Download Condensed Matter and Materials Physics in Scotland

Condensed Matter and Materials Physics in Scotland
(1) Areas of excellence within the Scottish CMMP community
Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (CMMP) is a thriving and dynamic sub-discipline of
physics involving thousands of scientists worldwide. The goal is to connect the emergent
properties of lage numbers of strongly interacting particles (atoms, molecules, colloids...) to their
fundamental interactions. Breakthroughs can lead to major rewards, both intellectually and
commercially. Indeed the fruits of such work are visible all around us. For example your laptop
contains a magnetic hard disc, an LCD screen, and a smart polymer touchpad, not to mention its
CPU; none of these would exist were it not for CMMP research. Scotland's activity in this area is
diverse but has some coherent strengths that are excellent from any international viewpoint. The
Scottish community in CMMP is quite substantial - around 30 permanent academics and 40
research staff active in the areas of excellence described below, with annual grant income of
several millions. The most exciting work can be grouped in four key areas.
1.1 Novel states of quantum order: A major area of excellence in CMMP in Scotland concerns
novel states of quantum order in solids, including superconductivity, magnetism and quantum dots.
(Mackenzie and Lee, St Andrews [5+5]; Chapman, Glasgow [3+4]; Warburton, Heriot Watt [2+2],
Martin, Strathclyde [1+1]). This work has strong industrial connections particularly in magnetism
(digital media, displays etc.). Alongside new characterisation facilities (see below), Scotland has
recently attracted large investment in modern infrastructure for achieving ultra-low temperatures in
strong magnetic fields. Novel quantum ordering is a very competitive field internationally and
Scotland's community is relatively small; nonetheless it is highly visible.
1.2 Extreme conditions physics: A second major area of CMMP where Scotland excels is
'extreme conditions physics'. This addresses the structural, electronic and other changes that take
place in solids when subjected to extreme conditions such as very high pressure. The group of
Nelmes and Ackland (Edinburgh [5+4]) has a world-leading reputation in high pressure
crystallography, backed by very significant strength in simulation and theory. The group has
collaborators worldwide; its members lead the JIF-and Leverhulme funded Centre for Science at
Extreme Conditions (CSEC), which offers unparalleled opportunities for novel, world-leading
interdisciplinary science.
1.3 Soft condensed matter: A third major area of excellence within Scotland's CMMP community
is 'soft condensed matter'. This includes colloid-state physics plus attendant areas of chemical,
biological, and statistical physics. The group of Pusey, Cates and Poon (Edinburgh [7+11]) is
among the world's strongest in this area with many collaborators in the USA and Europe. Their
experiments on colloids offer probing tests of fundamental ideas in statistical mechanics (ranging
from the glass transition to the origin of the liquid state). But the work is also of direct industrial
significance. Thus far this has mainly involved improving mature technologies (detergency,
foodstuffs etc.), but opportunities now exist to develop entirely new materials based on
nanocolloidal processing.
1.4 Measurement science and characterisation: A fourth area of excellence within CMMP lies
in the development of new characterisation and measurement techniques for advanced materials.
As material design becomes more sophisticated, ever more powerful methods are needed to
complete the feedback loop between processing and structure. New high resolution probes are
being used to explore nanomagnets, biomolecules, semiconductors, and colloids, with
nanocharacterisation in Glasgow (Craven [2+4]) nanometrology in Strathclyde (Birch [2+2]),
ESR/NMR in St Andrews (Smith [1+1]) and microscopy in Edinburgh (Crain [2+1]). All host
major instrumentation centres; much of this activity interlinks with Photonics.
(2) Current collaborations.
The Scottish teams in the areas of excellence above have substantial external UK and international
collaborators, but so far have undertaken relatively little work together. This is largely because
they have to date worked on relatively distinct problems rather than competing. However, it is
clear that several paths are converging, so that it is an excellent time to encourage collaborations
(see below).
CMMP in Scotland is marked by extensive multi-disciplinary and industrial links. For example the
quantum ordering work in St Andrews and Glasgow has strong intellectual overlap with cognate
areas of solid state chemistry as pursued in Edinburgh, St Andrews and elsewhere; collaborations
here also involve many other groups further afield in the UK and in Europe. The measurement
science and characterisation work is particularly multidisciplinary, and there are collaborators in
engineering, materials science, chemistry, earth sciences and biology. Such work also
complements X-ray and neutron scattering studies mainly at central facilities by groups already
identified above. Perhaps the strongest links however are to Photonics. Substantial work often
classified as CMMP is in directly allied to optoelectronics. Examples include solid state lasers and
optical materials; semiconductor and liquid crystal device work; and new characterisation
techniques. This work cretainly cuts across institutional boundaries, and much of it interconnects
with areas surveyed above. However we have excluded this work from this survey because it is
covered in the separate section on the Photonics Theme.
(3) Future opportunities with SUPA
CMMP in Scotland is characterised by complementarity rather than duplication. At a general level,
we therefore have much to gain by sharing skills and experience, and developing a strategic
approach to scientific planning; but there are also quite specific opportunities for adding value by
bringing together previously unlinked areas within the collaborative structure envisaged by SUPA.
There are two striking opportunities. One combines magnetism and nano-characterisation with
colloid physics, and the other brings extreme conditions to the search for new states of quantum
order. Both are areas where significant international momentum already exists, but where, by
joining forces within SUPA, Scottish institutions can now compete with the best. By kick-starting
these projects with upfront resources we have the opportunity to make a step-change in impact. For
example, we are aware of proposals in the USA aiming to build from scratch a centre for high
pressure research on novel quantum ordering. SUPA is capable of realising that goal almost
immediately, with just a few key appointments and relatively modest added infrastructure costs.
There are other clear possibilities for collaboration. Examples include work on quantum dots and
magnetism (Glasgow/ Heriot Watt/ Strathclyde/ Paisley) and characterisation of new materials
created at high pressure and then recovered to ambient (Glasgow/ Edinburgh). Major ongoing
developments (such as aberration corrected EM in Glasgow) will offer continuing opportunities for
step-change, with potential impact across diverse academic and industrial fields.
Since the new collaborations envisaged above will largely bring together complementary skills,
rather than merge competing activities, we expect this to be achievable with a minimum of discord.
CMMP is perhaps fortunate in that the potential synergies within SUPA are so striking, at least
within the two main areas singled out for initial resource allocation, that the benefits of working
this way should be accepted rapidly by the vast majority of staff involved.