Prof Ifan Hughes, BSc, ARCS, DPhil., C.Phys, MInstP, FLSW

Personal web page

(email at i.g.hughes@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

Responsibilities within department

Chair of the Laboratories Committee; Member of the Scholarship and Prizes committee; Member of the Facilities Committee; Member of the Education Committee; Member of the Staff-Student Consultative Committee.

Teaching activity

Chair of the Laboratories Committee; Level 1 Discovery Skills Errors Lectures; Level 2 Laboratory Skills co-ordinator;
Level 4 course Atoms, photons and qubits (APQ); Level 4 MPhys projects; Graduate Course on Data Analysis.

Research interests

I am an experimental physicist with two main thrusts to my work – the physics of ultracold atoms, and atom-light interactions with thermal ensembles.

Research Groups

• Quantum Light and Matter

Publications

Authored book

• Adams, C S & Hughes, I G (2018). Optics f2f From Fourier to Fresnel. OUP.
• Hughes, Ifan & Hase, Tom (2010). Measurements and their Uncertainties A practical guide to modern error analysis. OUP.

Journal Article

• Higgins, Clare R, Pizzey, Danielle, Mathew, Renju S & Hughes, Ifan G (2020). Atomic line vs. lens cavity filters: A comparison of their merits. OSA Continuum 3(4): 961-970.
• Carr, Daniel Luke, Spong, Nicholas L. R., Hughes, Ifan Glyndwr & Adams, Charles S (2020). Measuring the Faraday effect in olive oil using permanent magnets and Malus' law. European Journal of Physics 41(2): 025301.
• Anderson, Jason, Gillen, Catherine, Wright, Jacqueline, Adams, Charles S. & Hughes, Ifan G. (2020). Optical rotation of white light. American Journal of Physics 88(3): 247.
• Maucher, F., Skupin, S., Gardiner, S. A. & Hughes, I. G. (2019). An intuitive approach to structuring the three electric field components of light. New Journal of Physics 21: 013032.
• Beswick, Benjamin T., Hughes, Ifan G. & Gardiner, Simon A. (2019). Lattice-depth measurement using continuous grating atom diffraction. Physical Review A 100(6): 063629.
• Beswick, Benjamin T., Hughes, Ifan G. & Gardiner, Simon A. (2019). Lattice-depth measurement using multipulse atom diffraction in and beyond the weakly diffracting limit. Physical Review A 99(1): 013614.
• Peyrot, T., Šibalić, N., Sortais, Y. R. P., Browaeys, A., Sargsyan, A., Sarkisyan, D., Hughes, I. G. & Adams, C. S. (2019). Measurement of the atom-surface van der Waals interaction by transmission spectroscopy in a wedged nanocell. Physical Review A 100(2): 022503.
• Peyrot, T., Sortais, Y. R. P., Greffet, J.-J., Browaeys, A., Sargsyan, A., Keaveney, J., Hughes, I. G. & Adams, C. S. (2019). Optical Transmission of an Atomic Vapor in the Mesoscopic Regime. Physical Review Letters 122(11): 113401.
• Keaveney, James, Ponciano-Ojeda, Francisco S., Rieche, Stefan M., Raine, Mark J., Hampshire, Damian P. & Hughes, Ifan G. (2019). Quantitative optical spectroscopy of $^{87}$Rb vapour in the Voigt geometry in DC magnetic fields up to 0.4T. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 52(5): 055003.
• Peyrot, Tom, Keaveney, James, Sortais, Yvan R. P., Sargsyan, Armen, Sarkisyan, David, Hughes, Ifan G., Browaeys, Antoine & Adams, Charles S. (2018). Collective Lamb shift of a nanoscale atomic vapor layer within a sapphire cavity. Physical Review Letters 120(24): 243401.
• Maucher, F., Skupin, S., Gardiner, S. A. & Hughes, I. G. (2018). Creating Complex Optical Longitudinal Polarization Structures. Physical Review Letters 120(16): 163903.
• Keaveney, James, Adams, Charles S & Hughes, Ifan G (2018). ElecSus: Extension to arbitrary geometry magneto-optics. Computer Physics Communications 224: 311-324.
• Whiting, Daniel J., Mathew, Renju S., Keaveney, James, Adams, Charles S. & Hughes, Ifan G. (2018). Four-wave mixing in a non-degenerate four-level diamond configuration in the hyperfine Paschen–Back regime. Journal of Modern Optics 62(2): 119-128.
