Aran Rafferty,
BSc, MEngSc, PhD, AMIEI,

Biography

• 1991-1995 BSc Materials Science (Hons), UL
• 1995-1997 MEngSc Microelectronics, NMRC, UCC
• 1997-2000 PhD Materials Science, UL
• 2000-2001 Intel (Ireland) Ltd. Process Engineer
• 2001-2002 18 months, Post-Doc, Ceramics Processing, Chemistry Dept., TCD.
• 2002-2003 12 months, Research Officer, Microelectronics Dept. TCD.
• December 2003- present, Ceramics Technology Researcher, EI/DCU

Masters:

Use of argon-fluoride (ArF), excimer laser to micro-machine structures in polymers using mask projection and direct laser writing.

PhD:

Objective was to develop fluoro-phospho-alumino-silicate glasses and glass-ceramics for use in dental applications, and to investigate the amorphous phase separation mechanism in this system.

Post-Doc:

Objective was to fabricate functional, crack-free, multilayer integrated passive devices and involved co-firing of screen-printed ceramic thick films.

Research:

• Ceramics characterisation, particle size analysis.
• Sintering of cobalt-ferrite ceramics.
• Alumina, zirconia, yttria-stabilised zirconia nanocomposites.
• Powder mixing processing and colloidal processing.

Publications

• Hip joint replacements: a review, Rafferty A, Tech. Ire., Vol. 27, No. 2, 19-21 1995.
• Developments of capillaries in glass for x-ray focussing: Application of x-ray microbeams in crystallography. Burggraf C, Burggraf C, Koenig C, Siffert P, Hage-Ali M, Winfield R, Kelly P, Rafferty A, Crean G, Uggerhoj E, Medenwaldt R, Dunhill T, Skuse K. J. de Phys. IV. 8 (P5) 413-419 1998.
• The Influence of Fluorine Content on Apatite-Mullite Glass-Ceramics. Rafferty A, Clifford A, Hill R, Wood D, Samuneva B, Dimitrova-Lukacs M, J. Am. Cer. Soc. (83), 2833-8, 2000.
• Amorphous Phase Separation of Ionomer Glasses, Rafferty A, Hill R, Wood D. J. Mats. Sci. (35), 3863-3869, 2000.
• The influence of Glass Composition on Nucleation, Crystallisation, Microstructure and Properties of Apatite-Mullite Glass-Ceramics. Hill, R., Rafferty, A., Mooney, P., Wood, D. Glastech. Ber. Glass Sci. Technol, (73), Suppl C1, 146-153, 2000.
• The Influence of Calcium to Phosphate Ratio on the Nucleation and Crystallisation of Apatite Glass-Ceramics. Clifford A, Hill R, Rafferty A, Mooney P, Wood D, Samuneva B, Matsuya S, J. Mats. Sci.; Mats. in Medicine. (12), 461-469, 2001.
• An investigation into the amorphous phase separation characteristics of an Ionomer glass system and the Sodium-boro-silicate glass system. Rafferty A, Hill R, Wood D. J. Mats. Sci., (38) 2311-2319, 2003.
• An investigation of amorphous phase separation, leachability and surface area in an ionomer glass and a sodium-boro-silicate glass system. Rafferty A, Hill R, Kelleher B P, O' Dwyer T F. J. Mats. Sci., (38) 3891-3902, 2003.
• An investigation of co-fired varistor-ferrite materials. Rafferty A. Gu'nko Y. Raghavendra, R. J. Eur. Cer. Soc., (24), 2005-2013, 2004.
• Acid phosphatase interactions with organo-mineral complexes: Influence on catalytic activity. Brian. P. Kelleher, Kenneth. O. Willeford. Andre. J. Simpson, Myrna. J. Simpson, Rachel. Stout, Aran. Rafferty. William. L. Kingery. (Accepted by) Biogeochem, Jan. 2004.
• Morphology of macro-pores formed by electrochemical etching of p-type Si. E.V. Astrova, T.N. Borovinskaya, A.V. Tkachenko, S. Balakrishnan, T.S. Perova, A. Rafferty, Y. Gu'nko (Accepted by) J. Micromech. Microeng. 14 (2004) 1-7 PII.

Papers under review

• Co-fired varistor-ferrite multilayers prepared using thick film technology. Rafferty A. G'unko Y. Raghavendra, R. (Submitted to) Bul. Eur. Cer. Soc. Feb. 2004.
• Porous silicon - rare earth doped xerogel and glass composites. S. Balakrishnan1, Yurii K. Gun'ko, T. S. Perova, A. Rafferty, E. V. Astrova, and R. A. Moore. (Submitted to) Physics Status Solidi A, Jan 2004.

Papers in Progress

• An investigation of co-fired varistor-ferrite materials prepared using dry-pressing and screen-printing technologies. Rafferty A. Gu'nko Y. May 2004.
• An investigation of the sintering behaviour and microstructural properties of cobalt ferrite. Rafferty, A, Prescott, T, et al (DCU) . Jan 2004.

Conferences:

• 1ST Annual Nanotechnology Symposium "Growing Nanotechnology in Ireland," University College Cork, Friday 5th September, 2003. Investigations of rare earth doped nanocomposites of macro-porous silicon. S. Balakrishnan , A. Rafferty, T. S. Perova and Y. K. Gun'ko.
• 27th Annual Microscopical Society of Ireland Conference, UCC, 2003. The investigations of the morphology of nanopores obtained by electrochemical etching of silicon. S. Balakrishnan , E. V. Astrova, T. N. Borovinskaya, A. V. Tkachenko, T. S. Perova, A. Rafferty and Y. K. Gun'ko.