Quantum Materials

In many of today's most interesting materials strong interactions prevail upon the magnetic moments, the electrons and the underlying crystal structure, often forming strong links between these different aspects of the system. Such materials can exhibit exciting physical phenomena whose description requires new quantum mechanical models to be developed. Examples include superconductors, magnets, topological insulators, and multiferroics.

Left: the crystal structure of NaFeAs, a material that by slight changes in the composition can be made to exhibit magnetic behaviour, metallic conduction and superconductivity. Finding out how the composition dictates the structure, the nature of the electron interactions, and the observed physical properties in materials such as this requires a wide range of experimental and theoretical techniques. Image from D. R. Parker et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 057007 (2010).

Several research groups within the Department are actively studying quantum matter, exposing a variety of materials to different experimental techniques in order to gain a better understanding of quantum theories of matter and to exploit the findings for the next generation of functional materials and devices.

Main research topics

• Magnetism
• Materials development
• Multiferroics
• Spin systems
• Superconductivity

Experimental techniques

• Electron spin resonance
• High magnetic fields
• Muon spin rotation
• X-ray and neutron scattering

Materials of interest

• Complex oxides
• Organic and molecular systems
• Iron-based superconductors