PhD project: Listening to quantum criticality, charge density waves and unconventional supercondcutivity
Project description
Ultra-sound is a powerful directional probe for understanding magnetic phase transitions and exploring non-conventional superconductivity. The project will develop and use this technique to gain insight into the mechanism responsible for unconventional superconductivity in ferromagnetic superconductors and superconductors hosting charge density waves. Ultrasound is well suited for use in piston cylinder pressure cells, needed to tune materials to the conditions where non-conventional superconductivity and other states emerge.
For example, UGe2 is both ferromagnetic and superconducting, a state requiring parallel spins to be paired. It undergoes a mysterious change in moment at the pressure superconductivity is strongest, with a strong signature in the ultrasound. A similar jump in magnetisation linked to field induced superconductivity occurs in another ferromagnetic superconductor URhGe (https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/science.1115498).
The project will apply ultrasound to explore the transitions and the resulting superconductivity in these materials and those hosting both superconductivity and charge density waves. Advances in the technique are made possible by new very high frequency electronics.
Project supervisors
- Professor Andrew Huxley (School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
- Professor Konstantin Kamenev (CSEC & School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh)
The project supervisors welcome informal enquiries about this project.
Find out more about this research area
The links below summarise our research in the area(s) relevant to this project:
- Find out more about Quantum Ordering.
- Find out more about the Institute for Condensed Matter and Complex Systems.
What next?
- Find out how to apply for our PhD degrees.
- Find out about fees and funding and studentship opportunities.
- View and complete the application form (on the main University website).
- Find out how to contact us for more information.