Thermo Fisher Scientific
University of Surrey

Femtosecond laser ablation for advanced materials analysis

Material failure is everywhere around us: phone batteries that degrade after repeated charging, paint that peels from buildings, and electronic devices that stop working unexpectedly. Understanding why materials fail - and how to prevent it - requires scientists to look within the material and often at interfaces between materials without destroying them in the process. This challenge has driven Charlie Chandler's groundbreaking research into revolutionary surface analysis techniques.

Traditional X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) uses electrons excited by X-rays to analyse the chemical composition of material surfaces, but can only examine the top 5-10 nanometres of a surface. To probe deeper, material must be removed using an ion beam and an XPS depth profile is recorded. However, ion beams can cause chemical and thermal damage that distorts the true chemical composition in the depth profile. This mismatch between what scientists measure and the material's true composition has been a barrier in their understanding of failure mechanisms and the rapid development of new materials, surface treatments and thin film devices.

Based at the University of Surrey and in collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific, Charlie is harnessing femtosecond laser technology to address this critical gap. These ultra-short laser pulses last just femtoseconds (less than a million millionth of a second). This method allows scientists to examine materials to depths 20 times greater than typically profiled using ion beams and crucially preserves the true chemical integrity in the XPS analysis.

By recording chemically accurate XPS depth profiles from tens of nanometres to hundreds of microns in depth, Charlie’s work could transform materials science. This research has far-reaching implications, from developing longer-lasting batteries and better protective coatings for cars to creating more reliable electronic devices and gaining a deeper understanding of corrosion and other material degradation processes.

Biography

Charlie is a dedicated footballer with experience as a captain and coach. He excelled at Maths, Science and Photography in sixth form before studying Spacecraft Engineering at the University of Southampton. Since starting his PhD, he has further developed his passion for space structures, analysing perovskite for solar cells. His research has been published and presented at national and international conferences, and he aims to continue his academic journey with a focus on advancing research that supports industry. Alongside his PhD, Charlie has taught undergraduate students, contributed to university events promoting STEM, and collaborated with international research groups.