Condensed Matter Physics

The condensed matter physics research in the Department comprises a significant range of active research projects in areas of experimental, theoretical and computational physics to advance understanding of fundamental aspects of condensed matter at the atomic scale as well as developing new applications for future technologies. These are encompassed within four main research themes:

  • Nano and low-dimensional structures
  • Magnetism and spintronics
  • Quantum theory and applications
  • Biophysics and organic systems.

The condensed matter physics group is the largest research group in the department comprising 16 full-time academic staff, and has wide-ranging expertise in:

  • Electron microscopy
  • Computational and theoretical physics
  • Surface science techniques
  • Magnetic measurements

The research themes and expertise of the group has impact in catalysis, environment, microelectronics, data storage, quantum technologies, biomedicine, sensors, and energy technologies.

The group has extensive experimental and computational facilities, in particular, ultra-high vacuum growth and analysis systems, surface and materials characterisation facilities, advanced magnetic measurement facilities, computational facilities including 4 parallel clusters with a total of 380 processors and extensive GPU capability. We are a major user of the York-JEOL Nanocentre. This is an £8m Centre with world-class facilities for nanoscale fabrication and analysis, including a double aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope. The group is also a major user of the White Rose Grid parallel computers and the National HECToR supercomputer. We use many international experimental facilities such as Soleil in Paris; and the Advanced Light Source in the USA. There are a number of collaborations between group members, notably across experimental and theoretical activities, and there are strong links with groups in other departments in the University as well as at other internationally leading universities and institutes in the UK and abroad. Industrial collaborators include Seagate, Accelrys, HP, BP, Hitachi Global Storage and Western Digital and other companies. Recently funded major projects include a £2.6m joint project with the Universities of Leeds and Sheffield for high-resolution electron beam lithography, and materials physics studies of mineral structures and mineral/tissue interfaces using aberration-corrected electron microscopy as part of a major collaboration with a number of other UK universities. York is also coordinating a €4m FP7 project involving 8 European laboratories to develop theoretical models of sub-picosecond magnetisation processes.

Current projects: