Paul Grey

Biography

Documentation of Prior Research Experience

Master Thesis: “Development of WO3 Electrochromic Thin-Film Transistors (ECTFTs) on Flexible Substrate”
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Luís Miguel Nunes Pereira (Mar. 2014 – Sept. 2014)
Location: CENIMAT (Materials Investigation Centre) and CEMOP (Center of Excellence in Microelectronics, Optoelectronics and Processes), New University of Lisbon (UNL), Faculty of Science and Technology (FCT), Monte de Caparica, Portugal
Topic and relevance:
I had the opportunity to conduct my master thesis in one of Europe’s leading institutions for nanoscience and nanotechnology; the CENIMAT. Being part of the I3N (Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication) this institution offers a great deal of know-how and resources in the field of micro and nanotechnology. In this institute I designed, fabricated and characterized a new architecture of inorganic electrolyte gated transistors (EGT) based on the electrochromic transition metal oxide (TMO) tungsten trioxide (WO3). The inherent electrical properties of the EC material WO3, enables their use in transistors as the semiconducting layer. The resulting device, designated as an electrochromic thin-film transistor (ECTFT), is able to work as an electrical switch and, at the same time, changing its coloration, thus exhibiting double functionality. This type of device has been successfully patented by CENIMAT. The fabrication procedure for the ECTFTs involved deposition (magnetron sputtering and e-beam) and patterning (Lithography) techniques in clean rooms and electrical characterizations with a semiconductor analyzer (Keithley 4200-SCS). One paper was already published and the submission of two additional papers on this project as well as a patent is foreseen.

Research assistant: "developing flexible field-effect transistors (FET) based on nanocrystalline cellulose"
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Maria Helena Godinho (Sept. 2013 – Dec. 2013)
Location: DCM (Department of Science and Materials) and CENIMAT, New University of Lisbon, Faculty of Science and Technology, Monte de Caparica, Portugal
This project was published in the magazine Nanotechnology (Impact Factor: 3.979). Furthermore one of the cross-section SEM images obtained from the nanopaper was used as a full page front cover image5. The work was further recognized through a number of talks in the university and also through the presentation ”BREAKING THE WALL TO A NEW AGE OF ELECTRONICS: How Micro- and Optoelectronics Lead to Transparent and Paper Transistors.”, on this specific topic, by Prof. Dr. Elvira Fortunato in Berlin 2013 during the prestigious “Falling Walls: The International Conference on Future Breakthroughs in Science and Society”.

“Fabrication of Electrochromic Displays on paper substrates: A3Ple project”
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Luís Miguel Nunes Pereira (Dec. 2014 – May 2015)
Location: CENIMAT, New University of Lisbon, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Monte de Caparica, Portugal
Brief Synopsis: The final achieved objective of this project was the fabrication of printed electrochromic displays on paper substrates for applications such as packaging. Work was conducted as a research scholarship fellow. The participation with the A3Ple project in “OE-A Competition for Multifunctional Demonstrators based on Organic and Printed Electronics” by submitting the demonstrator “Gas Detecting Safety Label A5/A0” was internationally awarded with “Best Publicly Funded Project Demonstrator”.

“Development and Fabrication of Electrochromic Transistors and Displays: SMART-EC project”
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Luís Miguel Nunes Pereira (Mar. 2014 – Dec. 2014)
Location: CENIMAT, New University of Lisbon, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Monte de Caparica, Portugal
Brief Synopsis: The revolutionary idea of combining WO3 as the semiconductor in transistors and its properties as a color changing agent in a display matrix opened paths to a plethora of new applications. One of these was the successful printing of a passive matrix display on flexible substrate (PET). Main interest was on the up-scaling of the fabrication process with large area printing techniques, resulting in fully printed electrochromic displays and transistors. The project was supported by the Grant 258203.

PhD in "Cellulose Nanocrystal Chiral Structures for Electronics and Photonics"
Supervisor: Prof. Luís Miguel Nunes Pereira
Location: CENIMAT, New University of Lisbon, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Monte de Caparica, Portugal
Brief Synopsis: Doctoral Dissertation in the development of optoelectronic devices based on cellulose nanocrystal photonic films. The ability of CNC films to selectively reflect circular polarized light as photonic filters are applied in diverse optoelectronic devices, such as thin-film transistors and photodiodes. The outcome of this work originated already three publication with another two being prepared.