• Keaveney, James, Wrathmall, Steven A., Adams, Charles S. & Hughes, Ifan G. (2018). Optimized ultra-narrow atomic bandpass filters via magneto-optic rotation in an unconstrained geometry. Optics Letters 43(17): 4272-4275.
• Mathew, Renju S, Ponciano-Ojeda, Francisco , Keaveney, James , Whiting, Daniel & Hughes, Ifan (2018). Simultaneous two-photon resonant optical laser locking (STROLLing) in the hyperfine Paschen-Back regime. Optics Letters 43(17): 4204-4207.
• Hughes, Ifan G. (2018). Velocity selection in a Doppler-broadened ensemble of atoms interacting with a monochromatic laser beam. Journal of Modern Optics 65(5-6): 640-647.
• Nixon, M. & Hughes, I. G. (2017). A visual understanding of optical rotation using corn syrup. European Journal of Physics 38(4): 045302.
• Sargsyan, Armen, Papoyan, Aram, Hughes, Ifan G., Adams, Charles S. & Sarkisyan, David (2017). Selective reflection from an Rb layer with a thickness below λ/12 and applications. Optics Letters 42(8): 1476-1479.
• Whiting, Daniel J., Šibalić, Nikola, Keaveney, James, Adams, Charles S. & Hughes, Ifan G. (2017). Single-photon interference due to motion in an atomic collective excitation. Physical Review Letters 118(25): 253601.
• Keaveney, James, Hamlyn, William J., Adams, Charles S. & Hughes, Ifan G. (2016). A single-mode external cavity diode laser using an intra-cavity atomic Faraday filter with short-term linewidth <400 kHz and long-term stability of <1 MHz. Review of Scientific Instruments 87(9): 095111.
• Whiting, D. J., Keaveney, J., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2016). Direct measurement of excited-state dipole matrix elements using electromagnetically induced transparency in the hyperfine Paschen-Back regime. Physical Review A 93(4): 043854.
• Beswick, B.T., Hughes, I.G., Gardiner, S.A., Astier, H.P.A.G., Andersen, M.F. & Daszuta, B. (2016). epsilon-pseudoclassical model for quantum resonances in a cold dilute atomic gas periodically driven by finite-duration standing-wave laser pulses. Physical Review A 94(6): 063604.
• Maucher, F., Gardiner, S.A. & Hughes, I.G. (2016). Excitation of knotted vortex lines in matter waves. New Journal of Physics 18(6): 063016.
• Hanley, Ryan K., Gregory, Philip D., Hughes, Ifan G. & Cornish, Simon L. (2015). Absolute absorption on the potassium D lines: theory and experiment. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 48(19): 195004.
• Zentile, M. A., Whiting, D. J., Keaveney, J., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2015). Atomic Faraday filter with equivalent noise bandwidth less than 1  GHz. Optics Letters 40(9): 2000-2003.
• Zentile, M. A., Keaveney, J., Weller, L., Whiting, D. J., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2015). ElecSus: A program to calculate the electric susceptibility of an atomic ensemble. Computer Physics Communications 189: 162-174.
• Whiting, D. J., Bimbard, E., Keaveney, J., Zentile, M. A., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2015). Electromagnetically induced absorption in a nondegenerate three-level ladder system. Optics Letters 40(18): 4289-4292.
• Whittaker, K. A., Keveaney, J., Hughes, I. G. & Adams, C. S. (2015). Hilbert transform: applications to atomic spectra. Physical Review A 91(3): 032513.
• Zentile, Mark A., Mathew, Renju S., Whiting, Daniel J., Keaveney, James, Adams, Charles S. & Hughes, Ifan G. (2015). Optimization of atomic Faraday filters in the presence of homogeneous line broadening. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 48(18): 185001.
• Whittaker, K. A., Keaveney, J., Hughes, I. G., Sargsyan, A., Sarkisyan, D. & Adams, C. S. (2015). Spectroscopic detection of atom-surface interactions in an atomic-vapor layer with nanoscale thickness. Physical Review A 92(5): 052706.
