Carlos Garcia Nuñez, PhD

Brief Bio

In 2009, I received a B.S. degree in Physics from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM). One year later, I finished a M.S. in Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology at the Department of Applied Physics (UAM). In 2010, I joined the research group of Electronics and Semiconductors (ELySE) at UAM, and one year later I became a Research Fellow (Spanish FPI MINECO Fellowship) at ELySE. Between 2012 and 2013, I carried out two visiting researches for three months at The University of Alabama under the supervision of Prof. Patrick Kung (characterization of GaAs nanowires by TEM and Raman spectroscopy), and The Walter Schottky Institut (fabrication of functionalized ZnO nanowires based liquid gate field-effect transistors) under the supervision of Dr. Jose Antonio Garrido. In July of 2015, I obtained a Ph.D in Physics (summa "cum laude") entitled "Contribution to the Development of Electronic Devices Based on Zn3N2 Thin Films, and ZnO and GaAs Nanowires." In October of 2015, I joined Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) group at the University of Glasgow (led by Prof. Ravinder Dahiya), as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant. During this period, I investigated contract-printing of semiconductor nanowires for flexible electronics and tactile sensitive electronic-skin (e-skin) for robotics. In December of 2017, I joined Micromanipulation Research Group at the University of Glasgow (led by Dr. Steven Neale) to investigate the assembly of high dielectric nanostructures by optoelectronic tweezers for energy storage applications such as supercapacitors.

In August 2018, I became a Lecturer in Physics at the University of the West of Scotland and joined to the Institute of Thin Films, Sensors and Imaging (TFSI) led by Prof. Des Gibson. At this time, I became Affiliate Lecturer at the University of Glasgow, working in collaboration with Micromanipulation Research Group.

Since 2011, I have published above 30 articles – 18 as the first author – in peer-reviewed Journal Articles and International Conference Proceedings, 1 Book Chapter and 1 Intellectual Property (see Publications Tab). I regularly assist to international conferences to give lectures and present posters (so far, 2 per year). I have actively participated in multidisciplinary research projects, including the fabrication and characterization of sensors, biosensors and thin film transistors (TFTs) based on earth-abundant materials such as Zn3N2, IR/VIS/UV photodetectors based on zinc oxide (ZnO) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) nanowires (NWs), and III-V multi-band photovoltaic cells. Above applications were fabricated mainly in radio-frequency magnetron sputtering and chemical beam epitaxy (CBE) system.

 

Research Interest

My current multidisciplinary research interest comprises the development of Energy Systems, including low-power sensors (UV photodetectors, touch sensors, e-skin), energy harvesting and energy storing devices for Self-powered Wearable Systems and Flexible Electronics mainly for Robotics and Prosthesis.

I am working actively in the:

1. synthesis and characterization of semiconductor nanowires.

2. integration of semiconductor nanowires over large areas and on conventional and non-conventional flexible substrates, through contact-printing and dielectrophoresis approaches, for developing UV photodetectors.

3. large-area transfer of single-layer graphene on flexible and stretchable substrates.

4. patterning of single-layer graphene by laser-cutting and blade-cutting for developing capacitive touch sensors.

5. integration of graphene-based e-skin on robotic limbs for controlled grabbing of soft and rigid objects.

6. integration of e-skin + photovoltaic cells + supercapacitors for realizing a fully self-powered e-skin.

 

Expertise

I have significant expertise and background in multidisciplinary fields including physics, chemistry and engineering:

1. Nanowire synthesis by chemical beam epitaxy (CBE) and vapor phase transport (VPT).

2. Nanowire integration by contact-transfer printing, roll-printing, and dielectrophoresis.

3. Micro- and nano-fabrication in clean room of electronic devices (gas-, liquid-, and light sensors based on single and multi-nanowires).

4. Growth and characterization of semiconductor materials (earth-abundant and III-V materials).

5. Fabrication and characterization of capacitive touch sensors and e-skin based on graphene.

 

You can find more details about my research career and skills in my full cv here below.