Quantum & Soft Matter

Our aim is to find and understand new phenomena of quantum and classical matter. We study soft materials like liquid crystals and colloids, as well as solid matter ranging from superconductors to insulators. We are particularly interested in systems that show a large response to small perturbations. These are often found close to phase transitions and out of equilibrium. 

Our research contributes insight to many emergent phenomena like superconductivity at the boarder of quantum magnetism and glass formation in colloids. We specialise in the following eight research areas:

• Superconductivity

We're studying the mechanism of unconventional superconductivity in cuprate superconductors and exploring novel high-pressure superconductors using diamond anvil cells.

• Colloidal Matter

We use real space tracking to measure particle positions in colloids and to compare with model calculations. Thus, we can understand equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium physics relevant for the whole of condensed matter.

• Quantum Magnetism

We're studying how large magnetic fields can induce a form of antiferromagnetism known as a spin density wave and how this can be used to control the resistance of a metal in a high magnetic field.

• Novel Glasses

We're working on understanding the glass transition and producing new glasses, such as pure aluminate, titanate and gallate, with high refractive indices and the ability to contain significant quantities of rare-earth ions.

• Quantum Criticality

We're studying quantum critical points, which arise when phase transitions close to zero temperature are dominated by quantum fluctuations, and the emergence of superconductivity at these points.

• Low Dimensional Materials & Devices

We're using dimensionality as a tuning parameter, making heterostructures of different materials and creating device structures such as transistors to explore fundamental physics.

• Solid-Liquid Interfaces

We're working on electrodeposition and molecular electronics and on understanding and controlling ice nucleation using model heterogeneous nucleating agents.

• Electronic Structure

We use experiments and computational simulations to study the distribution of electron states in a variety of materials ranging from superconductors to low-dimensional devices.