Magnetic phenomena in materials are some of the oldest discoveries of science and continue to be some of the technologically most useful. Despite this, an understanding of topological magnetism is relatively recent and is undergoing a rapid change, with key discoveries of new physics, materials and applications. Topological magnetic systems exhibit a range of promising properties and excitations [1, 2, 3]. Various topological objects, such as domain walls and more recently skyrmions, are already found in magnetic materials. Additionally, many other exotic structures, including hopfions, blochions, and merons, have been stabilized. The discovery of these exotic topological structures and their potential as high-density, low-energy components for magnetic storage and computational technologies has made topological magnetism a major focus of condensed matter research.

In this PhD studentship, the student will synthesize crystals of novel bulk topological magnetic systems using various methods. Detailed investigations of the materials' structural and magnetic properties will be conducted in-house. Additionally, x-rays, neutrons, and muons at international facilities will be employed to explore the topological properties of these novel magnetic systems. This is a promising and dynamic field, providing an excellent opportunity for a motivated and capable student to engage in cutting-edge research.

This project will draw on the University of Warwick’s expertise in single crystal growth and characterization within the Superconductivity and Magnetism group. It will offer the student well-rounded training in magnetism and, more broadly, in condensed matter physics.

[1] M. T. Littlehales et al., Phys. Rev. Res. 6, L032015 (2024)

[2] G. D. A. Wood et al., Phys. Rev. B 107, L180402 (2023)

[3] M. T. Birch et al., Nature Comms. 13, 3630 (2022).

Contact Details: d.mayoh.1@warwick.ac.uk

Many of today's most interesting, innovative and potentially useful materials display states of matter explicable only by applying quantum mechanical models that are on the edge of our current understanding. This is unsurprising as these quantum materials are typically host to a complex network of many-body interactions between spins, electrons and phonons, and are exquisitely sensitive to aspects such as dimensionality, quantum fluctuations and topology. The states that emerge from this microscopic soup frequently exhibit cooperative properties (superconductivity, charge or spin-order, multiferroicity) or exotic excitations (magnetic monopoles, skyrmions, Majorana fermions) of considerable fundamental interest. Understanding these properties and perhaps harnessing them for use in next generation magnetic and electronic devices, sensors and actuators is one of the most pressing challenges facing modern physics.

As well as investigating new examples of inorganic materials showing novel conducting and magnetic states of matter, this PhD project will build on recent developments whereby non-ionic chemical bonding produces of new types of quantum material with properties not seen previously.

Recent examples of quantum materials. (a) The spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic chiral chain [Cu(pyrazine(H₂O)₄]SbF₆H₂O. This is a deeply quantum system that is found to display as yet unexplained behaviour in an applied magnetic field [1]. Inset shows a single crystal of the material. (b) Magnetic quantum oscillations (top) observed in ac frequency measurements of the strongly correlated semi-metal CeOs₄Sb₁₂. The enhancement of the charge carrier effective mass (bottom) points to a hidden quantum critical point around 20 T [2]. (c) Inelastic neutron scattering on the highly one-dimensional spin-1 chain NiI₂(3,5-lutidine)₄. The peaks at 0.5 and 0.7 meV show an energy gap developing at low temperature as a direct result of the integer spin of the Ni(II) ions [3].

[1] J. Liu, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett.122, 057207 (2019).

[2] K. Gotze et al., Phys. Rev. B101, 075102 (2020).

[3] R. Williams et al., Phys. Rev. Res.2, 013082 (2020).

Contact Details: P.Goddard@warwick.ac.uk

The goal of the project is to experimentally investigate the low-temperatures properties of several highly frustrated magnets using various neutron scattering methods. In the frustrated magnets, competing interactions often cancel each other out creating unusual ground states, such as spin liquid, spin glass and spin ice states. Frustration is often caused by the geometry of the lattice, where the magnetic ions form corner or side-sharing triangle. Neutron diffraction (see Figure) is the most direct probe of the magnetic structures, while neutron inelastic scattering provides the information on the spectrum of magnetic excitations above the ground states and therefore the strength of the magnetic interactions. The project will address the important open questions about the nature of the field-induced transitions, the interactions responsible for the selection of a particular magnetic state among many other possibilities and the signatures of the multi-spin correlations.

The project will start with the preparation of the samples, either in a polycrystalline or a single crystal form. It will then proceed to the in-house characterisation of the samples using x-ray diffraction, magnetisation, and heat capacity measurements. The neutron scattering experiments will then be performed at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory), the ILL (Grenoble, France) and other neutron scattering facilities, such as PSI.

We are constantly looking for new geometrically frustrated systems to synthesize and investigate, the final selection will be made shortly after the start of the project, but the main candidates for the project are the rare-earth tetraborides [1], garnets [2], the zigzag ladder compounds of the SrRE₂O₄ family [3], the distorted honeycomb-like lattice compounds [4], and pyrochlores [5].

(a) Spin-flip single crystal neutron diffraction intensity maps of (h0l ) plane measured on the D7 instrument. (b) Rietveld refinement of the powder neutron diffraction data. (c, d) Temperature dependence of the in-plane and out-of-plane Fourier components [1].

[1] D.D. Khalyavin et al., PRB 109, L220411 (2024); R. Ohlendorf et al., PRB 108, 224411 (2023); D. Lancon et al., PRB 102, 060407(R) (2020); D. Brunt et al., Crystals 9, 211 (2019).

[2] M. Islam et al., Crystals 13, 397 (2023); H. Jacobsen et al., PRB 104, 054440 (2021); J.A.M. Paddison et al., Science 350, 179 (2015).

[3] N. Qureshi et al., PRB 106, 224426 (2022), PRB 105, 014425 (2022); SciPost Phys. 11, 007 (2021). D.D. Khalyavin et al., PRB 103, 134434 (2021).

[4] M. Islam et al., PRB 109, 094420 (2024); M. Ciomaga Hatnean et al., Crystal Growth & Design 20, 6636 (2020).

[5] J.A.M. Paddison et al., npj Quantum Materials 6, 99 (2021).

Contact Details: o.petrenko@warwick.ac.uk

The recent discovery of high temperature superconductivity in nickel oxides has once again made this one of the hottest topics in superconductivity as well as in condensed matter physics research.

A PhD studentship is available starting from October 2025 to work on these oxide superconductors (La₃Ni₂O₇ and related oxides). The work on producing single crystals and investigations of these superconductors at high pressures is already underway at Warwick. The project will make use of a number of experimental techniques to synthesize the crystals and will encompass the study of the crystals produced through detailed investigations of their structural, superconducting and magnetic properties. The project will involve several collaborations with research groups both within the UK and internationally. To complement our state of the art in-house experimental facilities, there will also be scope for taking part in experiments at international facilities using neutrons, muons and synchrotron radiation.

The project takes place in the context of a wider programme of materials investigation within the Superconductivity and Magnetism Group in the University of Warwick. The Superconductivity and Magnetism Group has an international reputation for its long running single crystal growth programme, funded by the EPSRC, UK.

This is a new, exciting and fast moving field and an ideal project for a strong and enthusiastic student.

Contact details g.balakrishnan@warwick.ac.uk

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If you do not yet have the right to work in the UK and/or are seeking sponsorship for a Skilled Worker visa, please follow this linkLink opens in a new window which contains further information about obtaining the right to work in the UK