Dr Roderick Gibson

Dr. Gibson is currently the Unit Safety Coordinator for the Division of Electronic Engineering and Physics at Dundee University, and is in the process of developing research programs in the broad field of coatings technology (for bio-medical, electronic and environmental applications). After graduating in chemistry and obtainig his doctorate in the field of theoretical thermodynamics, and before joining the staff of the Division, Dr. Gibson worked briefly in the field of electronic component manufacture. He then rejoined the University as a post-doctoral fellow in Physics in time to take part in one of the most significant developments in twentieth century technology. Working in the Spear and Le Comber group in the Physics Department of the University of Dundee from 1976, Dr Gibson took part in research activities that launched multi-billion dollar industries and the portable information age by enabling the development of practical amorphous silicon electronic devices.

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is the enabling technology for applications as diverse as solar cells, electrophotography, image sensors, and above all active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs). These displays, usually known as TFT displays from the Dundee-designed thin film transistor at their heart, have ended the century old dominance of the bulky and power-hungry cathode ray tube (CRT) and enabled the modern era of portable full colour information displays. From mobile phones to satellite navigation, from HDTV to the ubiquitous laptop, these displays dominate modern society, and in their own right form a market in excess of 100 billion US dollars. The amorphous layers in the first such TFT device ever created were actually grown by Dr Gibson. In particular his work enabled a low interface density between the silicon and silicon nitride layers, making such transistors effective for the first time.

• Ph.D. University of Dundee, Department of Chemistry "Thermodynamics of Lambda Transitions and Cognate Topics"
• B.Sc.(Hons). in Chemistry. University of Dundee

• Amorphous Materials
• Novel Coating Materials and Process

• "New dual side Cat-CVD system for low temperature deposition of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon." With S.Persheyev, M.J.Rose, S.Anthony, I.Zrinscak, C.Main. 2nd International conference on Cat CVD (Hot wire CVD) Process, Denver, Colorado USA 2002
• "The time evolution of space charge limited current magnitudes in a hydrazone-doped polyester." J. Non-Cryst. Solids Vols.227-230, 664-668 (1998). J.M. Fair, D.M. Goldie, R.A.G. Gibson
• "Evaluation of the DICE analysis method for a-Si:H p-i-n devices." J. Non-Cryst. Solids Vols.198-200, 1221-1225 (1996). W. Gao, C. Main, S. Reynolds, R. Brüggemann, J.H. Zollondz and R.A.G. Gibson.
• "The effect of hydrogen dilution on the aminosilane plasma regime used to deposit nitrogen-rich amorphous silicon nitride." J. Non-Cryst. Solids Vols.198-200, 1058-62 (1996). D.T. Murley, I. French, S. Deane, and R. Gibson.
• "Equilibration in amorphous silicon nitrides alloys." J. Non-Cryst. Solids 1996, Vols.198-200, 601-604.B. Dunnett, R.A.G. Gibson, D.I. Jones, C.H. Cooper, M.J. Powell, S.C. Deane, I.D. French and D.T. Murley.

Dr R.A.G. Gibson

Division of Electronic Engineering and Physics

University of Dundee

Nethergate

Dundee

DD1 4HN