He uses state-of-the-art equipment to study defects in semiconductors and to perfect plasma deposition of oxide and nitride thin films for use as anti-reflection or high-reflection coatings, and in developing planar optical waveguides. Industrial partners are interested in his work for improving deposition processes used in making semiconductor lasers, compact laser/detector systems and other novel photonic devices.

“We can fabricate the semiconductor materials, process them into devices to industrial, clean-room standards and then test them for performance up to specifications. There is no other university in Canada that can do all of that – and we can do it in-house.”

Dr. Mascher is a member of McMaster’s Centre for Electrophotonic Materials and Devices, a research facility for fabricating and studying photonic and electronic devices. Part of both federal and provincial centres of excellence, this centre is well equipped to develop and process new materials, including semiconductors and superconductors, as well as thin-film coatings for various applications.

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