1. Dr. Stephen Muhl

Founder & Group leader

Investigador Titular C // Pride D // SNI Nivel 3

Dr. Stephen MUHL

Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Departamento de Materiales de Baja Dimensionalidad, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, CDMX 04510, Mexico.

Stephen Muhl was born in Lincolnshire, England a few miles from Boston (the original one) in 1953. He studied his first degree, Master of Arts and PhD in the University of Lancaster. Although about half the work was carried out in the Atomic Energy Research Establishment of Harwell. Following this he worked in the Facultad de Estudios Superiores, Cuautitlan, Mexico of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Here he gave various courses on experimental physics and directed the studies of a couple of very talented undergraduate students, one of which concluded in the successful application of Mexican and British patents, his principal aim was learning about and enjoying the life of Mexico.  Early in the 1980´s he transferred to the Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales (IIM) of the UNAM in Mexico City and started to do research on the preparation and characterization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon based thin films using PECVD: this work also led to the a Mexican patent, as well as various publications and the formation of about 4 postgraduate students. In 1987, just after the 8.2 Richter scale Mexico City earthquake seriously damaged his apartment, he went to work with Dr. Arun Madan at Glasstech Solar, Denver, USA. Here he learned much more about a-Si:H and particularly how to make highly efficient solar modules of up to 120 x 40 cm. After three years Dr. Muhl decided to return to his position in the IIM-UNAM where his has continued to work until today. In 2003 Dr. Sandra Rodil and Stephen started the PlasNaMat (Plasmas and Nano-Materials) group, and in 2014 Dr. Muhl promoted the formation of the Department of Materiales de Baja Dimensionalidad en el IIM. The earlier studies on a-Si:H where quickly extend to include cubic boron nitride and amorphous carbon and diamond films, and somewhat later carbon nitride. From 2000 to today Dr. Muhl’s research interests have focussed on studies of transition metal nitride and oxide hard coatings by magnetron sputtering, the use of plasma assisted processes to produce a-C coated metal and oxide nanoparticles, the growth of MWCNTs and the development of novel plasma sources. Dr. Muhl has published more than 90 articles with about 1000 citations, one book on silicon based solar cells, a couple of book chapters on carbon based materials, he has 7 patents (more are in process), has organized about 10 international conferences and symposia, and has had the great privileged to work with and guide the studies of more than 30 excellent students.

CONTACT

Tel.  (+525) 556224736

E-mail: muhl@unam.mx

Personal website: https://plasnamatunam.wordpress.com/