James Rohan

Background

About James Rohan

My research interests include electrochemical materials, processing, device fabrication and demonstration for micro/nanoelectronics, energy storage and fuel cell applications. This includes electrolytic and electroless materials deposition investigation. The group demonstrated an electroless process for coaxial metal and alloy nanotubes fabrication.The group is also investigating mechanisms to improve electroless materials deposition and has analysed the reducing agent oxidation at microelectrodes for fundamental electrochemical data acquisition to assist with our understanding of electroless processing. A recent focus has been on the templated deposition of nanomaterials for Energy and ICT applications. This has included a mechanism to deposit Cu nanowires or nanotubes by selection of specific plating bath additives. The processing has relevance in energy storage where the copper nanotubes are converted to a lithium ion active material appropriate for micro or nano energy storage applications. I have had research direct industry collaborations with Intel, HP, Harris Semiconductor, Bourns Electronics and Pfizer. EU research programmes include the FP6 integrated project, NAPOLYDE investigating nanoscale materials processing for energy applications and smart devices and the EU FP7 project, Nanofunction I am PI on a second Irish Government funded Collaborative Centre for Applied Nanotechnology project with Intel, Moses Lake Industries and DCU investigating nanoscale interconnect and barrier layer materials for future electronic devices. My research with EIC, Harris Semiconductor, Intel, Pfizer and HP has resulted in 4 patents and a license. In 2006 I received an Enterprise Ireland Industrial Technologies Commercialisation Award. I have published more than 120 technical publications in international journals, conferences, patents and 3 book chapters.