Peter Parbrook

Peter Parbrook is a Stokes Professor at the University College Cork (UCC), jointly appointed between the School of Engineering and the Tyndall National Institute. He holds a first-class honors degree in Physics from the University of Strathclyde and a Ph.D. in wide-bandgap II-VI semiconductors. His career includes roles as a Toshiba Fellow at Toshiba Central Research and Development Center in Japan, followed by a lectureship at the University of Sheffield (1995–2009), where he became a Reader and later led the Nitride Team in the EPSRC National Centre for III-V Technologies. He has served as Head of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Discipline within UCC's School of Engineering since 2016.

Education:

• B.Sc. (Hons) Physics, University of Strathclyde, 1987
• Ph.D. in Physics (wide-bandgap semiconductors), University of Strathclyde, 1991

Research Interests: Professor Parbrook specializes in III-nitride semiconductors for optoelectronics, focusing on GaN-based materials and devices. His work emphasizes metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) growth, defect reduction in III-N materials, and ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Key areas include improving laser/LED efficiency at wavelengths below 360 nm and developing novel alloys/crystal orientations for nanostructured devices.

Grants & Collaborations:

• Principal Investigator on multiple grants from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), EU Framework Programmes, and the Irish Research Council.
• Research programs include 300–340 nm LEDs, deep UV LEDs for space applications, InAlN transistor reliability, and yellow LEDs.

Labs & Teams: He leads the Nitride Materials Research Group at Tyndall National Institute, focusing on advanced MOVPE growth and device fabrication. His team collaborates with international partners on projects like the SFI Stokes Professorship and EU-funded initiatives.