Difference between revisions of "CXS:About"

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=== Overview ===
 
=== Overview ===
  
[[People|Our group]] is interested in understanding phenomena in [[Research|quantum materials]]. In these materials the interaction between the valence electrons can strongly influence the materials properties.  They are interesting as their unique properties are of considerable utility for device physics, functional materials and fundamental condensed matter physics.  Some of these materials exhibit a reconstructive structural phase transition (SPT) at some critical temperature that occurs on the femto-second time scale.  There is still a great deal that is not known about the dynamics of this phenomenon as the ability to probe ultra-fast transitions remains largely inaccessible to conventional techniquesFor example, electron microscopes are able to resolve atomic scale features of sufficiently thin materials but have poor time resolution. Conversely, femto-second laser systems (excluding hard X-ray systems) have poor spatial resolution and cannot resolve atomic structural changes.  
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[[People|Our group]] is interested in understanding phenomena in [[Research|quantum materials]]. In these materials the interaction between electron spin, charge and orbital degrees of freedom can strongly influence the materials properties.  They are interesting as their unique properties are of considerable utility for device physics, functional materials and fundamental condensed matter physics.  For example some quantum materials can exhibit more than one ferroic property including ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity, ferroelasticity or
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ferrotoroidicity. In such materials an applied electric field can switch on (or off) magnetic properties of the material (and vice versa)These materials can be used to develop low power neuromorphic memory devices or integrated circuits.  
  
To study these materials, our group makes use of femto-second coherent X-ray diffraction imaging to study ultra-fast SPT's in nanoscale materials. This process became possible with the advent of the X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) synchrotron radiation facility.  [[Research#Coherent Diffraction Imaging | Bragg coherent x-ray diffraction imaging]] (BCXDI) is a powerful lens-less imaging technique for probing crystalline materials with sub-nanometre sensitivity. When BCXDI imaging is performed using the femto-second timing of an XFEL, we can obtain three-dimensional images of nanoscale structures with femto-second temporal resolution and nanometre spatial resolution. As a result, we are able to address the fundamental problem of how to determine atomic motions during a SPT in solid-phase materials.  
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To study these materials, our group makes use of coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) techniques such as Bragg CDI.  [[Research#Coherent Diffraction Imaging | Bragg coherent diffraction imaging]] (BCDI) is a powerful lens-less imaging technique for probing crystalline materials with sub-nanometre sensitivity. Moreover when BCDI imaging is performed using the femto-second timing of an X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL), we can obtain three-dimensional images of nanoscale structures with femto-second temporal resolution and nanometre spatial resolution. As a result, we are able to address the fundamental problem of how to determine atomic motions during ultra-fast processes in quantum materials.  
  
[[People|Our group]] is also engaged in large scale supercomputer simulations of structural phase transitions.  We make use of the Iridis high-performance computing facility to perform ab-initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of structural phase transitions under various conditions.  Simulations of the ultra-fast SPT allow us to bridge XFEL experiments to current theory and to make predictions as to how the behaviour of a material changes under various conditions.  This might relate to a change in the immediate environment of the material or the materials use in a heterostructure device setting.
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[[People|Our group]] is also engaged in large scale supercomputer simulations of structural phase transitions.  We make use of the Iridis high-performance computing facility to perform ab-initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of structural phase transitions under various conditions.  Simulations of ultra-fast processes allow us to bridge XFEL experiments to current theory and to make predictions as to how the behaviour of a material changes under various conditions.  This might relate to a change in the immediate environment of the material or the materials use in a heterostructure device setting.
  
 
=== Interested in Postgraduate Studies? ===
 
=== Interested in Postgraduate Studies? ===

Latest revision as of 13:02, 26 July 2024


About the Coherent X-ray Science Group

Overview

Our group is interested in understanding phenomena in quantum materials. In these materials the interaction between electron spin, charge and orbital degrees of freedom can strongly influence the materials properties. They are interesting as their unique properties are of considerable utility for device physics, functional materials and fundamental condensed matter physics. For example some quantum materials can exhibit more than one ferroic property including ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity, ferroelasticity or ferrotoroidicity. In such materials an applied electric field can switch on (or off) magnetic properties of the material (and vice versa). These materials can be used to develop low power neuromorphic memory devices or integrated circuits.

To study these materials, our group makes use of coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) techniques such as Bragg CDI. Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) is a powerful lens-less imaging technique for probing crystalline materials with sub-nanometre sensitivity. Moreover when BCDI imaging is performed using the femto-second timing of an X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL), we can obtain three-dimensional images of nanoscale structures with femto-second temporal resolution and nanometre spatial resolution. As a result, we are able to address the fundamental problem of how to determine atomic motions during ultra-fast processes in quantum materials.

Our group is also engaged in large scale supercomputer simulations of structural phase transitions. We make use of the Iridis high-performance computing facility to perform ab-initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of structural phase transitions under various conditions. Simulations of ultra-fast processes allow us to bridge XFEL experiments to current theory and to make predictions as to how the behaviour of a material changes under various conditions. This might relate to a change in the immediate environment of the material or the materials use in a heterostructure device setting.

Interested in Postgraduate Studies?

Hear from our students on their exciting research and experiences.

Acknowledgements

Eternal thanks to the great Monarch of the galaxies who has crowned our efforts with His divine blessing.

Our research facilities are generously furnished in part by a prestigious UKRI Future Leader Fellowship, a prestigious JSPS Grant-In-Aid (Kakenhi) research grant award and a Royal Society Research Grant award. We graciously acknowledge research funding support from the following bodies:


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