Dr Thom Harris-Lee

I completed my PhD at the University of Bath and Monash University where I studied the systematic development and characterisation of photoelectrodes for light-driven water splitting. I then joined the Cambridge Centre for Gallium Nitride in August 2024 to work on the MOVPE growth, and subsequent electrochemical porosification, of aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN).

AlGaN has emerged as a highly versatile ultrawide bandgap semiconductor with a broad range of applications due to its direct and tunable bandgap (spanning near-UV to deep UV wavelengths), high thermal and chemical stability, and robustness in extreme conditions. I will be investigating and optimising the growth of AlGaN via MOVPE to obtain high quality materials and manage common issues such as lattice mismatch, strain, and high defect densities.

Recent research has shown the great promise of porous (Al)GaN in addressing many of these challenges. I will also be studying electrochemical etching of doped AlGaN layers to create high surface area structures with tunable porosity; thereby improving light extraction and thermal dissipation, and aiding in strain relaxation and defect reduction. Porous AlGaN also offers significant advantages in applications requiring high efficiency, sensitivity, and surface interactions. Its unique properties enhance the performance of deep UV LEDs, sensors, high-power electronics, and photocatalytic systems. As research and development in porous AlGaN continues to advance, it is poised to play a critical role in next-generation technologies across multiple industries.