PhD (DPhil) Projects for 2025
1. Neutron and synchrotron x-ray scattering studies of unconventioanl superconductors and related materials
This project will be part of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Superconductivity
A detailed description will be added shortly
For more information, contact Prof Andrew Boothroyd
2. Magnetic topological materials
In the last decade, solids called topological quantum materials have become a hot topic with the discovery of electronic states in crystalline solids which are topologically distinct from those of electrons in free space. Topological metals and semimetals exhibit exceptional transport behaviour due to the existence of low-energy quasiparticles which resemble relativistic fermions, and are very promising for practical applications.
In this project you will investigate materials in which the topology of the electrons can be controlled by magnetic order or magnetic fields. These materials take the form of crystalline solids containing magnetic atoms such as manganese, iron and europium, which are responsible for the compound’s magnetism.
The project will combine experimental work with theoretical modelling and numerical analysis to interpret the data. You will perform neutron scattering and magnetic x-ray scattering experiments at international condensed matter facilities in the UK and overseas to probe structure and dynamics on the atomic scale. These experiments will directly determine the magnetic ground states and excited states of the electrons, and by doing so you will gain an understanding of the interactions that stabilise the exotic electronic phases. You will also study the bulk properties of materials, such as their magnetic susceptibility, resistivity and heat capacity, using state-of-the-art facilities in the Clarendon Laboratory.
For more information, contact Prof Andrew Boothroyd.
National and International Condensed Matter Facilities
These two projects offer the exciting opportunity to perform neutron and x-ray scattering experiments at the world's best international facilities, such as those at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) and European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble (France), Paul Scherrer Institut near Zürich (Switzerland), DESY synchrotron (Hamburg), and elsewhere, as well as at the ISIS spallation neutron source and Diamond Light Source located at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford. Visits to these facilities provide an excellent opportunity to meet people from other Universities at home and abroad.