Talented physicist joins the University of York under Royal Society scheme

Posted on Monday 29 September 2014

Dr Aires Ferreira is one of 43 new University Research Fellows appointed across the UK under the highly competitive scheme. The Royal Society scheme aims to provide outstanding scientists, who have the potential to become leaders in their chosen fields, with the opportunity to build an independent research career. 

Dr Ferreira, who will join York from the Graphene Research Centre at the National University of Singapore, will investigate spintronics in adatom decorated graphene. Graphene is an atomically-thin layer of carbon known as ‘the wonder material’ for its huge potential for a broad range of applications. 

The fellowship will allow Dr Ferreira to carry out theoretical investigations into new ways to activate electric currents with a well-defined ‘spin’ state. His project aims to use atomic species adsorbed on graphene as ‘hot spots’ to align the electrons' spin along ‘up’ or ‘down’ directions on-demand. The control of spin-polarised currents is a major goal in spintronics research, one of the most promising topics in science and technology. Ultimately, it could have important implications for future electronic devices and the transfer of information at the quantum level, contributing towards more efficient and greener societies. 

Dr Ferreira, who will join the Condensed Matter Theory group at York, said: “This award is a wonderful opportunity. It will allow me to develop a long-term research project in the new fascinating field of atomically-thin materials, in which powerful surface physics techniques can be devised to modify the quantum properties of charge carriers in a fundamental way. I am really looking forward to the work, and the opportunities that the stimulating environment at the University of York has to offer.”