Condensed matter and materials physics

Using experimental, theoretical and computational techniques and supported by state-of-the-art facilities, we create and study a variety of advanced materials and nanostructures.

The scope of our work is broad - from materials design and theoretical modelling to materials synthesis and device fabrication - with a special focus on nanoscale characterisation and methods development.

Our group consists of approximately 70 academics, postdoctoral researchers and PhD students.

Staff

Academic staff

Professor Stuart Cavill - Magnetoelectrics, spinwave dynamics, novel magnetic textures
Professor Irene D'Amico - Spin-transport and spintronics
Dr Richard Evans - Atomistic spin dynamics, advanced magnetic materials, spintronics
Professor Aires Ferreira - Condensed matter theory
Professor Thomas Krauss - Photonic crystals, silicon photonics
Professor Roland Kröger - Nanomaterials and raman spectroscopy
Professor Vlado Lazarov - New spintronic materials & electron microscopy (experiment)
Professor Keith McKenna - Predictive materials modelling for applications in energy, electronics and catalysis
Dr Andrew Pratt - Surface properties of nanomaterials, electron spectroscopy
Professor Matt Probert - Density functional theory, materials modelling
Professor Sarah Thompson - Spin transport and nanothermal imaging
Dr Gonzalo Vallejo Fernandez - Thin film and fine particle magnetism
Dr Jing Wu - Femto-magnetism and spinwave dynamics
Professor Jun Yuan - Electron microscopy, electron vortices, nanomaterials

Academic Staff (Emeritus)

Independent research fellows

Dr Laura Clark
- Royal Society University Research Fellow
- Image analysis and contrast mechanisms, electron microscopy
Dr Phil Hasnip
- Density functional theory, materials modelling
Dr Demie Kepaptsoglou
- SuperSTEM Research Fellow
- Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy, Materials Science
Dr Leonardo Lari
- Research Officer (Research Fellow)
- Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy, Materials Science.
Dr Yue Wang
- Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow
- Nanotechnology, 2D material devices

Postdoctoral research assistants

Dr Sitki Aktas
Dr Peter Byrne -Density functional theory, materials modelling
Dr John Carey Density functional theory, materials modelling
Dr Donato Conteduca - Nanophotonics, optical trapping
Dr Malcolm Dearg - Electron Microscopy
Dr William Frost - Spintronic devices
Dr Kezheng Li - Nanophotonics and biophotonics
Dr Anita Radini - Archaeology
Dr Christopher Reardon - Photonics
Dr Sergiu Ruta - Computational Magnetism
Ashish Suri - Electronic Engineering
Dr Chuan-Jia Tong - Density functional theory, materials modelling
Dr Anthony Vaquero-Stainer - Metrology for quantum key distribution

Application areas

We apply our collective expertise to three key research areas:

Electronic Structure and Microscopy

Photonics

Spintronics and magnetism

Centres

Our researchers have strong links to several leading interdisciplinary research centres, including:

The York JEOL Nanocentre

A UK centre of excellence for in-situ and environmental aberration-corrected electron imaging and spectroscopy, providing an environment for interdisciplinary nanotechnology research and teaching for academia and industry.

York Centre for Quantum Technologies

An initiative aimed at further developing the University’s substantial expertise into quantum research. The Centre aims to foster new collaborations across all areas of quantum theory, and in particular their applications to emerging quantum technologies.

Centre for Energy Efficient Materials

This Centre studies novel materials for energy-related research such as photovoltaics and materials related to the reduction of energy consumption, such as spintronics as well as energy storage and conversion.

Our degrees

Explore our study programmes.

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