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The Blackett Laboratory Department of Physics Review Faculty of Natural Sciences 2007 Cover: The cover shows two photographs illustrating the participation of the Imperial High Energy Physics group in the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment in CERN, which should start taking data at the Large Hadron Collider during the autumn of 2008. The upper picture shows Dr Rob Bainbridge examining the interior of the silicon microstrip tracker, which measures the trajectories of charged particles emerging from each proton-proton collision. It is the largest detector of its kind ever constructed and the sensors cover an area of over 200m2. Small ionisation signals are produced by charged particles crossing 15,000 silicon sensors, which are segmented into narrow strips typically 80µm wide by 10-20cm long. The lower photograph shows Prof Tejinder Virdee of Imperial College, who is Spokesperson of CMS, standing in front of the exper- iment during its assembly. Behind him can be seen the iron yoke (red) of the superconducting solenoid magnet, into which are inserted large gaseous drift detectors to measure muons which penetrate through the interior layers of the detector. In the rear can be seen part of the Forward Hadron Calorimeter which measures energy deposited by hadronic particles, such as pions and protons. A large, apparently, missing energy could signal the discovery of a new symmetry of nature called Supersymmetry. Contents Preface from the Head of Department 2 Undergraduate Teaching 42 History of the Department 8 Postgraduate Studies 46 Academic Staff group photograph 9 PhD degrees awarded (by research group) 48 General Departmental Information 10 Research Grants Grants obtained by research group 51 Research Groups 11 Technical Development, Intellectual Property 53 and Commercial Interactions (by research group) Astrophysics 12 Academic Staff 56 Condensed Matter Theory 15 • Professors Experimental Solid State 18 • Readers • Senior Lecturers High Energy Physics 21 • Lecturers Optics - Laser Consortium 24 • Postdoctoral fellows • Research Associates / Assistants Optics - Photonics 27 • Postgraduate Students • Senior Research Fellows / Investigators Optics - Quantum Optics and Laser Science 33 • Honorary Research Fellows • Plasma Physics 30 Honorary Lecturers • Visiting Professors Space and Atmospheric Physics 36 • Visiting Readers • Visiting Lecturers Theoretical Physics 39 • Visiting Research Fellows Administrative and Support Staff 58 1 Preface from the Head of Department During the 2006-2007 academic year lectures, the Blackett Lecture, titled of the Physical Society of London in Imperial College London celebrated ‘The Big Questions in Particle Physics 1873 and a later President (1884), the Centenary of its foundation and and Cosmology’ on 13th November was during the period 1868 to1886 embraced its new status as an 2007 in the Great Hall. He provided Professor of Physics at the Royal independent university with a new an enthralling overview of the most School of Mines (Jermyn Street then Royal Charter bestowed during the important open questions in particle Exhibition Rd) and subsequently at Queen’s visit on 9th July. Our three physics and how they may be its successor institutions the Nobel Laureate Lectures, each named addressed by experiment: The origin Metropolitan School of Science and in recognition of the Physics Nobel of particle masses, the small difference the Normal School of Science. The winners who have graced our staff between matter and antimatter, and latter eventually became the Royal (G.P. Thomson, Patrick Blackett and how to unify the fundamental forces. College of Science and in turn Abdus Salam) provided a strong Professor Ellis’ talk very much merged with the Royal School of focus for departmental festivities. increased the growing sense of Mines and the City and Guilds Professor Shuji Nakamura (University anticipation in the run up to the start Institute to form the Imperial College of California, Santa Barbara) delivered of data collection at the Large of Science and Technology in 1907. an entertaining and insightful Thomson Hadron Collider in CERN. Lecture on 5th July 2007 in the Great New College-wide interdisciplinary Hall. Professor Nakamura won the In addition to being the centenary of centres inaugurated during the year 2006 Millenium Prize for his invention Imperial College, 2007 marked the included the Thomas Young Centre and development of gallium-nitride 90th anniversary of our Optics Section (TYC) and the Grantham Institute for based blue LEDs and lasers and (now comprising elements of the Climate Change. The TYC is the talked about his discovery research Experimental Solid State Physics London centre for theory and at the Nichia Chemical Company, (EXSS) Group’s research