• Whittaker, K. A., Keaveney, J., Hughes, I. G., Sargsyan, A., Sarkisyan, D. & Adams, C. S. (2014). Optical Response of Gas-Phase Atoms at Less than λ/80 from a Dielectric Surface. Physical Review Letters 112: 253201.
• Whittaker, K. A., Keaveney, J., Hughes, I. G., Sargsyan, A., Sarkisyan, D. & Adams, C. S. (2014). Optical Response of Gas-Phase Atoms at Less than λ/80 from a Dielectric Surface. Physical Review Letters 112: 253201.
• Zentile, Mark A., Andrews, Rebecca, Weller, Lee, Knappe, Svenja, Adams, Charles S. & Hughes, Ifan G. (2014). The hyperfine Paschen-Back Faraday effect. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 47(7): 075005.
• West, A.D. , Hayward, T.J. Weatherill, K.J. , Schrefl, T. Allwood, D.A. & Hughes, I.G. (2012). A simple model for calculating magnetic nanowire domain wall fringing fields. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 45(9): 095002.
• Weller, L, Kleinbach, K, Zentile, MA, Knappe, S, Adams, CS & Hughes, IG (2012). Absolute absorption and dispersion of a rubidium vapour in the hyperfine Paschen–Back regime. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 45(21): 215005.
• Keaveney, J., Sargsyan, A., Krohn, U., Hughes, I. G., Sarkisyan, D. & Adams, C. S. (2012). Cooperative Lamb Shift in an Atomic Vapor Layer of Nanometer Thickness. Physical Review Letters 108(17): 173601.
• Hughes, I G & Hase, T P A (2012). Error propagation a functional approach. Journal of Chemical Education 89(6): 821-822.
• Keaveney, J, Hughes, IG, Sargsyan, A Sarkisyan, D & Adams, CS (2012). Maximal Refraction and Superluminal Propagation in a Gaseous Nanolayer. Physical Review Letters 109(23): 233001.
• Weller, L, Dalton, T, Siddons, P, Adams, C S & Hughes, I G (2012). Measuring the Stokes parameters for light transmitted by a high-density rubidium vapour in large magnetic fields. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 45(5): 055001.
• Weller, L, Kleinbach, K, Zentile, MA, Knappe, S, Hughes, IG & Adams, CS (2012). Optical isolator using an atomic vapor in the hyperfine Paschen–Back regime. Optics Letters 37(16): 3405-3407.
• Siddons, P., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2012). Optical preparation and measurement of atomic coherence at gigahertz bandwidth. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 45(12): 124009.
• West, A. D., Wade, C. G., Weatherill, K. J. & Hughes, I. G. (2012). Piezoelectrically actuated time-averaged atomic microtraps. Applied Physics Letters 101(2): 023115.
• West, AD, Weatherill, KJ, Hayward, TJ, Fry, PW, Schrefl, T, Gibbs, MRJ Adams, CS, Allwood, DA & Hughes, IG (2012). Realization of the Manipulation of Ultracold Atoms with a Reconfigurable Nanomagnetic System of Domain Walls. Nano Letters 12(8): 4065–4069.
• Weller, L., Bettles, R. J., Siddons, P., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2011). Absolute absorption on the rubidium D1 line including resonant dipole–dipole interactions. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 44(19): 195006.
• Kemp, Stefan L., Hughes, Ifan G. & Cornish, Simon L. (2011). An analytical model of off-resonant Faraday rotation in hot alkali metal vapours. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 44(23): 235004.
• Hayward, T. J. West, A. D., Weatherill, K. J., Schrefl, T., Hughes, I. G. & Allwood, D. A. (2011). Nanomagnetic engineering of the properties of domain wall atom traps. Journal of Applied Physics 110(12): 123918.
• T. J. Hayward, A. D. West, K. J. Weatherill, P. J. Curran, P. W. Fry, P. M. Fundi, M. R. J. Gibbs, T. Schrefl, C. S. Adams, I. G. Hughes, S. J. Bending & D. A. Allwood (2010). Design and characterization of a field-switchable nanomagnetic atom mirror. Journal of Applied Physics 108(4): 043906.
