Physics Department News
Heteronanotubes break the bandgap barrier
Nano-scale co-axial cables - heteronanotubes - can now be created from different semiconducting materials, offering the possibility of active nano-scale wires that absorb light efficiently and are also highly conductive. Our recent work uncovers the unique way in which infrared light is absorbed in the central core of a heteronanotube, altering the amount of visible light absorbed by the outer skin. This contrasts to the traditional picture of light absorption in semiconductors, where a photon of light is only absorbed if its energy is above a critical energy - the bandgap - of the material.
Knowledge Transfer Partnership led by Professor Steven Brown graded outstanding!
The recently finished Knowledge Transfer Partnership led by Professor Steven Brown from our NMR group funded by Innovate UK in partnership with AstraZeneca to improve pharmaceutical product quality and manufacturing processes has been graded as outstanding!
Why are we seeing more northern lights this year?
Spectacular auroral displays have been seen in the sky in more places this year, with greater frequency. Professor Sandra Chapman, Head of Centre for Fusion Space and Astrophysics answers the question in The Conversation.
Controlling antiferromagnetic domains and observing an electronic response to magnetic monopole density in a spin-ice iridate
New research shows that the magnetoresistance in a pyrochlore spin ice can be used as a measure of monopole density and demonstrates magnetic-field control of antiferromagnetic iridium domain walls.