• Condensed Matter Physics

Experimentalist: Solid State, Condensed Matter 

The research is carried out with the aim of developing devices with improved properties for various applications. The research is highly significant to failure mechanisms in everyday electronic devices and appliances. In achieving this aim, the set research objectives involve preparation and characterisation of the material prior to device fabrication. This is followed by the characterisation of material-based devices. Different material and device characterisation techniques are employed in this work to establish and investigate a change in crystal structural, magnetic, optical and electrical properties (behaviour) of the material at several operating conditions due to the surface and bulk manipulations.

The material of the main interest is Silicon. Silicon bulk is manipulated for the fabrication of efficient radiation sensors. Adopted research methodologies and data interpretations are extended to other materials for applications such as solar cells, advanced medical diagnostic and treatment, and data storage and processing. Other materials of specific interests are Semiconducting Polymer Nanocomposites, Multiwall Carbon Nanocomposites, Graphene-Oxide and compound semiconductors

• D. A. Oeba, J. O. Bodunrin, S. J. Moloi (2019) Current-voltage characteristics of aluminum and zinc implanted silicon for radiation detection applications, 27th International Symposium Nuclear Electronics and Computing (NEC’2019): Budva, Becici, Montenegro, September 30 – October 4, 2019, 2507.
• O. Oluwaleye, M. Madhuku, B. Mwakikunga, S.J Moloi (2019) Studies of lattice structure, electrical properties, thermal and chemical stability of cobalt ion implanted Tin Oxide (ITO) thin films on polymer substrates, Nucl. Instr. Meth. B, 50, 267.
• M. Maloba, M. Msimanga, S. J. Moloi (2020) Ion beam modification of polyaniline: Optical and electrical properties of Cu+ ion implanted thin films, Materials Chemistry and Physics, 24, 101022.
• M. C. Masekane, S. J. Moloi, M. Madhuku, M. Msimanga and S. J. Moloi (2020) Measurement of 12Cq+ and 35Clq+ ion induced X-ray production cross sections in V, Zr and Sn metal oxide films at 0.1 MeV/u - 1.0 MeV/u energies Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 176, 109083.
• E. S. Ganya, N. Soin, S. J. Moloi, J. A. McLaughlin, W. F. Pong, S. C. Ray (2020) Polyacrylate grafted graphene oxide nanocomposites for biomedical applications Journal of Applied Physics, 127, 054302.

• Y2 NRF rating 

• Defect-engineered silicon for radiation sensing applications
• Ion beam modified transparent conducting oxide thin films for efficient optoelectronic and radiation detection devices
• Ion-implanted polyaniline thin films for radiation sensing applications
• Improvement of the ion beam research techniques
• Functionalized Graphene / Graphene oxide and TiO2 nanocomposites thin films for optoelectronic, spintronic, and for advanced medical diagnostic medical applications