Southampton scientists and engineers present ground-breaking research in Parliament

Researchers from the Optoelectronics Research Centre, along with peers from across the schools of Chemistry, Electronics and Computer Sciences, Engineering and Physics and Astronomy presented advances across a range of topics in engineering and physical sciences in the STEM for Britain showcase at the House of Commons.

Multidisciplinary research including particle pollution detection using artificial intelligence, electroplating for digital memories and light dynamic DNA-nanoparticle devices were taken to Parliament for the high profile exhibition during British Science Week.

Dr James Grant-Jacob, of the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC), presented his advances in the real-time identification of pollution particles such as diesel soot, wood ash and pollen grains in air, and plastic microbeads in water, by using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence to analyse the light scattered from the particles when illuminated by a laser.

Dr Milan Milosevic, also of the ORC, demonstrated his progress on an ion implantation technique for automated testing in photonics.

The technology we are developing is very promising for enabling effective large-scale manufacturing of photonic integrated circuits for the next generation of communications and integrated sensor technologies, he explains. A live demonstration will be given to the public during a showcase event at Southampton towards the end of the project.

Nanotechnology expert Dr Yasir Noori has worked alongside experts from ECS, Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy on his project, along with partners from the Universities of Warwick and Nottingham.

Our work has involved developing an electroplating technique to make digital memories, he explains. Electroplating is commonly used for plating jewelry and coins with gold and silver, however, in our project we are plating Silicon chips with a special material that is made of Germanium, Antimony and Tellurium. This material is the fundamental building block of phase change memories and has been recently shown to have applications in Neuromorphic Computing.

The STEM for Britain competition is run by the House of Commons Parliamentary Scientific Committee. Each year it attracts hundreds of entrants, of whom around a third are selected to present their work at a poster competition in Parliament.