Tyndall National Institute - Journal Articles
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Item Di-tert-butyl disulfide as a replacement for hydrogen sulfide in the atomic layer deposition of two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide(American Chemical Society, 2025-02-11) Campbell, Ian E.; Gupta, Aashi; Metaxa, Pavlina; Arifutzzaman, A.; Ma, Tao; Arellano, Paula; Duffy, Ray; Bol, Ageeth A.; Science Foundation Ireland; Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; Horizon 2020Atomic layer deposition (ALD), with its precise process control and conformality, has recently gained interest for synthesizing transition metal sulfides like MoS2, which have varied applications in low-dimensional electronics and electrocatalysts. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been used in many sulfide ALD processes; however, H2S is a toxic gas that requires expensive containment and abatement measures for shipping, installation, and storage. Herein, we report a PEALD process capable of synthesizing MoS2 without H2S. This process utilizes a Mo precursor commonly used in ALD, hydrogen plasma, and di-tert-butyl disulfide (TBDS), which is a liquid that is significantly less hazardous and expensive than H2S. It was found that the TBDS-based PEALD process results in layered, stoichiometric MoS2 with limited contamination. The TBDS-based PEALD process was also analyzed via mass spectrometry to determine the mechanistic roles of each reactant. Apparently, H2 plasma removes ligands from the chemisorbed Mo precursor, which allows TBDS to sulfurize the top layer, producing H2S and isobutene as byproducts. MoS2 films deposited via the TBDS-based process possessed fewer yet taller out-of-plane growths and similar crystal grain diameter (∼10 nm) and electrical resistivity (13.6–15.5 Ω·cm for 3 nm thick films) compared to films made with H2S. Thus, the TBDS-based process is a suitable and safer alternative to the H2S-based process for large-area synthesis of layered MoS2.Item Perspectives on decarbonisation of existing buildings in Europe(Elsevier Ltd., 2025-01-28) Gillett, W. B.; Kalogirou, S. A.; Morthorst, P. E.; Norton, Brian; Ornetzeder, M.Decarbonisation of existing buildings is necessary to meet European Union commitments to achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2050. There is no single decarbonisation solution because European buildings are diverse, have different uses and are in different climatic regions. This paper discusses choosing the depth of building renovation, selecting sustainable technologies to cost-effectively decarbonise buildings, and the potential benefits for occupants' health and comfort, energy security and increased building value. The potential for re-using and recycling building materials and components is highlighted, together with the need to reduce embodied as well as operating emissions when renovating buildings. Key actors needed to decarbonise Europe’s existing buildings include policy makers, investors, banks, financing institutions, the construction industry and the research community. In 2021, the European Academies' Science Advisory Council (EASAC) published a report on decarbonising buildings and this paper aims to bring the findings to the scientific community. Since the EASAC report was published, more research has been published on decarbonising buildings through renovation, and a revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive has been adopted (in 2024). This paper recognises these recent developments and offers a broad science-based perspective on the potential benefits and challenges of decarbonising existing buildings in Europe.Item Pen direct writing of multiplex-LFIA for detection of thiamphenicol and tylosin in milk(Springer Nature, 2025-01-09) Russo, Alida; Cavalera, Simone; Murray, Richard; Quinn, Aidan J.; Anfossi, Laura; Iacopino, Daniela; Science Foundation Ireland; European Regional Development FundTherapeutic and misuse of veterinary drugs, such as antibiotics, can increase the potential risk of residue contamination in animal-derived food products. For milk, these residual antibiotics can have an impact on efficiency in dairy processing factories, as well as economic loss, and can also cause side effects on consumer health. Lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) are gaining popularity for their ease of use, low cost and their fulfilment to the REASSURED (real-time connection/monitoring, easy sampling, affordable, specific, user-friendly, rapid/robust, equipment free, deliverable to end user) criteria. At the same time, direct writing of functional materials has been recently used for facile applications on point-of-care test (POCT) fabrication. Herein, a novel multiplex-LFIA has been developed for the simultaneous detection of two antibiotics in milk: thiamphenicol and tylosin. In contrast to the traditional automated dispensers, a direct pen writing method was used to deposit control and test lines. The response of each antibiotic was tested, as well as the selectivity of the test during cross-testing. For both antibiotics, the test was successful in distinguishing between safe and unsafe milk samples, according to the maximum residue limits (MRLs) set for both antibiotics. The visual LOD obtained was 100 ppb for the two antibiotics, and the IC50 was lower than the set maximum residue limits (MRLs).Item Towards integrated position sensors with nanometer precision(SPIE, 2023-01-11) Schulz, Sebastian A.; Beck, Paul; Wynne, Laura C.; Iadanza, Simone; O'Faolain, Liam; Banzer, Peter; Littlejohns, Callum G.; Sorel, MarcThe ability to precisely measure the displacement between two elements, e.g. a mask and a substrate or a beam and optical elements, is fundamental to many precision experiments and processes. Yet typical optical displacement sensors struggle to go significantly below the diffraction limit. Here we combine advances in our understanding of directional scattering from nanoparticles with silicon photonic waveguides to demonstrate a displacement sensor with deep subwavelength accuracy. Depending on the level of integration and waveguide geometry used we achieve a spatial resolution between 5 − 7 nm, equivalent to approximately λ/200 − λ/300.Item Ultrasonically powered and controlled microsystem for dual-wavelength optogenetics with a multiload regulation scheme(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2023-01-25) Rashidi, Amin; Zamani, Milad; Mondal, Tanmay; Hosseini, Seyedsina; Laursen, Kjeld; Corbett, Brian; Moradi, Farshad; Horizon 2020This letter presents an ultrasonically powered dual-wavelength optogenetic device that targets simultaneous excitation and inhibition of neural activities, or in a broader sense, optical stimulation in two distinct wavelengths for targeting different populations of neurons. This can be applied to a variety of neurological disorders. The device features a load regulator circuit that shares the available power budget between two μ LEDs in a power-efficient and controlled way suppressing the need for adaptive matching and overvoltage protection circuits. Furthermore, the regulator circuit is capable of detecting power burst availability on the device and generating a control signal, accordingly. For 5.25 -mW acoustic power at the device’s surface, the rectified voltage, and the total current load of the system are regulated to 2.79 V and 600 μA , respectively. The maximum chip and device efficiencies of 92.5% and 31.8% are measured, respectively. The total die area in 180- nm CMOS technology nose and the estimated system volume are 0.16 mm2 and 0.572 mm3 , respectively.