Tyndall has congratulated the winners of the STS Elionix Scientific Image Competition of Q1 2025.
Open to all researchers at Tyndall, the competition provides a platform to celebrate the artistic side of science, as seen through the microscope. Entrants were invited to submit images that not only reflect their research but also captivate the eye.
The judging panel for this quarter included Professor William Scanlon, CEO, Tyndall; Dr Graeme Maxwell, head of specialty products and services; Dr Daniela Iacopino, researcher, MNS; Ursula Morrish, marketing and communications manager.
The judges selected three winning entries based on their originality, visual impact, and scientific relevance. The winners of the Q1 2025 competition are:
- Rupa Ranjani Palanisamy – 'Carbon Network'
- Luca Colavecchi & Salvador Medina – 'Inorganic Architecture'
- Berkay Dogan – 'Night in Maxwell Prison'
Each winner will receive a €100 Me2You Gift Card, generously sponsored by STS Elionix, in recognition of their contribution to scientific communication and visual storytelling.
Carbon Network
By Rupa Ranjani Palanisamy, Advanced Energy Materials Group & the Material Chemistry and Analysis Group. This scientific image highlights the development of NiSe₂–CoSe₂ (NCS) nanowires grown on activated carbon cloth (ACC), a substrate that enhances both electrochemical and thermoelectric performance thanks to its high conductivity, flexibility, and large surface area.
The NCS/ACC electrode outperforms monometallic selenides, achieving a charge storage capacity of 112 mA h g⁻¹ and a Seebeck coefficient of −3.4 mV K⁻¹.
This dual-functional system enables efficient heat-to-electricity conversion and storage, making 'carbon network' – based architectures promising for next-generation thermo-electrochemical energy devices.
Inorganic Architecture
By Luca Colavecchi & Salvador Medina, Epitaxy and Physics of Nanostructures Group.
The image shows a dry-etched GaAs structure with distinct triangular profiles formed due to the growth at <111>A, the sample shows the AlAs barrier layers.
These barriers slow or stop the etch process, resulting in anisotropic etching that creates sharp, angular shapes as the surrounding GaAs is removed.
The triangular geometry reflects the selective etch dynamics between the two materials. Along the etched surfaces, tree-like patterns are visible, caused by impurities or defects within the sample.
These impurities interfere with the etch uniformity, producing irregular, branch-like features, these impurities are in green, and they cast a shadow on the sample that use as the branch of the trees. The image highlights the interplay between material composition, etch chemistry, and defect-driven patterning in semiconductor fabrication.
Night in Maxwell Prison
By Berkay Dogan, Advanced RF Technologies Group. This scientific image depicts a monolithically integrated 3D-printed nested waveguide filter, a key component in advanced radio frequency (RF) satellite systems.
The carefully designed holes and slots facilitate the copper plating process, enhancing electrical conductivity and ensuring high-performance signal filtering. A prison for interference, a palace for essential signals – this waveguide becomes a stage where electric and magnetic fields, governed by Maxwell’s equations, dance in confinement.