NIBEC has expertise in a number of areas

• Inductively Coupled Plasma RF Etch system for deep trenching as used in the patterning of micromachined devices.
• Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc: High Dense Plasma Technique for producing nanostructured copper interconnects, high refractive index materials and ultra hard nanostructured films with sub-nano thickness capabilities.
• Nanotribology; Nanoindentaion and nanofriction studies of surface modifications with plasma based processing.
• Dense Plasmas: Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc and Pulsed rf ICP reactive ion etching and deposition (providing control of nano-cluster size distribution eg: on-going work on CxNy:H)
• Electrochemical analysis: bio-cellular based system; of nanometer a-C:H and ta-C;
  

• Microcard: Micromachined Implantable Si needle with microsensors for Na, K, Ca, pH, temperature and impedance monitoring.
• Photonics: GaN deposition, high refractive index based materials; device and characterisation studies; Also photovoltic nanostructures.
• Nano-sensors. Bio-chip based devices using micro-spectrophotometers/micro-electrode; self assembled bio-selective fluids; and surface modification techniques.
• Atom beam doping of carbon materials and a study of nanostructural/electrical effects;
• Surface studies using nano-probe techniques such as AFM/STM applied to medical coatings/bio-surface interfaces and hard disc systems;
• Nanoscale Photocatalytic materials: Waste water treatment and sensors
• Pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) of nanocomposite carbon/magnetic matrices: to align with highest

• Diamond Like Carbon/amorphous Carbon/nanotubes:Nanostructured 1nm ultra thin films for tribology; high refractive index photonics; field emission; insulating/dielectric and biocompatible applications. And nanotubes as a biosensor.
• LB and Sol Gel deposition on nanostructured wave-guides for SPR sensor applications;
• Nanocomposites medical coatings;
• In-situ studies of thin-film growth mechanisms during various deposition techniques; ellipsometry and the relationship with the hardness of carbides; Studies of the evolution of the surface topography and composition during etching;
• TM oxynitrides; and carbides studies.
  

• Tissue Engineering; Bioactive materials eg: RF sputtered Hydroxyapatite Biocomposite Mixtures
• Biosurfaces: protein/lipid attachment mechanisms and the prevention at a molecular level with functionalised coatings.
• Biosensors: Immobilisation of bioselective fluids on atomically controlled thin film structures.
• AFM probe analysis of inter-atomic forces between bio-fluids and surfaces