with that simulation of materials, an initiative the applications of the technology in of the Photonics (PHOT) and Quantum chaired by Mike Finnis (Condensed energy efficient lighting and displays Optics and Laser Science (QOLS) Matter Theory (CMTH) Group) and and for water sterilisation and the Groups). Its progenitor, the Department involving colleagues from across scientific and technological challenges of Technical Optics was set up in London (Imperial, Kings, Queen Mary faced to extend the emission colour 1917 in recognition of a need to re- and UCL). The TYC was launched into the green part of the visible establish home grown expertise in a with an opening event in the Fleming spectrum. The Salam Lecture (7th strategically important topic. An Optics Building on 10th November 2006 at July 2007), titled ‘Salam and the 90 celebration, opened by Faculty which Professor Michele Parinello Grand View of Physics’ was given by Principal Sir Peter Knight, was For.Mem.Roy.Soc. (ETH, Zurich) Physics Nobel Laureate Professor organised on September 6th with spoke on “Simulating Complexity: Gerard ’t Hooft (University of Utrecht) three overviews (by Heads of Group Challenges and Progress in Atomistic as part of a Salam +50 Day commem- Jon Marangos, Paul French and Materials Science Simulations”. The orating Salam’s arrival at Imperial Gareth Parry) and six talks from Grantham Institute, funded by a College as a Professor of Theoretical internal (Martin Plenio, Roy Taylor generous grant from the Grantham Physics. The Day coincided with and me) and external (Professors Foundation for the Protection of the the end of a highly successful 13th Paul Corkum (NRC Canada), Chris Environment provides a focus for International Symposium on Particles, Dainty (NUI Galway) and Martin Imperial College Research in climate Strings and Cosmology (PASCOS- Dawson (Institute of Photonics, change, covering four research 07) hosted by the Department’s Strathclyde)) speakers covering themes: (i) earth systems science, Theory Group and provided a public some of the extensive interests of (ii) vulnerable ecosystems and human celebration of the life and works of the three groups, namely quantum welfare, (iii) sustainable futures, and the Department’s most recent Nobel information, quantum control, fibre (iv) risks, extremes and irreversible Laureate. It brought members of lasers, adaptive optics, plastic change. In the first allocation of Salam’s family, many friends from optoelectronics and GaN-based funding by the Grantham Institute around the world and the UK Pakistan semiconductor light sources. PhD studentship support was allocated High Commissioner to the Fleming Another celebratory event during the to Jenny Nelson (EXSS) and Ralf Building and provided a fascinating year was the 600th Physical Society Toumi (Space and Atmospheric insight into his career and achieve- Club dinner hosted by the Department Physics Group (SPAT)). ments, including his pivotal role in the at 170 Queens Gate on 16th March International Centre for Theoretical 2007. Holding the event at Imperial A major highlight of the year was the Physics at Trieste. Professor John College recognised the College’s election of David Wark (High Energy Ellis FRS (CERN Theory Group) close links with the Society. Professor Physics (HEP) Group) to Fellowship presented the third of our festival Frederick Guthrie, one of the founders of the Royal Society. David was 2 honoured for his outstanding contri- phere. The 2007 IOP Thomas Young business plan. Russell and his start- butions to neutrino physics, including Medal and Prize was awarded to Roy up company, Ingenia Technology, the demonstration that the electron Taylor (PHOT) for his contributions also won the 2006 Global Security neutrino has mass. His election to the development of modern solid- Challenge “Best Start up in Security”, brought the number of Fellows in the state lasers, including the pioneering were runners up in the Small Times Department to 11, the largest number of lasers that generate ultrashort Magazine Best of Small Tech we have ever had. The Royal Society pulses of light that can help under- Researcher of the Year Award (2006), also supported two new Wolfson stand how light travels along optical won a Red Herring 100 Europe Merit Awards, given to Adrian Sutton fibres. Initially Roy’s research was Award (2007) and together with FRS (2006) (CMTH) and Paul French focused on telecommunication uses Bayer Technical Services won a (2007) (PHOT) in recognition of their but additional applications have 2007 Hermes Award at the Hannover outstanding contributions, respectively, been developed in extremely high- Fair in recognition of their newly to the theory and simulation of materials resolution imaging through human launched product
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