Genetic algorithms for the design of planar THz antenna (2022)
Journal Article
Fenlon, V., Cooke, M., Mayock, J., Gallant, A., & Balocco, C. (2022). Genetic algorithms for the design of planar THz antenna. Journal of Applied Physics, 132, https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0120128

This paper proposes a genetic algorithm for the design of passive components operating at THz frequencies and its experimental validation using an exemplar patch antenna. The patch antenna is based on an SU8 substrate, with a binary array describing... Read More about Genetic algorithms for the design of planar THz antenna.

Tilting micromirror platform based on liquid dielectrophoresis (2021)
Journal Article
Frozanpoor, I., Cooke, M., Alvarez-Ruiz, D., Ambukan, V., Gallant, A., & Balocco, C. (2021). Tilting micromirror platform based on liquid dielectrophoresis. Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 332(2), Article 113177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2021.113177

This study presents an electrically actuated tilting micro platform based on liquid dielectrophoresis with three axes movement using three droplets situated 120° apart from each other. The interdigitated electrodes produce a non-uniform electric fiel... Read More about Tilting micromirror platform based on liquid dielectrophoresis.

Continuous Droplet-Actuating Platforms via an Electric Field Gradient: Electrowetting and Liquid Dielectrophoresis (2021)
Journal Article
Frozanpoor, I., Cooke, M. D., Ambukan, V., Gallant, A. J., & Balocco, C. (2021). Continuous Droplet-Actuating Platforms via an Electric Field Gradient: Electrowetting and Liquid Dielectrophoresis. Langmuir, 37(21), 6414-6422. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c00329

This work develops a technology for actuating droplets of any size without the requirement for high voltages or active control systems, which are typically found in competitive systems. The droplet actuation relies on two microelectrodes separated by... Read More about Continuous Droplet-Actuating Platforms via an Electric Field Gradient: Electrowetting and Liquid Dielectrophoresis.

Programmable droplet actuating platform using liquid dielectrophoresis (2021)
Journal Article
Frozanpoor, I., Cooke, M., Racz, Z., Bossons, I., Ambukan, V., Wood, D., …Balocco, C. (2021). Programmable droplet actuating platform using liquid dielectrophoresis. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 31(5), https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6439/abf032

Droplet motion has been a long-standing interest in microfluidics as it is often limited by the high operating voltages, which hampers the development of consumer applications. Forces generated by liquid dielectrophoresis (L-DEP) can enhance surface... Read More about Programmable droplet actuating platform using liquid dielectrophoresis.

Computer Aided Patterning Design for Self-Assembled Microsphere Lithography (SA-MSL) (2019)
Journal Article
Lees, R., Cooke, M., Balocco, C., & Gallant, A. (2019). Computer Aided Patterning Design for Self-Assembled Microsphere Lithography (SA-MSL). Scientific Reports, 9, Article 12849. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48881-z

In this paper, we use a finite difference time domain solver to simulate the near field optical properties of self-assembled microsphere arrays when exposed to an incoherent light source. Such arrays are typically used for microsphere lithography whe... Read More about Computer Aided Patterning Design for Self-Assembled Microsphere Lithography (SA-MSL).

Conduction mechanisms in metal/self-assembled monolayer/metal junctions (2019)
Journal Article
Etor, D., Dodd, L. E., Balocco, C., & Wood, D. (2019). Conduction mechanisms in metal/self-assembled monolayer/metal junctions. Micro and Nano Letters, 14(7), 808-811. https://doi.org/10.1049/mnl.2018.5747

The conduction mechanisms in metal-insulator-metal (MIM) junctions where the insulator consists of a self-assembled monolayer are investigated. Temperature dependence measurements from 2.5 to 300 K, show that the conduction is dominated by tunnelling... Read More about Conduction mechanisms in metal/self-assembled monolayer/metal junctions.

Metal-insulator-metal diodes based on alkyltrichlorosilane self-assembled monolayers (2019)
Journal Article
Jin, J., Wang, L., Zheng, Z., Zhang, J., Hu, X., Lu, J. R., …Balocco, C. (2019). Metal-insulator-metal diodes based on alkyltrichlorosilane self-assembled monolayers. AIP Advances, 9(6), https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5100252

This paper reports on the experimental investigation of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diodes based on alkyltrichlorosilane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with different alkyl chain lengths. The insulating SAM is sandwiched between two metal contacts,... Read More about Metal-insulator-metal diodes based on alkyltrichlorosilane self-assembled monolayers.

The Effect of Humidity on Microwave Characteristics of 2 Screen Printed Paper-Based Electronics (2018)
Journal Article
Shenton, S. A., Cooke, M. D., Racz, Z., Balocco, C., & Wood, D. (2018). The Effect of Humidity on Microwave Characteristics of 2 Screen Printed Paper-Based Electronics. physica status solidi (a) – applications and materials science, 215(11), Article 1700689. https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.201700689

This paper addresses one of the key issues in using paper electronics at microwave frequencies. As paper is hygroscopic, the varying moisture content can lead to differing dielectric and even conductive properties of paper electronics and must be tak... Read More about The Effect of Humidity on Microwave Characteristics of 2 Screen Printed Paper-Based Electronics.

