Professor Jon Heffernan

PhD, BSc

School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Professor in Electrical Engineering

National Epitaxy Facility Research Group

Headshot of Jon Heffernan
Profile picture of Headshot of Jon Heffernan
jon.heffernan@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5165

Full contact details

Professor Jon Heffernan
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Profile

I graduated with a PhD in Physics from Trinity College Dublin in 1994 with a thesis on optical switching for optical computing applications.

From 1994 to 1996 I was a post-doctoral researcher working on the first blue-green laser diodes in collaboration with Sony Corporation. From 1996 to 2013 I was employed in the European research laboratories of Sharp Corporation in Oxford, eventually as Director of Advanced Optoelectronic Devices for the company.

In this seventeen years in industrial research I was involved in the development of three generations of optical storage technology: CD, DVD and Blu-ray.

I also led research and development on LED lighting and display technologies using blue LEDs and novel quantum dot phosphors, and on record-holding Silicon and GaAs-based solar cells. Much of this work was transferred into mass production and commercialised globally.

In 2013 I joined the University of 91Ö±²¥ as Professor of Semiconductor Materials and Devices and concurrently Director of the EPSRC .


My current research is in the area of Quantum Science and Technology especially the epitaxy of semiconductor quantum dots which are used in developing single photon and entangled photon sources for quantum communications and quantum information processing.

I am also active in manufacturing research for photonics and I am deputy Director of the  with the University of Southampton.

Qualifications
  • PhD, Trinity College Dublin
  • BSc (Physics), Cork
Research interests
  • Epitaxy of novel semiconductors materials and devices
  • Molecular beam epitaxy
  • Semiconductor nanostructures and their applications
  • Nitride-based semiconductors and their applications
Publications

