University of Exeter, PhD, Physics

Research groups

Astrophysics group
• star and planet formation
• exoplanets: detection and determination of their properties
• observations and modelling of protoplanetary discs
• turbulence and structure of molecular clouds
• flow of gas from accretion discs on to young stars, studied with
• spectropolarimetry and radiative-transfer modelling
• numerical simulations of the formation of star clusters
• numerical simulations of the formation of gas-giant planets

Biomedical Physics group
• cellular and molecular biophysics
• magnetic-resonance imaging concentrating on skin hydration and arthritis studies
• using quantitative ultrasound to study osteoporosis
• human perception
• chemical composition and structure of biological materials
• physical properties of the cell membrane
• mechanical properties of elastin and collagen
• developing novel optical techniques such as optical coherence tomography and infrared and Raman micro spectrometry

Electromagnetic Materials group
• optical and magnetic properties of thin films and nanostructures
• microwave properties of structured metallic surfaces
• the interaction of photons with matter
• the colour of butterfly wings
• the potential of microstructured surfaces to control the alignment of molecules
• producing new magnetic materials whose structure can be controlled at the nanoscale using thin film deposition and photolithography
• observing magnetic processes on picosecond time scales using an optical pump-probe
• spin dynamics and the precessional motion of the magnetisation that occurs in high-speed magnetisation reversal

Quantum Systems and Nanomaterials group
• quantum mechanical properties of condensed matter
• electronic properties of carbon-based nanomaterials
• electronic properties of nanostructures and nanomaterials at millikelvin temperatures and high magnetic fields
• quantum effects in mesoscopic transistor structures, such as universal conductance fluctuations and random telegraph signals
• magneto-optical techniques studies of electrons confined to one or zero dimensions (quantum wires and quantum dots) in semiconductor nanostructures
• the structural, electronic, vibrational, optical and plasmon properties of semiconductors