• Javaux, C., Hughes, I.G., Lochead, G., Millen, J. & Jones, M.P.A. (2010). Modulation-free pump-probe spectroscopy of strontium atoms. European Physical Journal D 57(2): 151-154.
• Siddons, P., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2010). Optical control of Faraday rotation in hot Rb vapor. Physical Review A 81(4): 043838.
• Siddons, P., Bell, N. C., Cai, Y., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2009). A gigahertz-bandwidth atomic probe based on the slow-light Faraday effect. Nature Photonics 3(4): 225-229.
• Abel, R. P., Krohn, U., Siddons, P., Hughes, I. G. & Adams, C. S. (2009). Faraday dichroic beam splitter for Raman light using an isotopically pure alkali-metal-vapor cell. Optics Letters 34(20): 3071-3073.
• Sherlock, B. E. & Hughes, I. G. (2009). How weak is a weak probe in laser spectroscopy?. American Journal of Physics 77(2): 111-115.
• Siddons, P., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2009). Off-resonance absorption and dispersion in vapours of hot alkali-metal atoms. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 42(17): 175004.
• Siddons, P., Adams, C. S., Ge, Chang & Hughes, I. G. (2008). Absolute absorption on rubidium D lines: comparison between theory and experiment. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 41(15): 155004.
• Smith, D. A., Arnold, A. S., Pritchard, M. J. & Hughes, I. G. (2008). Experimental single-impulse magnetic focusing of launched cold atoms. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 41(12): 125302.
• Harris, M.L., Cornish, S.L., Tripathi, A. & Hughes, I.G. (2008). Optimization of sub-Doppler DAVLL on the rubidium D2 line. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 41(8): 085401.
• McCarron, Daniel J., Hughes, Ifan G., Tierney, Patrick & Cornish, Simon L. (2007). A heated vapor cell unit for dichroic atomic vapor laser lock in atomic rubidium. REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 78(9): 093106.
• Millett-Sikking, Alfred, Hughes, Ifan G., Tierney, Patrick & Cornish, Simon L. (2007). DAVLL lineshapes in atomic rubidium. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 40(1): 187-198.
• Arnold, A.S., Pritchard, M. J., Smith, D. A. & Hughes, I. G. (2006). Double-impulse magnetic focusing of launched cold atoms. New Journal of Physics 8(4): 53.
• Allwood, D. A., Schrefl, T., Hrkac, G., Hughes, I. G. & Adams, C. S. (2006). Mobile atom traps using magnetic nanowires. Applied Physics Letters 89(1): 014102.
• Harris, ML, Adams, CS, Cornish, SL, McLeod, IC, Tarleton, E & Hughes, IG (2006). Polarization spectroscopy in rubidium and cesium. PHYSICAL REVIEW A 73(6): 062509.
• Purves, G. T., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2006). Sagnac interferometry in a slow-light medium. Physical Review A 74(2): 023805.
• Pritchard, Matthew J., Arnold, Aidan S., Cornish, Simon L., Hallwood, David W., Pleasant, Chris V.S. & Hughes, Ifan G. (2006). Transport of launched cold atoms with a laser guide and pulsed magnetic fields. New Journal of Physics 8: 309.
• Purves, G. T., Jundt, G., Adams, C. S. and Hughes, I. G. (2004). Refractive index measurements by probe-beam deflection. European Physical Journal D 29: 433-436.
• Pritchard, M. J., Arnold, A. S., Smith, D. A. & Hughes, I. G. (2004). Single-impulse magnetic focusing of launched cold atoms. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics 37(22): 4435-4450.
• Smith DA & Hughes IG (2004). The Role Of Hyperfine Pumping In Multilevel Systems Exhibiting Saturated Absorption. American Journal Of Physics 72: 631-637.
• Jundt, G., Purves, G. T., Adams, C. S. & Hughes, I. G. (2003). Non-linear Sagnac interferometry for pump-probe dispersion spectroscopy. European Physical Journal D 27(3): 273-276.
