George Fern

Lecturer in Engineering Materials, Brunel University, since 1 January 2006, Lecturer, School of Engineering and Design and the Wolfson Centre for Materials Processing incorporating the Centre for Phosphors and Display Materials.   Moved the research group to Brunel Univ. from Greenwich Univ.   Interests in all areas of phosphor chemistry and their physical properties.   Expertise in x-ray analysis, electron microscopy, phosphor chemistry and coating methods.

Business Fellow (Alumni) , London Technology Network, 2003-.

Lecturer in Chemistry , University of Greenwich 01/01/2001-31/12/2005 .   Working with the Centre for Phosphors and Display Materials in materials analysis/TEM.

Senior Demonstrator/Research Fellow , University of Greenwich 1998-2001.   Laboratory demonstrator/tutor and lecturing duties and research on biomaterials and phosphors.

Research Assistant , University of Hull 1997-1998.   Green chemistry for catalytic C-H activation.   Expertise in organic synthesis, catalytic reactions, synthesis and analysis of organic and coordination complexes.

1.     Brunel Univeristy, 2006-2007, Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education ( PGDipHE) and FHEA 

2.  Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society ( FRMS) (2006)

3.  Chartered Chemist and Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry ( CChem MRSC)

4.     University of Essex, 1993-1997, PhD. in Chemistry, EPSRC CASE award with the Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, John Innes Centre.   Thesis title: Structural studies on iron sulfur clusters and ferrocenyl compounds, the importance of lattice effects.

5.     University of Essex, 1990-1993, BSc(Hons) Chemisty (2i)

1.     International Board for the Applications of the Mössbauer Effect (IBAME) (elected member 2007-2013) 

2.     Royal Society of Chemistry, Dalton Council co-opted member (10/2009 to 09/2010) 

3.     Chairman of the Mössbauer Spectroscopy Discussion Group. (09/2006-present) 

4.     Secretary of the Mössbauer Spectroscopy Discussion Group, Royal Society of Chemistry. (09/02-09/06) 

3.       EPSRC/LINK ISD grant to improve the performance and understanding of the electroluminescent phosphors used in alternating current electroluminescent (ACEL) panels ~£300,000. 

4.       LINK ISD grant FLCOLOUR to develop full colour ACEL panels ~£147,000. 

5.       Develop applications of phospohors £65,000p/a. (1/06/2005) 

6.       MNT project with industy on nanophosphors for displays and lighting. 1/03/05-28/02/08. 

7.       DTI funded project to improve CCFLs for backlighting application. 1/05/06-31/04/08. £195,765    

8.       DTI funded project to develop ACEL panel binder technology based on a patent held by the group in collaboration with industry. 1/05/06-31/12/07. £189,026. 

9.       DTI funded project to develop phosphors for conversion LEDs, £250,533 (09/2006-08/2009) 

10.   DTI project with industry to develop flexible ACEL devices, £221,278. (1/11/07-31/10/09) 

11.   Direct industrial sponsorship, Investigation of phosphors for security applications, £150,000 (1/1/2008- 31/12/2009) 

12.   BBSRC grant for the development of novel materials for biological cell markers, £412,608 to Brunel University, other project investigators are based in the Biology department at York University, MRC and JEOL UK (1/04/08-31/03/10) 

13.   DTI project with industry to develop printed electronic materials, £377,000   (1/1/08-31/12/10)      

14.   University Brief Award for Investigation of photo-luminescent and infra-red emitting phosphors for solid state lighting and security applications, £14,910. (1/11/07-31/10/08) 

15.   DTI project with industry to develop low cost ACEL displays, £296,000 (01/01/08). 

16.   Synchrotron beam time. Optical measurement of phopshors   18 shifts (June 2008) 

17.   Characterisation of terbium doped photonic band gap phosphors and nano-crystalline scintillation phosphors. EXAFS/Optical Luminescence Synchrotron beam time , 18 shifts (08/2009)

18.   Can we selectively probe the local structure of only luminescent Mn{2+} ions in Mn{2+}-doped host nanocrystals? EXAFS/Optical Luminescence EXAFS Synchrotron beam time , 18 shifts (09/2009)

1.       Module coordinator ME0082 Engineering Drawing and Communications

2.       Level 1 Engineering Drawing

3.       Undergraduate projects (2009): Formula Student: a) Project management team b) Nose cone and crash structure c) Under tray project. General mechanical engineering: Thermal and mechanical properties of Nano-composites (x3).

