THIN FILM CENTRE
University of the West of Scotland
Thin Film Centre
High Street
Paisley
PA1 2BE
+44 (0)141 848 3610 frank.placido@uws.ac.uk
 
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 Prof. Frank Placido
 
Telephone: +44 (0)141 848 3610
Fax: +44 (0)141 848 3627
Email: frank.placido@uws.ac.uk
Position: Director

Interests

  • Thin film deposition techniques
  • Thin film characterisation
  • Development of commercial thin-film processes
  • Design of Optical Filters
  • Coatings for display applications
  • Barrier coatings
  • Coatings on polymer films
  • Hard coatings
  • Applications of thin films.

Brief work history

BSc (Chemical Physics) Edinburgh University

PhD (Physics) Edinburgh University

My background is mostly in  applied areas of physics, including FTIR studies of the dielectric response of alkali halide thin films/ Mossbauer effect studies of ferroelectrics/Thermoluminescence Dating of archaeological artefacts/ testing for fire-damage in concrete/Thermal properties of solids.

In the last fifteen years or so my interests have returned to thin films. Of particular interest has been the design and production of optical filters, including graded-index thin films (rugates).
 

Recent publications:

  1. Li-Jian Meng, V. Teixeira, H.N. Cui Frank Placido, Z. Xu and M. P. dos Santos, “A study of the optical properties of titanium oxide films prepared by dc reactive magnetron sputtering”, accepted for publication, Appl. Surf. Sci
  2. O. Ademosu, A.A. Ogwu, F.Placido, J.McLean and T. Ashton, “Surface characterisation of modified biocompatible nitinol alloy wires exposed to Saline and Hanks physiological solution”. presented at the Institute of Physics (UK) conference on Novel Applications of surface modification, Chester College, UK, 18-21 September (2005)
  3. O.Ademosu, A.A. Ogwu, J.McLean, M. Corrigan and F. Placido , “Electrochemical corrosion of chemically etched and mechanically polished nitinol wires in Hanks and Saline solution”, presented at the International Conference on Surfaces, Coatings and Nanostructured Materials, nanoSMat2005, Aveiro, Portugal-7-9 September (2005)
  4. F. Placido “Thin Films for Flexible Displays”, Invited Paper, International Conference on Surfaces, Coatings and Nanostructured Materials, nanoSMat2005, Aveiro, Portugal-7-9 September (2005)
  5. F. Placido, S. Moh, O. Duyar and HZ Durosoy, “Complex Optical Filters by Microwave-assisted DC Magnetron Sputtering”, in Plasma Polymers and Related Materials, ed M. Mutlu, Hacettepe University Press, 68-74, (2005)
  6. A.A.Ogwu, E. Bouquerel, O. Ademosu, S. Moh, E. Crossan and F.Placido, “The influence of rf power and oxygen flow rate during deposition on the optical transmittance of copper oxide thin films prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering”. Journal of Physics D: Applied physics 38, 266-271, (2005)
  7. A.A. Ogwu, E. Bouquerel, O. Ademosu, S. Moh, E. Crossan and F. Placido “An Extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek Theory Approach to Determining the Surface Energy of Copper Oxide Thin Films prepared by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering”, Met. And Mat. Trans. A, 36A, 2435-2439, (2005)
  8. D. Lusk and F. Placido. “Omnidirectional mirror coating for infrared aplications”, Thin Solid Films, 492, 226-231, (2005)
  9. A.A. Ogwu, T. Hellwig, D. Haddow, S. Doherty, F. Placido, K. Moellman, “Electrochemical investigation of the stability and corrosion restistance of Boron Phosphide films prepared by PECVD”, Windows and Domes Technologies iX, Ed Tustison R.W., SPIE Vol 5786, p130-136,  (2005)
  10. A.A. Ogwu, T. Hellwig, D. Haddow, S. Doherty, F. Placido, K. Moellman, “Surface characterization and surface energy measurements on Boron Phosphide films prepared by PECVD, Windows and Domes Technologies iX, Ed Tustison R.W., SPIE Vol 5786, p365-372, (2005)
  11. S. Song, Z. Ling and F. Placido “Impedance analysis of MnCoCuO NTC ceramic”, Mat. Res. Bull. p1081-1093, (2005)