Journal articles

  • Chan CL, Sala EM, Clarke EM & Heffernan J (2025) . Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 58(2). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Phillips CL, Brash AJ, Godsland M, Martin NJ, Foster A, Tomlinson A, Dost R, Babazadeh N, Sala EM, Wilson L , Heffernan J et al (2024) . Scientific Reports, 14(1). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sala EM, Na YI, Godsland M & Heffernan J (2023) . physica status solidi (RRL) – Rapid Research Letters. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Mitchell CJ, Osman A, Li K, Penadés JS, Nedeljkovic M, Zhou L, Groom KM, Heffernan J & Mashanovich G (2022) . EPJ Web of Conferences, 266, 01008-01008. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gajjela RSR, Sala EM, Heffernan J & Koenraad PM (2022) . ACS Applied Nano Materials. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ovenden C, Farrer I, Skolnick MS & Heffernan J (2022) . Semiconductor Science and Technology, 37(2). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sala DEM, Godsland M, Na YI, Trapalis A & Heffernan J (2021) . Nanotechnology, 33(6). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Anderson M, Müller T, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa AB, Huwer J, Stevenson RM, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2021) . Applied Physics Letters, 118(1). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Anderson M, Müller T, Huwer J, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa AB, Stevenson RM, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2020) . npj Quantum Information, 6(1). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Shooter G, Xiang Z-H, Müller JRA, Skiba-Szymanska J, Huwer J, Griffiths J, Mitchell T, Anderson M, Müller T, Krysa A , Stevenson RM et al (2020) . Optics Express, 28(24), 36838-36848. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Shooter G, Xiang Z-H, Müller JRA, Skiba-Szymanska J, Huwer J, Griffiths J, Mitchell T, Anderson M, Müller T, Krysa AB , Mark Stevenson R et al (2020) . Optics Express, 28(24), 36838-36838. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Trapalis A, Fry PW, Kennedy K, Farrer I, Kean A, Sharman J & Heffernan J (2020) . Materials Letters: X, 7. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Anderson M, Müller T, Huwer J, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa AB, Stevenson RM, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2020) . Physical Review Applied, 13(5). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Trapalis A, Farrer I, Kennedy K, Kean A, Sharman J & Heffernan J (2020) . AIP Advances, 10(3). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sala EM, Na YI, Godsland M, Trapalis A & Heffernan J (2020) . physica status solidi (RRL) – Rapid Research Letters, 14(8), 2000173-2000173. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jalali Mehrabad M, Foster AP, Dost R, Clarke E, Patil PK, Farrer I, Heffernan J, Skolnick MS & Wilson LR (2020) . Applied Physics Letters, 116(6), 061102-061102. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Müller T, Anderson M, Huwer J, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa AB, Stevenson RM, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2019) . Quantum Information and Measurement (QIM) V: Quantum Technologies. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Müller T, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa AB, Huwer J, Felle M, Anderson M, Stevenson RM, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2018) . Nature Communications, 9. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Trapalis A, Farrer I, Kennedy K, Kean A, Sharman J & Heffernan J (2017) . Applied Physics Letters, 111(12). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Skiba-Szymanska J, Stevenson RM, Varnava C, Felle M, Huwer J, Müller T, Bennett AJ, Farrer I, Krysa AB, Spencer P , Goff LE et al (2017) . Physical Review Applied, 8(1). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Trapalis A, Heffernan J, Farrer I, Sharman J & Kean A (2016) . Journal of Applied Physics, 120(20). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dimmock JAR, Day S, Kauer M, Smith K & Heffernan J (2014) . Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 22(2), 151-160. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bennett SE, Smeeton TM, Saxey DW, Smith GDW, Hooper SE, Heffernan J, Humphreys CJ & Oliver RA (2012) . Journal of Applied Physics, 111(5), 053508-053508. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Tan WS, Kauer M, Hooper SE, Smeeton TM, Bousquet V, Rossetti M, Heffernan J, Xiu H & Humphreys CJ (2009) . physica status solidi (a), 206(6), 1205-1210. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sénès M, Lagarde D, Smith KL, Balocchi A, Hooper SE, Amand T, Heffernan J & Marie X (2009) . Applied Physics Letters, 94(22), 223114-223114. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Xiu H, Thrush EJ, Kauer M, Smeeton TM, Hooper SE, Heffernan J & Humphreys CJ (2008) . physica status solidi (c), 5(6), 2204-2206. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Rossetti M, Smeeton TM, Tan W-S, Kauer M, Hooper SE, Heffernan J, Xiu H & Humphreys CJ (2008) . Applied Physics Letters, 92(15), 151110-151110. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sénès M, Smith KL, Smeeton TM, Hooper SE & Heffernan J (2008) . Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructures, 40(6), 2066-2068. