This page lists the groups that are interested in the quantum properties of materials, whether for the novel properties of the material itself or for the potential use in nanoscale devices. The groups listed below are distributed across the Materials Department, the Quantum Materials research collective in the Physics Department, Theoretical Chemistry, and the Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics.
See our Photons and Atoms page if you're after Physics groups focusing on light, cavities and atoms.
Feliciano Giustino's Group:
Atomistic Quantum Simulation
(Materials Department)
Image: Visualisation of electronic density distribution.
Combining the predictive capability of the quantum theory of real materials with the power of high-performance computing, in order to investigate the structural, electronic, and optical properties of new materials.
Leader: Feliciano Giustino
Postdocs:
Hannes Hübener
Roxana Margine
Students:
Harry Fisher, Christopher Patrick, Keian Noori, Henry Lambert, Marina Filip.
David Logan, William Barford & Martin Galpin's
Theoretical Chemistry Groups
(there is another Theo. Chem. team here)
Image 'Crystalline Sphere Blue' (c) Pete Spangler, see www.spanglerimagery.com.
Studying a broad range of topics related to quantum materials. One focus is quantum condensed matter theory: many-body approaches to strongly correlated electron systems and electronic phase transitions. Other core interests include the electronic, optical and transport properties of condensed phase materials, from the bulk solid state to the meso/nano-scale level; including conjugated macromolecular systems, quantum dots and molecular devices.
Group Leaders:
David Logan, William Barford and Martin Galpin.
Postdocs and Students:
At any given time there will be about a dozen PDRAs and students working in this area; please see the link below for more details.
Paolo Radaelli's Group:
Multiferroic Materials
(Physics Department)
Image: Visualizing multiferroics.
Studying a new class of multi-functional magnets called multiferroics, where magnetism and ferroelectricity are strongly coupled together. These types of quantum materials are likely to form key components in the development of future technology, for example, in memories and logic devices.
Leader: Paolo Radaelli
Associated faculty member: Thorsten Hesjedal
Postdoc:
Roger Johnson
Students:
Alexander Hearmon , Natasha Perks, Benjamin Heathcote Williams and Benjamin Mahler.
Dieter Jaksch's Group:
Theory of far-from-equilibrium systems
(Physics Department)
Image: Use of tensor network in solving search problems.
Using diverse technique to understand far-from-equilibrium systems, ranging from complex quantum entanglement in the lab, to city traffic flow. Tensor networks are a key tool of the group.
Leader: Dieter Jaksch
Co-leader: Stephen Clark
Postdocs: Uwe Dorner, Sarah Al-Assam, Martin Kiffner
Eleven Students:
Tom Grujic, Pierre-Louis Giscard, Samuel Denny, Juan Jose Mendoza, Giovanni Cotungo* (visiting), Samantha Massey, Zoubeir Emambokus*, Zheng 'Vince' Zoo*, Gabriel Mazzucchi*, Wojciech Kozlowski* and Felix Tennie* (asterisk indicates co-supervision).
Radu Coldea's Group:
Quantum Magnetism & Phase Transitions
(Physics Department)
Arzhang Ardavan and Stephen Blundell's Group:
Correlated Electron Systems
(Physics Department)
Image derived from 'quantum physics' (c) moonhigh at deviantART.com.
Exploring experimentally the quantum properties of novel electronic and magnetic materials using neutron scattering and thermodynamic probes. The aim is to understand how electrons organize themselves in complex materials to lead to new properties, an example being high-temperature superconductivity.
Leader: Radu Coldea
Postdocs: Amir Abbas Haghighirad, Ivelisse Cabrera
Students: Alun Biffin, Sungkyun Choi, Jordan Thompson
Artistic visualisation "Flower Magnet" provided by Sam Himes, see chaosfissure.deviantart.com.
Studying the magnetic moments of nuclei, atoms and molecules in condensed matter. Two key themes are, electrical and thermoelectric effects in strongly correlated superconductors to elucidate the mechanisms of superconductivity, and coherent control of single spins for applications in quantum information processing.
Leaders: Stephen Blundell and Arzhang Ardavan
Postdocs: Amy Webber, Moon-Sun Nam, Paul Goddard
Students: Samuel Blake, Saman Ghannadzadeh, Danielle Kaminski, Jordan Thompson, Matthew Watson
John Cardy , John Chalker & Fabian Essler:
Condensed Matter Theory
(Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics)
Artist's impression 'quantum roots' (c) Falcon0408 at deviantART.com.
The condensed matter theorists in the Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics study many aspects of the quantum nature of matter. Key work includes quantum field theory, entanglement, and quantum quenches.
Leaders: John Cardy, John Chalker and Fabian Essler
Additional Faculty Member: Ramin Golestanian
Postdocs: Maurizio Fagotti, Eliot Kapit and Imke Schneider
Students: Bruno Bertini, Fenner Harper, Neil Robinson and Zhiming Darren Tan
Steve Simon's Group:
Topological Quantum Theory
(Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics)
Image: Topological processes are immune to small variations and errors.
Using topological techniques to understand states of matter, and to explore a possible route to highly robust quantum computing.
Leader: Steve Simon
Postdocs: Jesper Romers and Zohar Ringel
Students: Gabor Halasz, Curt von Keyserlingk and Thomas Scaffidi
Amalia Coldea's Group:
Quantum Matter in High Magnetic Fields
(Physics Department)
Using high magnetic fields and low temperatures
to probe novel phases of matter in single crystals of quantum materials from superconductors, magnets and topological insulators.
Leader: Dr Amalia Coldea
Postoc: Arjun Narayanan
Students: Matthew Watson, Samuel Blake
(from October 2014 also Nathaniel Davies)