UniversityofCentral Lancashire

ResearchProject/Studentship Description

Projectref:RS/15/03
ClosingDate:7 July 2015
School / Computing,Engineering PhysicalSciences
Centre / JeremiahHorrocksInstitute
Proposed DirectorofStudies / DrMonikaGamza
ContactDetails /
Programme(e.g MPhil/PhD) / PhD(viaMPhil)
Duration ofStudentship / 3years
Hours(FullorPartTime) / Full Time
Tuition Fees / Standard fees apply
Maintenance Grant / £14,057 per annum for student stipend
Tuition Fees paid at Home/EU student rate /
OtherAllowances(fornonUCLanstudentships) / Clickheretoentertext.
AnyEntry Requirements
(e.g.2:1classification/restrictedtoUKresidencesonly) / See research student specification /
Any Special Requirements (e.g. drivinglicence) / Clickheretoentertext.
ProjectTitle
Theory-assisted search fornovelitinerantmagnets.
ProjectDescription
ThePhDprojectwillfocusonsearchingforsystemsbuiltofnonmagneticelementsonlyinwhichstrongspinfluctuationsleadtoitinerantspin-density-wave-typemagneticorderatlowtemperatures.Theprojectwillstartwithperformingaseriesofdensityfunctionaltheory-basedelectronicbandstructurecalculationsaimingatchoosingcandidatecompoundsforexperimentalinvestigations.Attemptstosynthesizecrystalsofsuchmaterialswillbecarriedasthenextstep.StructuralandcompositionalcharacterizationofgrownphaseswillbecarriedbymeansofX-raydiffraction,scanningelectronmicroscopywithenergy-dispersiveX-raymicroanalysisandwillbefollowedbyphysicalpropertiesmeasurements(acmagneticsusceptibility,dcmagnetization,electricalresistivityandspecificheat)attemperaturesbetween0.2Kand400Kandinmagneticfieldsofupto9TeslausingastandardPhysicalPropertyMeasurementSystem(PPMS,QuantumDesign)andanAdiabaticDemagnetizationRefrigeratorsystematRoyalHolloway,UniversityofLondon(RHUL).Apossibilitywillbegivenofperforminghighpressureelectricalresistivityandmagneticsusceptibilitymeasurementsusing piston cylindercellsand Bridgman-typehigh pressurecellsavailableatRHUL.Whereappropriate,additionalexperimentswillbeconductedusingadvanced userfacilitiesin theUKsuch asDiamond LightSourceand ISISpulsed neutron and muonsourceattheRutherfordAppletonLaboratory,LeedsEPSRCNanoscienceandNanotechnologyResearch EquipmentFacility.

Research StudentSpecification

Studentship RefNumber / RS/15/03 / ClosingDate: / 7 July 2015
ProjectTitle: / Theory-assisted searchfornovelitinerantmagnets.
School: / Computing,Engineering PhysicalSciences
Contact: / MonikaGamza()
Attributes / Essential / Desirable / Measured By
Education/Qualifications / goodUK undergraduate (2:1 or above)/postgraduatedegreeinPhysics,Chemistry orrelated subjects (or equivalent qualification) / Clickheretoentertext. / Applicationform
Experience / Clickheretoentertext. / Experienceof workingina shared laboratoryenvironment.
Experiencewith oneormoreof thefollowing:
lowtemperatureexperimentaltechniquesincluding measurementsof electricalresistivity,acmagneticsusceptibility,dcmagnetizationandspecificheat,highvacuum systems,crystalgrowth,X-raydiffraction,scanning electronmicroscopewith amicroprobe,experimentalandcomputationalmethodstostudyelectronicbandstructureof solids / Applicationform andinterview
Skills/Abilities / Excellentproblem solvingskills
Goodwrittenand oralcommunicationskills
Abilitytoworktodeadlines
Computing skillsnecessaryfordataprocessingand theuseofstate-of-artcomputationalcodes / Excellentpresentationskills
Excellentorganisationalskills
Advanced computingskillsneeded fordeveloping experimentalapparatusandcomputationalcodes. / Applicationform andinterview
PersonalDetails / Interestin solidstatephysics,magnetism,crystalgrowthmethods
Independentand strongly self-motivated
Willingnesstotraveltoperformexperiments / Applicationform andinterview