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Tan WS, Kauer M, Hooper SE, Barnes JM, Rossetti M, Smeeton TM, Bousquet V & Heffernan J (2008) . Electronics Letters, 44(5), 351-351. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Kauer M, Bousquet V, Hooper SE, Barnes JM, Windle J, Tan WS & Heffernan J (2007) . physica status solidi (a), 204(1), 221-226. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Heffernan J, Kauer M, Windle J, Hooper SE, Bousquet V, Zellweger C & Barnes JM (2006) . physica status solidi (c), 3(6), 1379-1382. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Smeeton TM, Bousquet V, Hooper SE, Kauer M & Heffernan J (2006) . Applied Physics Letters, 88(4), 041910-041910. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Smeeton TM, Sénès M, Smith KL, Hooper SE & Heffernan J (2006) . MRS Proceedings, 955. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Xiu H, Costa PMFJ, Kauer M, Smeeton TM, Hooper SE, Heffernan J & Humphreys CJ (2006) . MRS Proceedings, 955. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hooper SE, Kauer M, Bousquet V, Johnson K, Zellweger C & Heffernan J (2005) . Journal of Crystal Growth, 278(1-4), 361-366. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Kauer M, Hooper SE, Bousquet V, Johnson K, Zellweger C, Barnes JM, Windle J, Smeeton TM & Heffernan J (2005) . Electronics Letters, 41(13), 739-739. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Heffernan J, Kauer M, Hooper SE, Bousquet V & Johnson K (2004) . phys. stat. sol. (a), 201(12), 2668-2671. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bousquet V, Kauer M, Johnson K, Zellweger C, Hooper SE & Heffernan J (2004) . MRS Proceedings, 831. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Johnson K, Bousquet V, Hooper SE, Kauer M, Zellweger C & Heffernan J (2004) . Electronics Letters, 40(20), 1299-1299. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hooper SE, Kauer M, Bousquet V, Johnson K, Barnes JM & Heffernan J (2004) . Electronics Letters, 40(1), 33-33. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bousquet V, Heffernan J, Barnes J & Hooper S (2001) . Applied Physics Letters, 78(6), 754-756. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Griffin IJ, Wolverson D, Davies JJ, Emam-Ismail M, Heffernan J, Kean AH, Bland SW & Duggan G (2000) . Semiconductor Science and Technology, 15(11), 1030-1034. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sharma N, Tricker D, Keast V, Hooper S, Heffernan J, Barnes J, Kean A & Humphreys C (1999) . MRS Proceedings, 595. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Logue FP, Rees P, Heffernan JF, Jordan C, Donegan JF, Hegarty J, Hiei F, Taniguchi S, Hino T, Nakano K & Ishibashi A (1998) . Journal of the Optical Society of America B, 15(4), 1295-1295. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Logue FP, Fewer DT, Hewlett SJ, Heffernan JF, Jordan C, Rees P, Donegan JF, McCabe EM, Hegarty J, Taniguchi S , Hino T et al (1997) . Journal of Applied Physics, 81(1), 536-538. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Aherne T, Bradley AL, Doran JP, O'Gorman J, Heffernan JF, Hegarty J, De Neve H, Brys C, Geens G, Van Daele P , Baets R et al (1996) . Journal of Crystal Growth, 159(1-4), 636-639. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Rees P, Jordan C, Heffernan JF, Hegarty J, Logue FP, Hiei F, Donegan JF & Ishibashi A (1996) . IEE Proceedings - Optoelectronics, 143(1), 110-112. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Rees P, Logue FP, Donegan JF, Heffernan JF, Jordan C & Hegarty J (1995) . Applied Physics Letters, 67(25), 3780-3782. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Moloney MH, Heffernan JF, Hegarty J, Grey R & Woodhead J (1993) . Applied Physics Letters, 63(4), 435-437. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Heffernan JF, Moloney MH, Hegarty J & Roberts JS (1991) . Electronics Letters, 27(8), 659-659. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Heffernan JF, Moloney MH, Hegarty J, Roberts JS & Whitehead M (1991) . Applied Physics Letters, 58(25), 2877-2879. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sala EM, In Na Y & Heffernan J () . Crystal Growth & Design. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Schofield RC, Fu M, Clarke E, Farrer I, Trapalis A, Dhar HS, Mukherjee R, Severs Millard T, Heffernan J, Mintert F , Nyman RA et al () . Nature Photonics. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sala EM, Godsland M, Trapalis A & Heffernan J () . physica status solidi (RRL) – Rapid Research Letters. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Taylor PN, Schreuder MA, Smeeton TM, Grundy AJD, Dimmock JAR, Hooper SE, Heffernan J & Kauer M () . J. Mater. Chem. C, 2(22), 4379-4382. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Tan W-S, Bousquet V, Kauer M, Takahashi K & Heffernan J () . Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 48(7), 072102-072102. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sénès M, Smith KL, Smeeton TM, Hooper SE & Heffernan J () . Physical Review B, 75(12). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sénès M, Smith KL, Smeeton TM, Hooper SE & Heffernan J () . Physical Review B, 75(4). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Logue FP, Rees P, Heffernan JF, Jordan C, Donegan JF, Hegarty J, Hiei F & Ishibashi A () . Physical Review B, 54(23), 16417-16420. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Heffernan JF, Hegarty J & Planel R () . Physical Review B, 52(11), 7818-7821. RIS download Bibtex download

