News and events
News
Durham and Oxford join forces in new approach to Synthesising Superconductors
(1 November 2012)
A team of scientists from Oxford and Durham Universities, in collaboration with researcher at the ISIS facility, Oxfordshire
have demonstrated that a new approach to synthesising superconductors results in a dramatic improvement in their useful properties.
Superconductivity is one of the most fascinating phenomena that occurs in nature and involves the
transformation of a material, below some critical temperature, to a state of matter which cannot be penetrated by magnetic fields
and which has no electrical resistance. Superconductors even contain particles whose physics is described by the famous Higgs mechanism
that was recently demonstrated at the LHC. This critical temperature below which superconducting properties switch on is usually very low, typically only ten or twenty
degrees above absolute zero. The team's breakthrough, reported this week in the journal Nature Materials, involves taking the superconductor
iron selenide (FeSe) which is formed from layers of iron and selenium and putting molecules between these layers. This results in
a four-fold increase in the critical temperature.
Using a range of experimental techniques the team have revealed the magnetic and superconducting properties of the new superconductor.
This has included the use of neutrons to investigate the structure of the material, and subatomic particles called muons to probe
the superconducting state. Dr Tom Lancaster of Durham University, who carried out the muon measurements, explained that "muons
allow us to measure some of the key magnetic features of a superconductor which may provide a clue as to what causes superconductivity
in these unusual materials."
It is hoped that the new paradigm for producing superconductors utilised in this work will lead to a further increase in the critical temperature.
Dr Lancaster said "Although, at forty-three Kelvin, the critical temperature of our new material is still well below room temperature, there is an exciting possibility
of raising the temperature still further by using this principle of incorporating molecules into layered superconducting materials."
Article: Enhancement of superconducting transition temperature of FeSe by intercalation of a molecular spacer layer
Authors: Matthew Burrard‐Lucas, David G. Free, Stefan J Sedlmaier, Jack D Wright, Simon J Cassidy,
Yoshiaki Hara, Alex J Corkett, Tom Lancaster, Peter J Baker, Stephen J Blundellb and Simon J Clarke
Journal:Nature Materials
DOI: 10.1038/NMAT3464
Headlines
Events
Wednesday 8 May 2013
Undergraduate Admissions Departmental Visit
A tour of the Physics department for prospective students. Please contact physics.admissions@durham.ac.uk to book a place.
Contact Miss Natalie Kennedy (physics.admissions@durham.ac.uk) for more information about this event.
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Research Committee
Contact p.a.carse@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Laboratories Committee
Contact physics.admissions@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Postgraduate Studies Committee
Meeting
Contact physics.pg-admissions@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Friday 10 May 2013
Friday Talks - Astronomy
Contact Dr Agnese Del Moro: agnese.del-moro@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 15 May 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Education Committee
Contact physics.pg-admissions@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Friday 17 May 2013
Friday Talks - Astronomy
Contact Dr Agnese Del Moro: agnese.del-moro@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Senior Management Committee
Contact c.a.woodward@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Thursday 23 May 2013
Annual Staff Development Event (Provisional Date)
Contact c.a.woodward@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Friday 24 May 2013
Annual Staff Development Event (Provisional Date)
Contact c.a.woodward@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Friday Talks - Astronomy
Contact Dr Agnese Del Moro: agnese.del-moro@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 29 May 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Friday 31 May 2013
Board of Examiners Scrutiny Panel
Contact adrian.skelton@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Friday Talks - Astronomy
Contact Dr Agnese Del Moro: agnese.del-moro@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 5 June 2013
Board of Examiners Scrutiny Panel Meeting
Contact adrian.skelton@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Undergraduate Staff-Student Consultative Committee
Contact physics.admissions@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Health and Safety Committee
Contact physics.secretary@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Thursday 6 June 2013
Board of Examiners in Physics
Contact adrian.skelton@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Friday 7 June 2013
Friday Talks - Astronomy
Contact Dr Agnese Del Moro: agnese.del-moro@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Level 1 Teachers Meeting
Contact adrian.skelton@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Level 2 Teachers Meeting
Contact adrian.skelton@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Monday 10 June 2013
Level 3 Teachers Meeting
Contact adrian.skelton@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Level 4 Teachers Meeting
Contact adrian.skelton@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Tuesday 11 June 2013
Board of Examiners in Physics
Contact adrian.skelton@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Pre-registration talk for students entering Level 3 Physics
Contact tom.shanks@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 12 June 2013
Undergraduate Admissions Departmental Visit
A tour of the Physics department for prospective students. Please contact physics.admissions@durham.ac.uk to book a place.
Contact Miss Natalie Kennedy (physics.admissions@durham.ac.uk) for more information about this event.
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Senior Management Committee
Contact c.a.woodward@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Thursday 13 June 2013
Pre-registration talk for students entering Level 4 Physics
Contact stuart.brand@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Friday 14 June 2013
Friday Talks - Astronomy
Contact Dr Agnese Del Moro: agnese.del-moro@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Annual Review of Degree Programmes
Contact c.a.woodward@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Undergraduate Admissions Departmental Visit
A tour of the Physics department for prospective students. Please contact physics.admissions@durham.ac.uk to book a place.
Contact Miss Natalie Kennedy (physics.admissions@durham.ac.uk) for more information about this event.
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Board of Studies
Contact c.a.woodward@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Friday 21 June 2013
Friday Talks - Astronomy
Contact Dr Agnese Del Moro: agnese.del-moro@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Monday 24 June 2013
Pre-Application Open Day
Contact physics.admissions@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 26 June 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Facilities Committee
Contact c.s.davies@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Saturday 29 June 2013
Pre-Application Open Day
Contact physics.admissions@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 3 July 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 10 July 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 17 July 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme'
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Friday 19 July 2013
Friday Talks - Astronomy
Contact Dr Agnese Del Moro: agnese.del-moro@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 24 July 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 31 July 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 7 August 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 14 August 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 21 August 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 28 August 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Monday 2 September 2013
Board of Examiners in Physics - resits
Contact adrian.skelton@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 4 September 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 11 September 2013
Facilities Committee
Contact c.s.davies@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 18 September 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Health and Safety Committee
Contact physics.secretary@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Education Committee
Contact c.a.woodward@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 25 September 2013
Senior Management Committee
Contact c.a.woodward@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 2 October 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Board of Studies
Contact c.a.woodward@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 16 October 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
Wednesday 30 October 2013
Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Seminar Programme
Contact claire.whitehill@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.
To submit details of a new event, use the Comments and Questions form at the bottom of this page. Please state the event's title, description, date, location, start and end times and contact email address.
