mechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS); electronic circuits and systems; integrated sensors; RF and terahertz technologies. Key areas include ultrafast tunable lasers, integrated optics, optical sensing applications, modelling, nano-CMOS devices, ultrafast transistors and Terahertz microtechnology.

2. Structural and functional materials
Expertise and interests in this area span from nanoscale chemistry, self assembly systems, heterogeneous catalyst, composites, novel inorganic nanomaterials, magnetic materials and surface engineering. All as these research areas are supported by access to specialist processing and characterisation equipment.

3. Fabrication, characterisation and tools for nanotechnology
The University's strengths in the core technologies of Electron Beam Lithography, Molecular Beam Epitaxy, Plasma Processing and Nanocharacterisation are key to supporting the wide range of Nanotechnology activities.  These core capabilities have been developed over 30 years and the University's state of the art facilities enable the researchers to push the boundaries of Nanotechnology. Many of these facilities are housed within our James Watt Nanofabrication Centre, which is 750m2 of cleanroom space. Additional characterisation equipment includes, X-ray diffraction, XPS, AFM, TEM, SEM, Mass Spectrometry, NMR, Chromatography, Laser facilities and various catalytic reactor assemblies.

4. Medical and Biotechnology
The University of Glasgow’s capability in Physical Sciences & Engineering Nanotechnologies together with the strengths in Clinical Medicine, Biomedical and Life Sciences and Veterinary Medicine places us in a position to deliver exciting new Nanomedical technologies. Key research themes are, biosensors, cell engineering and nanomedicine

For more information about our work in Nanotechnology, click on one of the research stories in the right hand column, visit the group website or contact:

Neil Bowering

+44 (0) 141 330 8688

N.Bowering@enterprise.gla.ac.uk