Group Vision

Smart Materials Group led by Dr Carlos Garcia Nuñez, is a research group within Microelectronics Lab, dedicated to the systematic investigation of advanced materials, including metal oxides, metal nitrides, and graphene, achieved through the precise deposition techniques of physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapour deposition (CVD) at James Watt Nanofabrication Centre (JWNC). Within this research domain, the group focuses on three primary research themes:

1. Sustainable Materials. The development of energy harvesting devices and self-powered sensors, exemplified by triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) and piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs), leveraging the exceptional properties of these materials to convert mechanical energy into electrical power/signals.

2. Optical Materials. The fabrication of low optical and mechanical noise high-reflectance (HR) mirror coatings, with a specific emphasis on their utilization in enhancing the sensitivity and precision of gravitational wave detectors. The development of anti-reflective (AR) mirror coatings inspired in moth-eye nanostructures for quantum sensors.

3. Nano Materials. The synthesis of wide and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor nanowires and their integration in CMOS chips for nano-photonics and nano-optoelectronic devices.

Through its multidisciplinary and formal research pursuits, the group remains committed to pushing the boundaries of materials science and fostering innovation across various technological frontiers in semiconductors, optics, photonics, optoelectronics and quantum.

Research Projects Overview

Current Projects

‘Design and Optimisation of Antireflective Coatings with Motheye Geometry Using Lumerical Simulations’ (AReye) funded by University of Glasgow – Helia Photonics Partnership PhD Programme; £60k; (2025-2028)

Moth eye – nanostructured geometries that prevents light reflection from its surface.

‘Organic piezoelectric nanofibers for implantable energy generators and health care applications‘ (FiberCARE) (2025-2028)

Piezoelectric nanofiber – Produced using the electrospinning method and coated with a piezoelectric layer through a sputtering process, enhancing its ability to generate electricity from mechanical movements.

‘Self-Powered Tribotronic Based Electro-Optical Modulators for Advanced Photonic Circuits‘ (TriboEOM) funded by EPSRC – PQA; £50k; Grant Ref: PQA027 (2025-2026)

Photonic circuit integrating an Electro-Optic Modulator (EOM) and a Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG). The system controls how much light passes through the modulator, demonstrating a way to use mechanical energy to influence optical signals in advanced communication technologies.
Thin-film deposition process captured in action – Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) creates a plasma inside a vacuum chamber, allowing materials to form ultra-thin coatings used in electronics, optics, and protective layers.

‘Investigation of new advanced materials and structures for the development of self-charging hybrid energy systems‘ (TriboSens) funded by EPSRC – DTP; £82k; Grant Ref: 01283043 (2023-2027)

Internal crystal structure of a piezoelectric material made from metal oxide. These materials generate electricity when mechanically stressed, making them useful for sensors and energy harvesting.
Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) diagram – energy from mechanical vibrations is captured. The energy band structure shows how electric charges move and generate power when different materials come into contact and separate.

‘Study of silicon nitride thin films as optical mirror coatings for cryogenic-based gravitational wave detectors‘ (CryoNitride) funded by STFC Industrial Case – Helia Photonics; £111k; Grant Ref: ST/X00533X/1 (2023-2027)

Delicate nodal suspension system used to measure the mechanical loss of mirror coatings in a high-vacuum environment. This setup helps assess the quality of advanced mirror coatings, which are crucial for improving the sensitivity of next-generation gravitational wave detectors.

Optical mirror coatings properties – (a) and (b) show the atomic force microscopy (AFM) image for surface roughness, (c) and (d) show scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image for thickness confirmation and (e) and (f) show spectroscopic ellipsometry with the optical constants. 

  • OPTIMA (UofG industrial PhD partnership sponsored by Helia Photonics) 
  • TROPICS (PQA sponsored by LHZ) 
Previous Projects

‘Investigation in Advanced Energy Harvesters and Energy Storage Devices for Self-powered‘ (FleEnSys) funded by British Council and HEC; £0.5m; Grant Ref: 20-ICRG-165/RGM/HEC/2020 (2020-2023)

‘Investigation of doped IV-VI polycrystalline thin films deposited by sputtering methods for high speed and room-temperature mid-infrared photodetectors‘ funded by UK Chancellor’s fund; £62k (2021-2024)

‘Glancing angle deposition of ZnO nanostructured thin films for enhanced ultrasonic sensing and imaging applications‘ funded by CENSIS, and Novosound Ltd; £70k; Grant Ref: S144SFC (2020-2024)

‘Study of the piezo-phototronic effect on zinc oxide based ultrasonic sensors‘ funded by Royal Society; £15k; Grant Ref: RGS\R1\221219 (2021-2022)

‘Investigation of microwave plasma-assisted sputter deposition of high-performance piezoelectric film-based imaging and sensor devices‘ funded by Royal Society and Novosound Ltd; £25k; Grant Ref: SIF\R1\201013 (2020-2021)