Conference proceedings papers

  • Mashanovich GZ, Wei C, McQuillan S, Ismaeel R, Lack N, Hu T, Zhou L, Groom KM, Heffernan J, Patey MD , Cardwell CL et al (2024) . Smart Photonic and Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits 2024, 27 January 2024 - 1 February 2024. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Rowe DJ, Reid L, Wei C, Stirling CJ, Mitchell CJ, Du H, Yan X, Tran DT, Wu Y, Banakar M , Qi Y et al (2023) . 2023 23rd International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON), 2 July 2023 - 6 July 2023. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Schofield RC, Fu M, Clarke E, Farrer I, Dhar H, Mukherjee R, Heffernan J, Mintert F, Nyman RA & Oulton RF (2023) . 2023 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC), 26 June 2023 - 30 June 2023. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Mitchell CJ, Osman A, Li K, Panades JS, Nedeljkovic M, Zhou L, Groom KM, Heffernan J & Mashanovich GZ (2023) . Silicon Photonics XVIII, 28 January 2023 - 3 February 2023. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Müller T, Wells L, Anderson M, Shooter G, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa A, Huwer J, Stevenson RM, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2023) . Optica Quantum 2.0 Conference and Exhibition, 2023. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Müller T, Anderson M, Skiba-Szymanska J, Huwer J, Stevenson M, Krysa AB, Heffernan J, Ritchie D & Shields A (2022) . Quantum Computing, Communication, and Simulation II, 22 January 2022 - 28 February 2022. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Mashanovich GZ, Reid L, Georgiev G, Wei C, Qi Y, Stirling CJ, Osman A, Wu Y, Qu Z, Heffernan J , Groom KM et al (2022) . Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies XXVI, 22 January 2022 - 28 February 2022. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Müller T, Anderson M, Huwer J, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa AB, Stevenson M, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2021) . Quantum Computing, Communication, and Simulation, 6 March 2021 - 12 March 2021. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Stevenson RM, Müller JRA, Shooter G, Anderson M, Skiba-Szymanska J, Müller T, Huwer J, Krysa AB, Farrer I, Ritchie DA , Heffernan J et al (2021) . Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science 2021, 2021. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huwer J, Xiang Z, Shooter G, Skiba-Szymanska J, Müller T, Ellis DJP, Anderson M, Müller JRA, Mitchell T, Griffiths J , Stevenson RM et al (2020) . Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, 2020. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Fordos T, Clarke E, Patil P, Airey RJ, Babazadeh N, Cemlyn B, Adams M, Henning I & Heffernan J (2019) . 2019 24th Microoptics Conference (MOC), 17 November 2019 - 20 November 2019. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huwer J, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA, Shields AJ, Muller T, Xiang Z, Anderson M, Stevenson RM, Skiba-Szymanska J, Ward MB , Farrer I et al (2019) . 2019 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC), 23 June 2019 - 27 June 2019. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Müller T, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa A, Huwer J, Felle M, Anderson M, Stevenson M, Heffernan J, Ritchie D & Shields A (2019) . Advances in Photonics of Quantum Computing, Memory, and Communication XII, 2 February 2019 - 7 February 2019. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huwer J, Müller T, Xiang Z, Anderson M, Stevenson RM, Skiba-Szymanska J, Ward MB, Farrer I, Krysa A, Heffernan J , Ritchie DA et al (2019) Network integration and coherent operation of telecom entangled light sources based on semiconductor quantum dots. Optics InfoBase Conference Papers, Vol. Part F143-EQEC 2019 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Muller T, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa AB, Huwer J, Felle M, Anderson M, Stevenson RM, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2018) . Extended Abstracts of the 2018 International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials, 9 September 2018 - 13 September 2018. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Muller T, Skiba-Szymanska J, Stevenson RM, Varnava C, Felle M, Huwer J, Bennett AJ, Lee JP, Farrer I, Krysa A , Spencer P et al (2017) . 2017 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC), 25 June 2017 - 29 June 2017. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Muller T, Skiba-Szymanska J, Stevenson RM, Varnava C, Felle M, Huwer J, Farrer I, Krysa AB, Spencer P, Ritchie DA , Heffernan J et al (2017) . Quantum Dots and Nanostructures: Growth, Characterization, and Modeling XIV, 28 January 2017 - 2 February 2017. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Stevenson RM, Skiba-Szymanska J, Varnava C, Felle M, Huwer J, Muller T, Farrer I, Krysa A, Spencer P, Ritchie DA , Heffernan J et al (2016) . Extended Abstracts of the 2016 International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials, 26 September 2016 - 29 September 2016. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dimmock JAR, Day S, Smith K, Heffernan J & Kauer M (2014) . 2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC), 8 June 2014 - 13 June 2014. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Kauer M, Tan WS, Hooper SE, Barnes JM & Heffernan J (2007) . SPIE Proceedings RIS download Bibtex download
  • Heffernan J, Kauer M, Hooper SE, Bousquet V, Windle J, Smeeton T & Barnes JM (2006) . Novel In-Plane Semiconductor Lasers V RIS download Bibtex download
  • Heffernan J, Kauer M, Johnson K, Zellweger C, Hooper SE & Bousquet V (2005) . physica status solidi (a), Vol. 202(5) (pp 868-874) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Kauer M, Heffernan J, Hooper SE, Bousquet V, Johnson K & Zellweger C (2005) . Novel In-Plane Semiconductor Lasers IV RIS download Bibtex download
  • Klengel S, Caillaud P, Oulton RF, Stavrinou PN, Parry G, Heffernan J & Poole B (2003) Detailed spectral analysis of 2D photonic crystal structures embedded into ridge waveguides. OSA Trends in Optics and Photonics Series, Vol. 88 (pp 988-990) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Rees PCT, Heffernan JF, Logue FP, Donegan JF, Jordan C, Hegarty J, Hiei F & Ishibashi A (1996) . Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices IV RIS download Bibtex download
  • Rees P, Heffernan JF, Logue FP, Donegan JF, Jordan C, Hegarty J, Taniguchi S, Hino T, Hiei F & Ishibashi A (1996) . Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe, 1996. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Heffernan J, Kauer M, Johnson K, Zellweger C, Bousquet V & Hopper SE () . The 17th Annual Meeting of the IEEELasers and Electro-Optics Society, 2004. LEOS 2004. RIS download Bibtex download

