Postdoctoral Research Associate in Condensed Matter Physics

Durham University; North East; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading academic institution in the United Kingdom is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to advance experimental research in complex magnetism. The position involves working with top researchers and utilizing state-of-the-art techniques to study advanced materials. Candidates should have a strong background in experimental techniques and collaboration with international research teams.

Qualifications

• Experience in experimental research, particularly in complex magnetism.
• Familiarity with scattering techniques at synchrotron X-ray and/or neutron facilities.

Responsibilities

• Enable deterministic control of altermagnetic domain configurations.
• Imaging altermagnetic domains through interference resonant X-ray diffraction.
• Establish methods of strain-gated altermagnetic domain switching.

Job description

Overview

A Postdoctoral Research Associate position is available to pursue experimental research in the field of complex magnetism within the Durham Condensed Matter Physics group. The position is associated with a two-year UKRI grant on "Advanced materials for next-generation spintronics: The deterministic control of altermagnets". The research builds upon our expertise in understanding and predicting novel magnetostructural coupling schemes in quantum materials. We employ theoretical analyses of crystal and magnetic symmetry, characterised experimentally by state-of-the-art synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering experiments performed at large-scale national and international facilities. The post holder will work directly with Dr. Roger Johnson and other members of his research group within the Durham Condensed Matter Physics research section, and in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Warwick, University College London, and the XMaS beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Source, Grenoble, France.

Responsibilities

• Address the goal of the research to enable deterministic control of altermagnetic domain configurations through external fields that modify the underlying crystal symmetries.
• Imaging altermagnetic domains through interference resonant X-ray diffraction.
• Establish novel methods of deterministic strain-gated altermagnetic domain switching under relatively small applied magnetic fields.
• Democratise principles of best practice for the study of advanced materials under applied stress.
• Collaborate with Dr. Johnson and collaborators to deliver the research aims, with experience and familiarity with scattering techniques employed at synchrotron X-ray and/or neutron facilities in the study of crystal and magnetic structures, ideally including the in-situ application of uniaxial strain to bulk single crystals.