Potential student research projects

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Surface forces and the behaviour of colloidal systems

We measure the basic forces that operate between molecules that are manifest at interfaces. These forces control the stability of colloidal systems from blood to toothpaste. We use very sensitive techniques that are able to measure tiny forces with sub nanometer distance resolution. Understanding these forces enables us to predict how a huge variety of colloidal systems will behave.

Professor Vincent Craig

III-V nanowire arrays for ultra-sensitive, selective, and flexible gas sensing applications

This project aims at design, fabrication, and characterisation of advanced III-V semiconductor nanowire gas sensors for environmental and healthcare monitoring.

Professor Lan Fu, Dr Zhe (Rex) Li

Nanofluidic Processing of Biological Samples for Single-Molecule Detection

Solid-state nanopores detect disease biomarkers with exceptional sensitivity, but real samples like blood are crowded with cells, proteins and salts that overwhelm them. This project designs micro- and nanofluidic chips that separate and enrich the molecules that matter, feeding them directly into nanopore sensors for rapid, real-world diagnostics.

Dr Shankar Dutt, Prof Patrick Kluth

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Understanding material defects at the atomic scale using anitmatter.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Professor Stephen Buckman

Positron interactions with structured surfaces

We are investigating novel effects and applications using positrons and structured surfaces.

Dr Joshua Machacek, Dr Sergey Kruk

Optical metamaterials: fundamentals and applications

Experimental and theoretical work on the development of novel nanostructured materials with unusual optical properties. Special attention to our research is the development of tunable and functional nanostructured metamaterials that interact strongly with light. Such materials underpin novel optical technologies ranging from wearable sensors to night-vision devices.

Prof Dragomir Neshev

Nano-Scale III-V Light Sources on Si

This project tackles the long-standing challenge of integrating efficient light sources on silicon by enabling direct epitaxy of InP/InAsP nanostructures. By engineering the III-V/Si interface to overcome lattice and polarity mismatch, it aims to unlock scalable, energy-efficient Si photonics critical for AI data centres and next-generation computing infrastructure.

Dr Wei Wen Wong, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Controlling light with nanostructured surfaces

Metasurfaces are ultra-thin nanostructured materials that can shape and control light in extraordinary ways, but to be practical they must be tunable rather than fixed. This project develops liquid crystal–integrated metasurfaces to create reconfigurable flat optical devices for dynamic focusing, beam steering, and advanced sensing.

Professor Ilya Shadrivov, Dr Yana Izdebskaya, Dr Vladlen Shvedov

Optical chirality in metaphotonics structures

Many phenomena in nature, including multiple chemical and biological processes, are governed by the fundamental property of chirality. An object is called chiral when its mirror image cannot be superimposed with the original object. Many examples of chirality can be found in nature, from seashells to DNA molecules.

Professor Yuri Kivshar, Mr Ivan Toftul

Nanofluidic diodes: from biosensors to water treatment

Controlling the flow of ions and molecules through nano-sized pores is fundamental in many biological processes and the basis for applications such as DNA detection, water desalination and drug delivery. The project aims to develop solid-state nanofluidic diodes and exploit their properties for applications in bio-sensors and ion-selective channels.

Prof Patrick Kluth, Dr Shankar Dutt

Colloidal systems in highly concentrated salt solutions

We are studying colloidal systems in highly concentrated salt solutions. Here a number of surprising and unexplained things happen that are associated with surprisingly long-ranged electrostatic forces

Professor Vincent Craig

Protein aggregation at the single-molecule level using solid-state nanopores

Protein aggregation drives neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, yet the short-lived intermediates at its heart vanish before conventional techniques can see them. This project uses solid-state nanopores to watch aggregation one molecule at a time, revealing how these diseases progress and generate knowledge essential to developing effective treatments.

Dr Shankar Dutt, Prof Patrick Kluth

Resonant metasurfaces for enhanced frequency conversion

This project explores the design and development of nonlinear metasurfaces, ultrathin layered nanostructures capable of enhancing frequency conversion. Using novel design methods, the student will contribute to fabricate and experimentally test free-form metasurfaces with optimised efficiency, directionality, and polarisation, ultimately demonstrating metasurfaces that can surpass the performance of conventional designs.

Prof Dragomir Neshev, Dr Maria del Rocio Camacho-Morales

Nanowire lasers for applications in nanophotonics

This project aims to investigate the concepts and strategies required to produce electrically injected semiconductor nanowire lasers by understanding light interaction in nanowires, designing appropriate structures to inject current, engineer the optical profile and developing nano-fabrication technologies. Electrically operated nanowire lasers would enable practical applications in nanophotonics.

Professor Chennupati Jagadish, Professor Hoe Tan

Shape engineering of semiconductor nanostructures for novel device applications

This project aims to investigate the growth of III-V semiconductors on pre-patterned nanotemplates. By using different shapes and geometries, it is envisaged that these nanostructures will provide novel architectures for advanced, next generation optoelectronic devices.

Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Specific ion effects

We are seeking students to perform fundamental research into how different ions exert influence in a myriad of systems.

Professor Vincent Craig

Laser-written nanostructures for future photonics

Use lasers to sculpt matter at the nanoscale! In this project you’ll create shimmering holographic patterns and functional nanostructures on metals and glasses, exploring their applications in photonics, anti-counterfeiting, and smart coatings—all while uncovering the physics of light–matter interaction.

Professor Ilya Shadrivov, Dr Vladlen Shvedov, Dr Yana Izdebskaya

Nanobubbles

Nanobubbles are simply nanosized bubbles. What makes them interesting? Theory tells us they should dissolve in less than a second but they are in some cases stable for days.

Professor Vincent Craig

Bottom-Up Nanolasers for Next-Generation Integrated Nanophotonics

This project develops bottom-up, epitaxially-grown nanolaser cavities with atomically smooth facets that overcome scattering losses in top-down fabricated devices. By exploring advanced cavity concepts—including flatband and topological nanolasers—it aims to deliver robust, scalable, and low-threshold light sources, redefining nanolaser technology for next-generation integrated photonic systems.

Dr Wei Wen Wong, Professor Hoe Tan, Professor Chennupati Jagadish

Terahertz polarisation optics

This project will pioneer compact, low-loss terahertz polarisation optics—polarisers, waveplates, and circular polarisers—by harnessing artificial birefringence in metamaterials to overcome the limitations of natural crystals.

Professor Ilya Shadrivov, Mr Oleg Kameshkov, Dr Vladlen Shvedov

Solid-state nanopore sensors: Unveiling new frontiers in biomolecule detection

Investigate novel nanopore bio-sensors using nanofabrication, bio-chemsity and machine learning.

Prof Patrick Kluth, Dr Shankar Dutt