Prof HC Swart

Department of Physics

University of the Free State

E: SwartHC@ufs.ac.za

T: +27 51 401 2926

Supervisors

Prof JJ Terblans
Prof OM Ntwaeaborwa
Prof BF Dejene
Dr RE Kroon
Dr E Coetsee-Hugo (Researcher)

Participating or supervised person

Dr RA Harris
Dr MM Duvehage (Assistant Researcher)
Dr S Cronje
Dr M Yagoud (Postdoc)
Dr A Kumar (Postdoc)
Dr DD Ramteke (Postdoc)
Dr J Prakash (Postdoc)
Dr P Kumar (Postdoc)
Dr T Pathak (Postdoc)

Dr A Balakrishna (Postdoc)
Mr LT Jule (PhD student)
Mr SN Ogugua (PhD student)

Ms PP Mokoena (PhD student)
Ms BP Mabuea (PhD student)
Mr TD Malevu (PhD student)
Mr P Raleaooa (PhD student)

Mr TP Mokoena (PhD student)
Mr J Ungula (PhD student)

Mr A Fourie (MSc student)
Mr E Lee (MSc student)

Mr E Hasabeldaim (MSc student)
Mr L Erasmus (MSc student)

Projects

Project Title

Nanotechnology
Investigation of the luminescent properties of metal quinolates (Mqx) for use in OLED devices
Experimental studies and modelling of surface loss during segregation.
Luminescent materials for photovoltaic application.
Luminescent upconvertion nanoparticles for sensing and bioimaging.
Synthesis and characterisation of glasses containing semiconductor quantum dots.
Noble metal nanoparticles based nanocomposite materials for sensing and light emitting diode applications.
Plasmonic and graphene-based plasmonic metamaterial nanostructure: A new approach.
Noble materials and Bi nanoparticles-decorated ZnO structure with enhanced optical properties for the application in optoelectronic devices.
Synthesis and up-conversion luminescence properties of rare-earth ions co-doped phosphors.
Two dimensional random media composed of core-shell structure embedded in active/passive host medium.
Synthesis and characterisation of rare earth oxyorthosilicate doped rare earth ions powder and thin film phosphors.
Up conversion phosphate phosphors for application in photodynamic therapy.
Synthesis and characterisation of metal oxide core-shell nanocomposites.
Fabrication of low-cost lead iodide based perovskite solar cells.
Sol-gel synthesis, magnetic, and luminescent properties of ZnS-ZnO nanoparticle phosphors doped with Mn (II) ions.
Synthesis and luminescent properties of Al₂O₃ - TiO₂ nanoparticles doped with different rare-earth ions.
Fabrication of Ga-doped ZnO transparent conducting film and well-aligned ZnO nanorods (ZnO:Ga/ZnO) photoelectrode for dye-sensitised solar cells applications.
CZTS solar cell: a green energy source produced in a green way.
Synthesis and characterisation of Bi³⁺:Yb³⁺ co-doped Y₂O₃ phosphor for enhancing the efficiency of Si solar cells.
Surface characterisation and catholuminescence degradation of ZnS powder and thin films.
Characterisation of the thermoluminescent properties of a phosphor material for deployment as an optical temperature measurement technique.

Previous research projects

Mr AG Ali (PhD student)
Mr AH Wako (PhD student)
Mr KG Tshabalala (PhD student)
Mr SV Motloung (PhD student)
Mr SJ Motloung (PhD student)
Dr LF Koao
Mr X Yan (PhD student)
Dr S Som (Postdoc)

Dr WA Tabaza (PhD student)
Dr V (Vinod) Kumar (Postdoc)
Dr V (Vijay) Kumar (Postdoc)
Dr A Pandey (Postdoc)
Dr A Yousif (Postdoc)
Dr SKK Shaat (Postdoc)
Dr H Seed Ahmed (Postdoc)
Dr AE Abbass (PhD student)
Dr RL Nyenge (PhD student)

Dr RM Jafer (PhD student)
Dr MA Tshabalala (PhD student)
Ms PA Moleme (PhD student)
Dr LL Noto (PhD student)
Dr PE Barnard (PhD student)
Ms KE Foka (PhD student)

Projects 

Project Title

Photoluminescent properties of Y2O3:Eu3+:Ho3+ nanocrystals prepared by Sol-Combustion synthesis.
Study of nanopowder and thin-film phosphors.
Synthesis and characterisation of ZnAl2O4 and MgAl2O4 doped and co-doped nano-phosphors.
Synthesis and characterisation of ZnAl2O4 and MgAl2O4 doped and co-doped nano-phosphors.
Structural and luminescent properties of LaVO4:Dy3+ for possible application in solar cells.
Properties of semiconducting nanostructures synthesised using the chemical bath deposition method.
Surface segregation in nano-thin films.
Synthesis and characterisation of rare earth doped Oxide based material for lighting and space dosimetry application.
Synthesis and characterisation of MgAl2O4 and (MgxZn1-x)Al2O4 mixed spinel phosphors.
Phosphor material based on rare earth doped metal oxide and its effect on the efficiency of solar cell.
Rare-earth doped up-conversion nanophosphors for solar cell applications.
Development of lanthanides activated solid materials for photonic, sensing and biomedical applications.
Luminescent properties of Y3(Al, Ga)5O12:Tb thin films.
Synthesis and characterisation of tunable multicolour and white light emitting nano phosphors.
Interaction mechanism for energy transfer from Ce to Tb ions in silica and LaF3.
Effect of noble metal nanoparticles on the luminescence of rare earth ions in phosphor.
Luminescent investigations of CaS: Eu2+ phosphor thin films prepared by the method of pulsed laser deposition.
Using Y2O3:Bi3+, Yb3+ as down conversion phosphors to improve the power efficiency of solar cells.
Generation of white photoluminescence from Strontium Silicate phosphor doped with lanthanides.
Luminescent properties of SrGa2S4:Ce3+ thin films coated with TaSi2.
Dynamics and the enhancement of the persistent emission.
Multiscale computer modelling and experimental investigation of diffusion and segregation in metal alloys.
Synthesis and luminescence properties of YVO4 doped rare-earth ions (Dy, Sm, Eu).