Physics

 

This list is not exhaustive if there are any other areas of interest please contact the supervisor.

Project Supervisor

Professor Roger Lewis

1. Terahertz imaging

To develop methods of using THz radiation - which lies between the optical and microwave regions of the electromagnetic spectrum - to produce images. Imaging of materials of interest for applications in security, biology, and quality control

2. High efficiency terahertz emitters

To develop better sources of THz radiation using excitation by ultrashort laser pulses.

3. Temperature dependence of the resistivity of electronic materials: the colossal magnetoresistance and colossal electroresistance nexus

The aim is to measure the electrical resistivity of materials over a wide temperature range, 10 K to 300 K, and to account for the behaviour observed, in particular the occurrence of electroresistance. Samples may include metals; low-, intermediate- and high-temperature superconductors; semiconductors; oxides.

4. P And P2 Implanted Silicon

The semiconductor system of phosphorous in silicon has been suggested as the basis of a quantum computer. The aim of the project is to examine silicon implanted with both P and P2 ions to determine if optical methods might be used in the readout of the “qubits”.

5. Identification Of Impurity Transitions In Zinc Selenide

ZnSe is a candidate material for white light-emitting diodes. The spectrum of impurities in ZnSe is complex and not fully understood. The aim is to understand the spectrum of nominally pure ZnSe by examining specimens intentionally doped with specific impurities.

Project Supervisor

Dr Joseph Horvat, Professor Roger Lewis

1. Simple, inexpensive sources of terahertz radiation

Terahertz radiation is promising a great potential for application in a wide range of human activities, such as medicine, security, secure local-area communication, biology, chemistry and many others. One of the main obstacles for their wider use is cumbersomeness and high price of the current terahertz sources. We showed recently that weak terahertz radiation can be obtained in processes as simple as unwinding of adhesive tape (Optics Letters 34 (2009) 2195). This project will explore possibilities of increasing the power of this radiation and expand the attention to other related mechanisms related to the ones occurring upon unwinding the tape.

Project Supervisor

Dr Joseph Horvat, Professor Shi Dou

1. Stabilization of MgB2 superconductor against thermal run-off by smart pinning

MgB2 superconductor is likely to find its way into wider applications in the power production/transmission, medical imaging, efficient airborne propulsion and others, due to its good superconducting properties, relatively high operating temperature and low price. When used in such system, it is important to secure its stable operation in a range of situations. This project will develop ways to prevent global loss of superconductivity in MgB2 due to a local overheating by incorporating a feed-back mechanism into the superconductor through a special type of vortex pinning.

Project Supervisor

Professor Chao Zhang

1. Condenced Matter Physics & Computational Material Science

Electronic and optical properties of carbon nanotubes and graphene

2. Condenced Matter Physics & Computational Material Science

Mechanism of energy transport in nanomaterials and application in solid state
power generation

3. Condenced Matter Physics & Computational Material Science

Models for nonlinear electron-photon interaction in terahertz frequency regime
and development of terahertz emitters and sensors

4. Condenced Matter Physics & Computational Material Science

Dynamics of spintronic materials and application in optoelectronics

Project Supervisor

Associate Professor Alexey V Pan

1. Magneto-optical imaging in superconductors and other magnetic media

This project enables “seeing” magnetic properties of different superconducting and magnetic materials down to microscopic scale at low temperatures. It will develop skills in image analysis and quantification, as well as optical lithography. Visualization and intelligent control of magnetic domain walls in the active magneto-optical media can also provide non-contact means to manipulate magnetic quanta as well as biological and medical micro-specimens.

2. Fabrication and analysis of thin films and multilayered hybrid structures

The main aim of this project is to develop and understand new multilayered superconducting hybrid film systems and junctions, consisting of various superconductor/magnetic combinations. These new hybrid combinations are expected not only to enhance current-carrying abilities of superconductors for power applications, but also to enable the exploitation of known and novel tuneable quantum phenomena for electronic applications.

3. Superconducting coated conductors: flexible superconducting thin film wires

The focus of this project is development, understanding and optimisation of flexible coated conductors produced by a pulsed laser deposition technique, in order to enhance the current-carrying ability of high-temperature superconducting coatings (including multi-layered coatings) for long-length applications in electrical industry. To achieve desirable electromagnetic properties governed by the nano-structures of the coatings, a well-balanced combination of global and local electromagnetic measurements with advanced structural characterisations will be employed.

4. Magnetically induced "over-critical" currents in superconducting wires and tapes

This project will focus on understanding of magnetically induced current redistribution in superconducting MgB2 wires or/and high YBaCuO coated conductors based on the "long-range" magnetic interaction between magnetic environment and superconductors. This interaction is predicted to push up the current-carrying ability of the superconductors for different power applications. Apart from a new technology development, the significance of the project is in the fundamental understanding of magnetic interactions of this kind.

5. Study of vortex dynamics in superconductors

The project aim is to study, clarify, and understand issues related to the behaviour of flux quanta (vortices): their dynamics, pinning, and depinning mechanisms in high temperature superconducting YBCO thin films or/and other superconductors. The knowledge and understanding in this area is not only a challenging versatile problem of the condensed matter physics, but also an important task for the majority of superconducting applications.

6. Current-carrying ability and mechanisms of its limitations in MgB2 superconductors

The main goal is to locally visualise and quantify the streamlines of the supercurrents flowing in MgB2 superconductor and to identify structural and fundamental bottlenecks limiting the global current-carrying ability of this promising superconductor. Its zero-resistance (zero energy loss) offers a unique natural phenomenon that is used for enhancing performance of motors, generators, transformers, as well as medical and scientific instrumentation.

7. Development of superconducting mulifilamentary leads with ultra-low thermal conductivity for cryoelectronic applications

The project aim is to develop novel technologies for new superconducting current leads, carrying large channels of digital information with minor attenuation and ultra-low thermal conductivity for high-sensitivity, low-noise superconductive cryogenic electronics. Effective elimination of heat generation and its transfer to the cryogenic electronics can make it price competitive, significantly outperforming the conventional semiconductor-based systems.

 

Project Supervisor

 Associate Professor Alexey V Pan, Professor Anatoly Rosenfeld

A new interdisciplinary project aims to develop new field of research combining the strength in areas of superconductivity, thin film and multilayer fabrication, nano-technology, as well as medical and radiation physics. The aim of this challenging project is to measure the spatial distribution of ionisations in biological tissues and other matters, controlling the radiation by sensitive superconducting thin film detectors. Study of vortex dynamics in superconductors