Dr. Gerard O’Connor

Brief Career Details

1989 BSc, University College Galway. 

1994 PhD, University College Galway.

1994 Materials Scientist, NMRC Ireland, UCC.

1996 Centre Manager, NCLA, NUI Galway.

2005 Lecturer, School of Physics, NUI Galway.

2011 Director, NCLA, NUI Galway.

 Tel: +353 91 492513
 Email: Gerard.oconnornuigalway.ie
 Website: http://www.ncla.ie/

Teaching

Professional

• Third Year PH356 Quantum Physics.
• Fourth Year EP458 Nanotechnology.
• Postgraduate Course MSc. Biomedical Engineering Sciences.
• Coordinator, structured PhD programme in Physics.

Research Clusters & Interests

NCLA, LightHOUSE - Centre for Applied Photonics, NUI Galway
Integrated Nanoscience Platform for Ireland, INSPIRE.

Research interests

Laser technology has the potential to compete with, disrupt, many other well-established micro- & nano-fabrication techniques. This activity addresses the challenge of using lasers to structure materials on scales which are below that determined by the diffraction limit associated with the wavelength of light. My research activities centres on hybrid, short pulse, laser processing of materials for nano-structuring. The terms are explained as follows: Hybrid: Enables new laser processes for nano-scale structuring using gases, liquids, sacrificial solids, electric fields etc. Short pulses: Pulse durations, ~ 10-12 seconds, comparable to electron thermalisation time in materials. Processes based on laser ablation, material removal processes, with subsequent spontaneous reassembly and deposition. Nanostructuring:  applications in preparing functional surfaces, micro- and nano-scale structures from materials.

Enquiries from research students with interests in laser–matter–ambient interactions, optics, real-time imaging, gas phase chemistries and materials science are welcomed.

For current research opportunities, please email or see here.

Selected Recent Publications

Expansion of a laser plume from a silicon wafer in a wide range of ambient gas pressures, A. N. Volkov, G. M. O’Connor, T.J. Glynn, G. A. Lukyanov, Applied Physics A, (2008) 92: 927–932

Langmuir probe investigation of surface contamination effects on metals during femtosecond laser ablation, G.O. Williams, G.M. O’Connor, P.T. Mannion, T.J. Glynn, Applied Surface Science, (2008) 5921–5926.

The mechanism of nanobump formation in femtosecond pulse laser nanostructuring of thin metal films, D. S. Ivanova, B. Rethfeld, G.M. O’Connor, T.J. Glynn, A.N. Volkov, L.V. Zhigilei, Appl Phys A (2008) 92:791-796

Controlled process for polymer micromachining using designed pulse trains of a UV solid state laser, D. Ilie, C. Mullan, G. M. O’Connor, T. Flaherty, T.J. Glynn, Applied Surface Science, (2007) 845–84

Langmuir probe diagnosis of plasma expansion in femtosecond and picosecond laser ablation of selected metals, P.T. Mannion, S. Favre, D. Ivanov, G. M. O'Connor, B. Doggett, J. Lunney, & T.J. Glynn,  Journal of Physics Conference Series, 59 (2007) 753.

Estimating spot size and relating hole diameters with fluence and number of shots for nanosecond and femtosecond laser ablation of PET, C. Mullan, G.M. O'Connor, S. Favre, D. Ilie, and T. J. Glynn, Journal of Laser Applications, 2007, 19 (3) pp. 158-164