The Blackett Laboratory Department of Physics Review Faculty of Natural Sciences 2008/09 Contents Preface from the Head of Department 2 Undergraduate Teaching 54 Academic Staff group photograph 9 Postgraduate Studies 59 General Departmental Information 10 PhD degrees awarded (by research group) 61 Research Groups 11 Research Grants Grants obtained by research group 64 Astrophysics 12 Technical Development, Intellectual Property 69 and Commercial Interactions (by research group) Condensed Matter Theory 17 Academic Staff 72 Experimental Solid State 20 Administrative and Support Staff 76 High Energy Physics 25 Optics - Laser Consortium 30 Optics - Photonics 33 Optics - Quantum Optics and Laser Science 41 Plasma Physics 38 Space and Atmospheric Physics 45 Theoretical Physics 49 Front cover: Laser probing images of jet propagating in ambient plasma and a density map from a 3D simulation of a nested, stainless steel, wire array experiment - see Plamsa Physics group page 38. 1 Preface from the Heads of Department During 2008 much of the headline were invited by, Ian Pearson MP, the within the IOP Juno code of practice grabbing news focused on ‘big science’ Minister of State for Science and (available to download at with serious financial problems at the Innovation, to initiate a broad ranging www.ioppublishing.com/activity/diver Science and Technology Facilities review of physics research under sity/Gender/Juno_code_of_practice/ Council (STFC) (we note that some the chairmanship of Professor Bill page_31619.html). As noted in the 40% of the Department’s research Wakeham (Vice-Chancellor of IOP document, “The code … sets expenditure is STFC derived) and Southampton University). The stated out practical ideas for actions that the start-up of the Large Hadron purpose of the review was to examine departments can take to address the Collider at CERN. Our staff members the health of the entire discipline of under-representation of women in were prominent in both regards, being physics, and the priorities and university physics and emphasises strongly represented and actively challenges facing the discipline in the need for dialogue, transparency engaged within the STFC committee the medium to long-term future. and openness”. The principles are: structures (Sir Peter Knight (QOLS), Donal was among those appointed “Principle 1: A robust organisational Jordan Nash (HEP), Steven Rose to the review panel, together with framework to deliver equality of (PLAS), Andrew Jaffe (ASTRO) and senior staff from the Universities of opportunity and reward. Tim Horbury (SPAT)) and in the user Cambridge, Durham, Glasgow, Principle 2: Appointment, promotion community action groups, and having Leicester, Oxford (Engineering), and selection processes and proce- significant leadership roles within two Toronto and Denmark. A substantial dures that encourage men and of the four major projects at LHC, and wide-ranging report resulted women to apply for academic posts namely the Compact Muon Solenoid from the extensive investigation that at all levels. (CMS) and LHCb experiments (Jim was undertaken, albeit within a very Principle 3: Departmental structures Virdee (HEP) is spokesperson for much constrained time window, and and systems that support and CMS and Andrei Golutvin (HEP) the report was published on 1st encourage the career progression of spokesperson for LHCb). The LHC October 2008 all staff and enable men and women start-up was much feted in the media (www.rcuk.ac.uk/review/physics), just to progress and continue in their with BBC Radio 4 running a ‘Big Bang in time to be overshadowed by the careers. Day’ extravaganza on the 10th rapid decline in the global economic Principle 4: Departmental organisation, September 2008 outlook, a situation that presages an structure, management arrangements (www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/bigbang/), even tougher funding climate ahead. and culture that are open, inclusive with a great deal of additional print, and transparent and encourage the on-line, radio and television coverage. On a more upbeat note, the Department participation of all staff. Having had the chance to see the received an outstanding rating in a Principle 5: Flexible approaches and CMS facility at first hand we can both European graduate programme provisions that encompass the working attest to the enormity of the under- ranking assessment exercise. The day, the working year and a working taking required to deliver such Centre for Higher Education life in SET and enable individuals, at experiments to specification and on Development (in Germany) ranked all career and life stages, to maximise time, and to the exceptional collabo- departments in Physics, Chemistry, their contribution to SET, their ration needed to do so. It represents