Doctoral student in Physics; Condensed Matter Physics

Doctoral Student in Physics;
Condensed Matter Physics

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world's top universities. The University has around 46,000 students and 8,500 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

The Division of Synchrotron Radiation Research is a highly interdisciplinary research environment within the Department of Physics. The focus of the groups research is primarily on experimental studies of electronic, structural and chemical properties of materials, and most recently magnetism. The Division consists of approximately 60 employees, about half of whom are doctoral students. In addition, we use and develop a wide range of large-scale facility and lab-based techniques at both synchrotron and neutron sources.

Our Division is located within close proximity to two large research facilities: the European Spallation Source (currently under construction) and the MAX IV synchrotron, which are anticipated to be used significantly throughout the duration of the project.

As a doctoral student, you are both admitted as a student and employed at Lund University. As a doctoral student, you will be trained in a scientific approach. In short, you will be trained to think critically and analytically, to solve problems independently using the right methods, and to develop an awareness of research ethics. In addition, you will have the opportunity to work on projects, to develop your leadership and pedagogical skills.

Throughout your studies, you will be guided by supervisors. Doctoral studies end with a thesis and a doctoral degree.

Magnetism was one of the earliest scientific discoveries and remains one of the most technologically significant. The field continues to evolve rapidly, and looking to the future one of the most promising avenues is to investigate materials that display magnetic frustration – an intriguing physical phenomenon in which moments are unable to arrange themselves in the most energetically favourable way, forcing the system to make some compromises.

Magnetic frustration can lead to a diverse range of unconventional quantum ground states, that may have applications in quantum computing, next-generation energy storage devices and high-temperature superconductivity.

The main research topic of this position is to investigate frustrated systems that lead to partially ordered magnetic ground states, such as the spiral spin liquid. The partial ordering of such systems means the data features co-existing long- and short-range order. However these aspects are seldom analysed together, and therefore a full understanding of the physics is incomplete. In this project, you will synthesise materials with novel magnetic properties using a variety of methods.

Detailed investigations of the materials structural and magnetic properties will be conducted both in-house and at large scale facilities using neutron, X-ray and muon probes. In addition, there will be a focus on developing your own codes or adjusting existing programs to advance our capabilities to model more complex materials systems. Together, this will help us to understand what physics emerges at the intersection between these different orders, and how that plays into the overall stabilisation of certain magnetic ground states.

This is a dynamic and rapidly evolving field, providing you with an excellent opportunity to develop your skills whilst engaging in cutting-edge materials research.

You will primarily devote yourself to your doctoral education, which mainly consists of writing a doctoral thesis. In addition to research work, participation in third-cycle courses, seminars and conferences is required. Your PhD will predominantly be of an experimental nature and include training in:

• Inorganic materials synthesis
• Laboratory based characterisation including X-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity measurements
• Advanced characterisation at central facilities with a focus on neutron scattering (eg. European Spallation Source, Sweden, Institut Laue-Langevin, France and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, United Kingdom)
• Development of analysis techniques and methodologies for the study of quantum materials
• Writing scientific publications and presenting results at conferences

The main experimental portion of this work involves (inter)-national travel to central facilities for beamtime experiments. These experiments can involve working extended hours in a small team, and may be scheduled over the weekend.

In addition to studies, a maximum of 20% of working time may be spent on teaching and other departmental work.

To be eligible for admission and employment as a doctoral student, you must fulfil the requirements below.

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if the applicant:

• has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
• has…