RESEARCH INTERESTS
ABOUT/BIOGRAPHY
Dr Eamonn Devlin graduated in Experimental Physics from Trinity College Dublin. He remained there to obtain his MSc working in the field of amorphous Rare Earth Transition Metal alloys in the research group of Prof J.M.D. Coey. He obtained his PhD at the University of Birmingham with Prof I.R. Harris where his main area of research was that of permanent magnets based on Rare Earth Transition Metal alloys. He then moved to the research group of Dr. A Kostikas and Dr A. Simopoulos at the Institute of Materials Science at NCSR Demokritos. In 2005 he became the head of the Mössbauer Spectroscopy laboratory at NCSR Demokritos. In this role he has collaborated with many other research groups, at Demokritos, Greek universities and research centres, and others around the world, on a wide range of magnetic and non-magnetic materials. His research areas include studies of spin reorientation in permanent magnet alloys, optimization of permanent magnet properties, magnetism of nanoscale materials in the form of thin films and nanoparticles, nanocomposite materials, and core-shell nanoparticles.
The investigation of the dynamic and static magnetic properties of materials using Mössbauer Spectroscopy in combination with magnetic measurements (Vibrating Sample Magnetometry, SQUID magnetometry) can give a wide range of useful information on materials with applications in magnetic recording, permanent magnets, minerals processing, catalysis, gas processing, and pharmaceuticals. Information on valence, local crystal environment, phase content, magnetic state provides important data for the characterization of materials at the atomic scale. The fast characteristic timescale of Mössbauer Spectroscopy (10-9s) also allows the study of dynamic effects at timescales unavailable to magnetic characterisation techniques. This is particularly valuable in the study of magnetic nanoparticles and thin films with applications in magnetic recording where the requirement to minimize the magnetic domain size (to maximise recording density) leads to magnetic instability. Characterisation of the dynamic magnetic properties of nanoparticles is also of interest in the development of materials for magnetic hyperthermia treatment of cancer.
The complex crystal structures of Rare Earth Transition Metal alloys which contain multiple distinct crystal sites for the Rare earth and Transition Metal alloys also benefit greatly from studies with Mössbauer Spectroscopy. Each site plays a distinctive role in the development of magnetic remanence and coercivity. In investigations of permanent magnet materials where substitutions are made with the goal of reducing cost, increasing the remanence, coercivity or energy product materials, understanding the effect of substitutions at the atomic level through their effects on intrinsic properties as well as phase stability is vital in order to optimize the process and final result.
The Mössbauer Spectroscopy laboratory hosts spectrometers for carrying out measurements at low temperature (down to 1.5K), in applied magnetic fields, as well as surface sensitive Conversion Electron Mössbauer Spectroscopy (CEMS).
He has participated in European, NATO, and national research projects on subjects such as next generation magnetic recording materials, reduction of Rare Earth content in high performance permanent magnets, and multifunctional materials development.
He has authored over one hundred papers with over two thousand citations with a h-index of 25.