Datasets

  • Trapalis A, Farrer I, Kennedy K, Kean A, Sharman J & Heffernan J . RIS download Bibtex download
  • Foster A, Mehrabad MJ, Wilson L, Dost R, Clarke E, Patil P, Farrer I, Heffernan J & Skolnick M . RIS download Bibtex download

Preprints

  • Phillips CL, Brash AJ, Godsland M, Martin NJ, Foster A, Tomlinson A, Dost R, Babazadeh N, Sala EM, Wilson L , Heffernan J et al (2023) , arXiv. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Schofield RC, Fu M, Clarke E, Farrer I, Trapalis A, Dhar HS, Mukherjee R, Heffernan J, Mintert F, Nyman RA & Oulton RF (2023) , arXiv. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Shooter G, Xiang Z, Müller JRA, Skiba-Szymanska J, Huwer J, Griffiths J, Mitchell T, Anderson M, Müller T, Krysa AB , Stevenson RM et al (2020) 1GHz clocked distribution of electrically generated entangled photon pairs, arXiv. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Anderson M, Müller T, Huwer J, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa AB, Stevenson RM, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2020) GHz-clocked teleportation of time-bin qubits with a telecom C-band quantum dot, arXiv. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Mehrabad MJ, Foster AP, Dost R, Clarke E, Patil PK, Farrer I, Heffernan J, Skolnick MS & Wilson LR (2019) A Semiconductor Topological Photonic Ring Resonator, arXiv. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Anderson M, Müller T, Huwer J, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa AB, Stevenson RM, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2019) Quantum teleportation using highly coherent emission from telecom C-band quantum dots, arXiv. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Müller T, Skiba-Szymanska J, Krysa A, Huwer J, Felle M, Anderson M, Stevenson RM, Heffernan J, Ritchie DA & Shields AJ (2017) A quantum light emitting diode for the standard telecom window around 1550 nm, arXiv. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Skiba-Szymanska J, Stevenson RM, Varnava C, Felle M, Huwer J, Müller T, Bennett AJ, Lee JP, Farrer I, Krysa A , Spencer P et al (2016) Universal growth scheme for entanglement-ready quantum dots, arXiv. RIS download Bibtex download
Professional activities and memberships
  • Professor of Semiconductor Materials and Devices
  • Director of EPSRC National Epitaxy Facility
  • Deputy Director of the Future Photonics Manufacturing Hub
Research students
Student Degree Status Primary/Secondary
Trapalis, A PhD Graduated Primary
Chen, X MPhil Graduated Primary
Jiang, S PhD Graduated Secondary
Godsland, M PhD Current Primary
Young, I N PhD Current Primary
Wang, C PhD Current  Primary
Ovenden, C PhD Current  Secondary
Sharaf, A PhD Current  Secondary