Congratulations to the winners of the STS Elionix Scientific Image competition of Q4 2023!
The STS Elionix Scientific Image competition allows us to showcase the creative side of the researchers here at Tyndall. They share scientific images from their research which they have discovered to be visually striking or informative to the technically excellent.
The judges for the Q4 competition were Prof. William Scanlon, CEO; Ursula Morrish, Marketing & Communications Manager; Graeme Maxwell, Head of Specialty Products & Services and Dr Daniela Iacopino, Researcher, MNS.
The exceptional quality and creativity in the three images led to the votes being cast for the following winners: Sabir Hussain (A Ferroelectric North Pole), Yide Zhang, Yide Zhang, Artem Vorobev & William Whelan-Curtin (3D Lava Maze), Vuslat Juska & Alan Blake (Bed of Roses).
The winners are each awarded a €100 Me2You Gift Card, kindly sponsored by STS Elionix.
A Ferroelectric North Pole
Sabir Hussain, Advanced Materials & Surfaces Group (AMSG)
This scientific image was created using a Piezo Force Microscopy at Tyndall.
It was used to perform ferroelectric lithography to pole a selected area on a 5nm thick ferroelectric film.
The ferroelectric domains have been switched upwards (north) to form a Christmas tree pattern. This image was shared to celebrate Christmas 2023.
3D Lava Maze
Yide Zhang, Artem Vorobev & William Whelan-Curtin, CAPPA Group
This scientific image shows nanoscale chemical imaging using Atomic Force Microscopy-based Infrared Spectroscopy (AFM-IR). This can distinguish between similar materials that are otherwise hard to separate.
At Tyndall, unique SU-8 patterns (25x20x0.1 µm), were exposed using the Elionix Electron Beam Lithography System (ELS- G100) and then covered with a layer of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).
This pattern is crucial for investigating the spatial resolution and intensity of the AFM-IR. A chemical absorption image was recorded at a wavenumber of 1035 cm-1, corresponding to the C-O stretch band.
Bed of Roses
Vuslat Juska & Alan Blake, Nanotechnology Group
Silicon micro-technologies provide outstanding reproducibility for designed patterns. At Tyndall, these patterns have been showcased since 2015, transforming them into biosensors and bioelectronics devices.
This scientific image introduces a fresh perspective on the application of silicon technologies specifically designed for biology. It illustrates a recurring pattern, so-called "bed of roses." These surfaces are crafted for exploring the interface properties of materials relevant to the immunology of solid tumors.