Enhanced Narrow-Band Operation of Ultra-Fast Rectennas (2016)
Conference Proceeding
Etor, D., Dodd, L. E., Wood, D., & Balocco, C. (2016). Enhanced Narrow-Band Operation of Ultra-Fast Rectennas.

Photonic-Crystal Based Enhancement Of Terahertz Spectroscopy In Microfluidic Cells (2016)
Conference Proceeding
Klein, A. K., Hammler, J. M., Zeze, D., Balocco, C., & Gallant, A. J. (2016). Photonic-Crystal Based Enhancement Of Terahertz Spectroscopy In Microfluidic Cells.

Metal-Insulator-Metal Diodes Fabricated on Flexible Substrates (2016)
Conference Proceeding
Etor, D., Dodd, L. E., Wood, D., & Balocco, C. (2016). Metal-Insulator-Metal Diodes Fabricated on Flexible Substrates.

Artificial Microstructured Dielectric Layers for Terahertz Applications (2016)
Conference Proceeding
Hajji, M., Zeze, D., Balocco, C., & Gallant, A. J. (2016). Artificial Microstructured Dielectric Layers for Terahertz Applications.

Switchable Spoof Surface Plasmon Polariton Slow Light Structures (2016)
Conference Proceeding
Klein, A. K., Zeze, D., Balocco, C., & Gallant, A. (2016). Switchable Spoof Surface Plasmon Polariton Slow Light Structures.

High-performance rectifiers fabricated on a flexible substrate (2016)
Journal Article
Etor, D., Dodd, L., Wood, D., & Balocco, C. (2016). High-performance rectifiers fabricated on a flexible substrate. Applied Physics Letters, 109(19), Article 193110. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4967190

We report on the fabrication and testing of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diodes on a flexible substrate where the thin insulating layer self-assembles as a monolayer sandwiched between the two metal electrodes. The current-voltage characteristic has a... Read More about High-performance rectifiers fabricated on a flexible substrate.

Free-Space Permittivity Measurement at Terahertz Frequencies with a Vector Network Analyser (2016)
Journal Article
Hammler, J., Gallant, A. J., & Balocco, C. (2016). Free-Space Permittivity Measurement at Terahertz Frequencies with a Vector Network Analyser. IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science & Technology, 6(6), 817-823. https://doi.org/10.1109/tthz.2016.2609204

A simple system, based on a vector network analyzer, has been used with new numerical de-embedding and parameter inversion techniques to determine the relative permittivity (dielectric properties) of materials within the frequency range 750–1100 GHz.... Read More about Free-Space Permittivity Measurement at Terahertz Frequencies with a Vector Network Analyser.

High quality filter for high traffic load short range high bandwidth future communication networks at THz frequencies (2016)
Presentation / Conference
Klein, A., Hill, C., Hammler, J., Zeze, D., Gallant, A., & Balocco, C. (2016, October). High quality filter for high traffic load short range high bandwidth future communication networks at THz frequencies. Poster presented at IET Radio Propagation and Technologies for 5G, Durham, UK

Polymer-Based Micro-Golay Cells For THz Detection (2016)
Conference Proceeding
Stefanova, P., Hammler, J., Klein, A., Gallant, A., & Balocco, C. (in press). Polymer-Based Micro-Golay Cells For THz Detection.

We report on the design, simulation and fabrication of polymer-composite micro-Golay cells for THz and far-infrared detection. Preliminary experimental results showed that the cell’s mechanical, thermal and optical properties make it an excellent can... Read More about Polymer-Based Micro-Golay Cells For THz Detection.

Artificial Dielectric Based Antireflection layer for Terahertz Applications (2016)
Presentation / Conference
Hajji, M., Zeze, D., Balocco, C., & Gallant, A. (2016, June). Artificial Dielectric Based Antireflection layer for Terahertz Applications. Paper presented at Nanostructures for Photonics (NSP) 2016, St Petersburg, Russia

We report on experimental and simulation results for low-loss micromachined silicon artificial dielectrics operating as antireflection coating at terahertz frequencies. The artificial layers consist of subwavelength microgrooves with different profil... Read More about Artificial Dielectric Based Antireflection layer for Terahertz Applications.

Angular and positional dependence of Purcell effect for layered metal-dielectric structures (2016)
Presentation / Conference
Gubaydullin, A., Mazlin, V., Ivanov, K., Kaliteevski, M., & Balocco, C. (2016, June). Angular and positional dependence of Purcell effect for layered metal-dielectric structures. Paper presented at Nanostructures for Photonics (NSP) 2016, St Petersburg, Russia

We study the enhancement of spontaneous emission of the dipole embedded in the layered metal-dielectric structure. Such systems have attracted great scientific interest over the past decade due to their special optical properties emanating primarily... Read More about Angular and positional dependence of Purcell effect for layered metal-dielectric structures.

Quality Factor Comparison of Terahertz Cavities Formed by Photonic Crystal Slabs (2016)
Presentation / Conference
Klein, A., Zeze, D., Balocco, C., & Gallant, A. (2016, June). Quality Factor Comparison of Terahertz Cavities Formed by Photonic Crystal Slabs. Paper presented at Nanostructures for Photonics (NSP) 2016, St Petersburg, Russia