Rob O'Connor

Dr. Rob O'Connor is an Assistant Professor in the School of Physical Sciences at Dublin City University. He holds a BSc in Applied Physics (2001) and a PhD in Semiconductor Physics (2005), both from DCU. His academic career includes industrial experience at Intel Ireland and research positions at IMEC, Belgium, before joining DCU's academic staff in 2012.

• BSc Applied Physics, Dublin City University (2001)
• PhD Semiconductor Physics, Dublin City University (2005)

Robert's research focuses on interface chemistry and thin film characterization, with applications in semiconductor manufacturing and energy harvesting technologies. His lab specializes in x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combined with thin film deposition techniques to analyze surface reactions between metals, oxides, semiconductors, and organic materials. The group also utilizes European synchrotron facilities for advanced characterization.

His research publications from 2022-2025 demonstrate expertise in: area-selective deposition methods using polymer brushes; metal oxide thin film formation for photoelectrochemical applications; characterization of nanoscale dielectric materials; and surface engineering for semiconductor and energy technologies.

• Marie Curie Intra European Fellowship
• Irish Research Council EMBARK Fellowship
• SFI TIDA Award
• Science Foundation Ireland FORME Strategic Research Cluster funding

Robert supervises 5 postgraduate students and leads a 4-year project on novel materials for solar water splitting to generate hydrogen fuel. He also serves as the designated tool owner for DCU's state-of-the-art integrated atomic layer deposition–x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy tool.