a Biology and Mathematics in four department and institution.” triumph of ingenuity and commonality areas (publications, citations, highly of purpose that is difficult to match cited scientists and participation in The Juno activity is complementary in other multi-partner international EU Marie Curie activities) and awarded to the Athena SWAN Charter for endeavours. The subsequent magnet "medals" for each category (gold, Women in Science established by failure was a severe blow to many silver, bronze). In 2008 the RCUK. The Department applied for but by November 2009 the LHC was Department was the only Physics and won the Athena Silver Swan in up and running and exciting physics Department in Europe (and the only 2009 becoming the first Physics is anticipated in 2010. department in the College’s Faculty Department in the country to hold of Natural Sciences) to come out both Juno Champion and Silver The financial woes at STFC also with four gold medals (see Swan awards. We are hugely attracted significant media attention, http://www.excellenceranking.org/eu indebted to Lesley Cohen (EXSS) especially in relation to the proposed sid/EUSID). who drove the Department’s efforts closure of the Jodrell Bank telescope. on both of these matters. Lesley Sufficient pressure was exerted, by In 2009 the Department, along with also chairs the Department’s Juno amongst others, the Royal Astronomical only one other (at the University of Committee whose remit is the estab- Society (led by President Michael Warwick) became an official Institute lishment of best practice for all staff, Rowan-Robinson (ASTRO)) that of Physics (IOP) Juno Champion by as well as addressing the under Research Councils UK (RCUK) meeting the five principles enshrined representation of women in 2 university physics. One of its first the order of £5M. In association ification on K3 and manifolds of achievements was the formation of with this John and Stefan Maier weak G2 holonomy. This, together a new RA Committee to address (EXSS) are heading up a new with his work on P-brane solitons issues of particular concern to cross-faculty Centre for Plasmonics and their associated anomalies, has postdoctoral researchers and we are and Metamaterials, with collabo- proved to be of great significance to grateful to Daniel Mortlock and rators in the Departments of modern developments in string Karen Yates for taking forward this Materials and Electrical and theory and M-theory.” There was a activity in a positive spirit. Electronic Engineering. Departmental reception to celebrate on 1st June 2009. A major research initiative in Plasma A new inception, and a successful Physics came to fruition during 2008 one for the department, was the The 2008 Royal Society Hughes with the establishment of the Shock EPSRC’s introduction of Centres for Medal was awarded to Michele Physics Institute, initially funded by Doctoral Training. From 2009 the Dougherty (SPAT) for her work with a £5.9M project grant from AWE. It Department leads three new CDTs the NASA/ESA Cassini-Huygens was formally launched at an event in which each provide about £6M to mission to Saturn and its moons. June 2009 and we welcomed Bill fund five annual cohorts of 10 PhD The award celebrates the innovative Proud and Dan Eakins as new students through 1 year MRes and 3 use of data from the Cassini magne- members of staff supporting the year PhD programmes. A further tometer that led to the discovery of a Institute. three annual cohorts will then be dynamic atmosphere on Enceladus, funded by the College. In all 44 one of Saturn's moons. The 2008 Another new initiative saw the Centres have been funded by Royal Society Rumford Medal was College and the National Physical EPSRC across its entire physical awarded to Ed Hinds (QOLS) for his Laboratory sign a memorandum of science and engineering remits so extensive and highly innovative work understanding in October 2008 to to have three led by the Department in the field of ultra-cold matter. Ed facilitate increased research collabo- is an exceptional achievement. The was also the recipient of the 2008 rations. Lesley Cohen played a Centres focus on: Institute of Physics (IOP) Thomson major role in establishing the new • The Science and Application Medal and Prize for his important agreement and has helped to bring of Plastic Electronic Materials - and elegant experimental investiga- staff from NPL and the Department Director Professor Jenny Nelson - tions in the fields of atomic physics together to discuss proposals for joint involving close collaboration with the and quantum optics. Martin Plenio activities - several new programmes Chemistry and Materials (QOLS) delivered an enthralling of research have already begun. Departments at Imperial and with 2008 Royal Society Clifford Materials