• Pearman, C. P., Adams, C. S., Cox, S. G., Griffin, P. F. , Smith, D. A. & Hughes, I. G. (2002). Polarization spectroscopy of a closed atomic transition: applications to laser frequency locking. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 35(24): 5141-5151.
• Badger, S. D., Hughes, I. G. & Adams, C. S. (2001). Hyperfine effects in electromagnetically induced transparency. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 34(22): L749-L756.
• Hughes, I. G., Darlington, T. & Hinds, E. A. (2001). Periodic trajectories of cold atoms in a gravitational cavity. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics 34(14): 2869-2880.
• Rosenbusch, P., Hall, B. V., Hughes, I. G., Saba, C. V., & and Hinds, E. A. (2000). Manipulation of cold atoms by an adaptable magnetic reflector. Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics 70: 709-720.
• Rosenbusch, P., Hall, B. V., Hughes, I. G., Saba, C. V., & and Hinds, E. A. (2000). Manipulation of cold atoms using a corrugated magnetic reflector. Physical Review A 61: 031404-.
• Key, M., Hughes, I. G., Rooijakkers, W., Sauer, B. E., & Hinds, E. A., Richardson, D. J. and Kazansky, P. G. (2000). Propagation of Cold Atoms along a Miniature Magnetic Guide. Physical Review Letters 84: 1371-1373.
• Saba, C. V., Barton, P. A., Boshier, M. G., Hughes, I. G., Rosenbusch, P., Sauer, B. E. & Hinds, E. A. (1999). Reconstruction of a Cold Atom Cloud by Magnetic Focusing. Physical Review Letters 82: 468-471.
• Hinds, E.A. & Hughes, I.G. (1999). REVIEW ARTICLE: Magnetic atom optics: mirrors, guides, traps, and chips for atoms. Journal of Physics D Applied Physics 32: 119-.
• Hinds, E. A., Barton, P. A., Boshier, M. G., Hughes, I. & G., Saba, C. V. and Sauer, B. E. (1998). A Magnetic Waveguide for Trapping Cold Atom Gases in 2D. APS Meeting Abstracts 205-.
• Lloyd, G. M., Hughes, I. G., Bratfalean, R. and Ewart, P. (1998). Broadband degenerate four-wave mixing of OH for flame thermometry. Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics 67: 107-113.
• Hinds, E. A., Boshier, M. G. and Hughes, I. G. (1998). Magnetic Waveguide for Trapping Cold Atom Gases in Two Dimensions. Physical Review Letters 80: 645-649.
• Hughes, I. G., Barton, P. A., Roach, T. M., Boshier, M. & G. and Hinds, E. A. (1997). Atom optics with magnetic surfaces: I. Storage of cold atoms in a curved `floppy disk'. "Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics" 30: 647-658.
• Hughes, I. G., Barton, P. A., Roach, T. M. and Hinds, E. & A. (1997). Atom optics with magnetic surfaces: II. Microscopic analysis of the `floppy disk' mirror. "Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics" 30: 2119-2132.
• Kaminski, C. F., Hughes, I. G. and Ewart, P. (1997). Degenerate four-wave mixing spectroscopy and spectral simulation of C₂ in an atmospheric pressure oxy-acetylene flame. Journal of Chemical Physics 106: 5324-5332.
• Hinds, E. A., Barton, P. A., Boshier, M. G., Hughes, I. & G. and Saba, C. V. (1997). Dynamics of cold atoms above a curved magnetic mirror. APS Meeting Abstracts 1803-.
• Hughes, I.G. & Meacher, D.R. (1994). Electronic Rydberg wavepacket effects on molecular vibration. "Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics" 27: 1377-1386.
• Meacher, D. R., Meyler, P. E., Hughes, I. G. and Ewart, & P. (1991). Observations of the collapse and fractional revival of a Rydberg wavepacket in atomic rubidium. "Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics" 24: L63-L69.

Related Links

• Personal home page

Selected Grants

Supervises

• Dr Igor Mourachko
• Miss Apichayaporn Ratkata
• Mr Prosenjit Majumder
• Mr Renju Mathew
• Mr Francisco Sebastian Ponciano-Ojeda
• Mr Ralph Brooks
• Mr Jack Segal
• Ms Clare Higgins
• Mr Thomas Cutler
• Mr Fraser Logue