  12. S. Song and F. Placido “The influence of phase probability distributions on impedance spectroscopy”, J. Stat. Mech: Theor. Exp. P10018 (2004)
  13. C.K.Lee, F.Placido, K.J.Kirk and S.Cochran , "Aluminium nitride thin films deposited by room-temperature sputtering for ultrasonic applications" Ultrasonics vol. 42, no. 1 – 9, pp. 485 – 490 (2004)
  14. D. Haddow, A.A. Ogwu,. F. Placido, “Corrosion resistance potential of boron phosphide films in a naval environment”, Windows and Domes Technologies Vlll, Ed Tustison R.W., SPIE Vol 5078 (2004)
  15. S. Moh and F. Placido, “Microwave-Assisted DC Magnetron Sputtering” 47th Annual Technical Conference, Proceedings of the Society of Vacuum Coaters, 443-446, (2004)
  16. A.A. Ogwu, E. Bouquerel and F. Placido “The effect of sputtering conditions on the optical transmission and wettability of amorphous copper oxide thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering”, CERAC Coating Material News, (Dec 2003)
  17. C.K.Lee, F.Placido, S.Cochran and K.J.Kirk, "Influence on AlN growth of different sputtering conditions", Ferroelectrics UK 2003, Belfast, N.Ireland (Apr. 2003)
  18. D. Lusk and F. Placido “Omnidirectional mirror coating design for IR applications”, 46th Annual Technical Conference Proceedings of the Society of Vacuum Coaters, 399, (2003)
  19. CK Lee, S Cochran, A Abrar, F Placido and KJ Kirk, “Performance of Aluminum Nitride Films in the 15 to 35 MHz Frequency Range for Ultrasonic Applications”,  US ONR Workshop on Transducers and Transducer Materials, State College, PA, (May 2003)
  20. Meng L-J., Placido F., “Annealing effect on ITO thin films prepared by microwave-enhanced dc reactive magnetron sputtering for telecomunication applications”. Surface and Coatings Technology, 166, p 44-50 (Mar 2003)
  21. C.K.Lee, K.J.Kirk, F.Placido, S.Cochran, "Piezoelectric properties of AlN thin films grown on glass",CMMP 2003, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Queen's University Belfast, UK (Apr. 2003)
  22. Meng L-J, Crossan E., Voronov A., and Placido F., “Indium-tin-oxide thin film prepared by microwave-enhanced dc reactive magnetron sputtering for telecomunication wavelengths”. Thin Solid Films, 422, p 80-86 (Dec 2002).
  23. I. Abdulhalim, I., Millward, S., Moores, G., Firth L. and Placido F., “Operation of Lateral Effect Photosensitive Position Sensors using Differential Time Delay Mode”. Optical Engineering,41, p3265-3269, (Dec 2002)
  24. CK Lee, F Placido, S Cochran and KJ Kirk, “Growth of sputtered AlN thin films on glass at room temperature”, Proc. IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium, 1090-1093, (2002)
  25. Placido F. and Voronov A., “Characterisation of Thin Metal Films of Niobium and Zirconium”, 45th Annual Technical Conference Proceedings of the Society of Vacuum Coaters, 266, (2002)
  26. Voronov A. and Placido F., “Transparent, conductive ITO for Telecommunication Wavelengths”, 45th Annual Technical Conference Proceedings of the Society of Vacuum Coaters, 603, (2002)
  27. C.K.Lee, F.Placido, S.Cochran and K.J.Kirk, "Perfect (002) orientated AlN thin films on glass substrates" Ferroelectrics UK 2002, Leeds, UK (Apr. 2002)
  28. C.K.Lee, F.Placido, S.Cochran, K.J.Kirk, "Highly (002) orientated AlN thin films on glass substrate", Ferroelectrics UK 2002, Leeds, UK (Mar. 2002)
  29. Lusk, D., Abdulhalim I. and Placido, F., “Omnidirectional reflection from Fibonacci quasi‑periodic one‑dimensional photonic crystal”, Opt. Commun., 198, 273-279, (2001)
  30. Placido, F.; Gou, Z.; Rebecchi, C.: “Microwave-activated Reactive Sputtering of Aluminum Oxynitrides”, Proc SPIE, 4086, 376-381, (2000)
  31. Gou, Z.; Placido, F.; “Aluminum Oxynitride Rugate Filters grown by Reactive RF Sputtering”, Proc SPIE, 4086, 791-794, (2000)
  32. S. P. McGeoch, F. Placido, Z. Gou, C. J. H. Wort and J. A. Savage, “Coatings for the protection of diamond in high-temperature environments”, Diamond and Related Materials, 8,  p 916-919, ( March 1999)
 
Prof. Frank Placido Prof. Abraham Ogwu Mr Andrey Voronov Dr Shigeng Song Mr Eddie Crossan Dr. David Lusk