1.        Robert Withnall, Jack Silver, Terry Ireland, George Fern, and Paul Marsh, Structure and Morphology of ACEL ZnS:Cu,Cl Phosphor Powder, Journal of the Electrochem. Soc ., 156(11) 2009, J326. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.3207950

 

2.        G.R. Fern, T.G. Ireland, J. Silver, R. Withnall, A.G. Michette, C.D. McFaul and S.J. Pfauntsch, Characterisation of G_d2O2S:Pr Phosphor Screens for Water Window –X-ray Detection, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 600(2), 2009, 434-439. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2008.11.116

 

3.        Robert Withnall, Jack Silver, George Fern, Terry Ireland and Roni Stone, (Y,Gd)AG:Ce Conversion Phosphors for Blue LEDs, Proceedings of the 14th International Workshop on Inorganic and Organic Elecroluminescence & 2008 International Conference on the Science and Technology of Emissive Displays and Lighting (Eds. G. Baldacchini, R.M. Montereali, M.A. Vincenti), Rome, Italy 9-12 September, 2008, pages 189-191.   ISBN 88-8286-194-5.

 

4.        Robert Withnall, Jack Silver, George Fern, Terry Ireland, Brightness–Voltage Characteristics of Powder AC Electroluminescent Lamps, Proceedings of the 14th International Workshop on Inorganic and Organic Elecroluminescence & 2008 International Conference on the Science and Technology of Emissive Displays and Lighting (Eds. G. Baldacchini, R.M. Montereali, M.A. Vincenti), Rome, Italy 9-12 September, 2008, pages 435-438.   ISBN 88-8286-194-5.

 

5.        R. Withnall, J.Silver, G.R. Fern, T.G. Ireland, A.L. Lipman and B. Patel, Experimental and Theoretical Luminous Efficacies of Phosphors used in Combination with Blue-emitting LEDs for Lighting and Backlighting, JSID, 16(2) 2008, 359-366. doi: 10.1889/1.2841871

 

6.        J. Silver, T.G. Ireland, G.R. Fern, R. Withnall and S. Zhang, Biotemplating: Butterfly scale naon-replication using light emitting materials, FESEM and CL imaging studies, Nanotechnology, 19(9) 2008, 095302 (7 pages). doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/19/9/095302

 

7.        R. Withnall, J.Silver, T.G. Ireland, P.J. Marsh and G.R. Fern, Correlating the charge trap characteristics of ACEL phosphor powders ZnS:Cu,X (X = Cl, Br, I) with their electroluminescence spectra, Chinese Journal of Electron Devices, ISSN 1005-9490, 31(1), 2008.

 

8.        R. Withnall, J. Silver, C. Catherall and G.R. Fern, Synthetic route for optimizing particle size of phosphors for sub-miniature fluorescent lamp backlights of LCDs, Chinese Journal of Electron Devices, ISSN 1005-9490, 31(1), 2008.

 

9.        J. Silver, R. Withnall, G. Fern, P. Marsh, T. Ireland, P. Harris, P. Evans, D. Southee, G. Hay, D. Harrison and K Breen , The fabrication of miniaturised electrode circuitry by offset lithographic printing for novel electroluminescent displays, Chinese Journal of Electron Devices, ISSN 1005-9490, 31(1), 2008.

 

10.     J. Silver, R. Withnall, G. Fern, and A. Lipman, White light production from blue LEDs: the synthesis of small particle YAG:Ce type phosphors for solid state lighting, Chinese Journal of Electron Devices, ISSN 1005-9490, 31(1), 2008.

 

11.     J. Silver, R. Withnall, G.R. Fern, P.G. Harris, T.G. Ireland and A.L. Lipman, Printable inks and binders as vehicles for carrying/depositing phosphor and ferroelectric nanoparticles on screens for FEDs and EL devices, Chinese Journal of Electron Devices, ISSN 1005-9490, 31(1), 2008.

 

12.     J. Silver, R.Withnall, G. R. Fern, P. J. Marsh, T. G. Ireland, P. G. Harris, Novel flexible EL powder displays, International Display Workshop, 2007.

 

13.     R. Withnall, J. Silver, G.R. Fern, A.L . Lipman, Experimental and theoretical luminous efficacies of phosphors used for producing white light from blue-emitting LEDs Digest of Technical Papers - SID International Symposium 38(1), pp. 515-518, 2007, ISSN 0007-966X.

 

14.     R. Withnall, J. Silver, T. G. Ireland, A.L. Lipman, G.R. Fern and E. Barrett, Optimising YAG:Ce Phosphors as Colour Converters of Blue-emitting LEDs for the Production of White Light , IDW07

 

15.     J. Silver, R. Withnall, G. Fern, A. Lipman, White light production from blue LEDs: The synthesis of small particle YAG:Ce type phosphors for solid state lighting, (2007)  Proceedings of Asia Display '07.

 

16.     T.A. Mather, J.R. McCabe, V.K. Rai, M.H. Thiemens, D.M. Pyle, T.H.E. Heaton, H.J. Sloane and G.R. Fern, Correction to “Oxygen and sulphur isotope composition of volcanic sulphate aerosol at the point of emission”  J. Geophys. Res., 112, D09306 (2007).

 

17.     J. Silver, R. Withnall, A. Lipman, T.G. Ireland and G.R. Fern , Low-voltage cathodoluminescent red emitting phosphors for field emission displays (2007) J. Lumin., 122-123(1-2), pp. 562-566. ISSN 0022-2313.