Staff profile

Nicholas Bristowe’s group investigates structure-property relations in perovskites and related functional materials. He recently joined Durham University, his alma mater, as an Assistant Professor in Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics. His interest in oxide perovskites began during his PhD on the LaAlO₃-SrTiO₃ interface at the University of Cambridge. He was later awarded a research fellowship from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, and subsequently an Imperial College Research Fellowship, to primarily study multiferroic materials. In 2017 he obtained a Lectureship at the University of Kent, before moving to Durham in 2020, and remains an honorary lecturer at Imperial. 

Journal Article

• Pressure-induced enhancement of polar distortions in a metal and implications for the Rashba spin splitting
  Ladbrook, E., Dey, U., Bristowe, N. C., Perry, R. S., Daisenberger, D., Warren, M. R., & Senn, M. S. (2025). Pressure-induced enhancement of polar distortions in a metal and implications for the Rashba spin splitting. Physical Review B, 111(20), Article 205110. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.111.205110
• Prediction of Room-Temperature Electric Field Reversal of Magnetization in the Family of A4B3O9 Layered Oxides
  Dey, U., McCabe, E. E., Íñiguez-González, J., & Bristowe, N. C. (2025). Prediction of Room-Temperature Electric Field Reversal of Magnetization in the Family of A4B3O9 Layered Oxides. Physical Review Letters, 134(13), Article 136801. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.136801
• Universal Polar Instability in Highly Orthorhombic Perovskites
  Scott, C., & Bristowe, N. (2024). Universal Polar Instability in Highly Orthorhombic Perovskites. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 146(43), 29735-29741. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c11163
• Large dynamic scissoring mode displacements coupled to band gap opening in the cubic phase of the methylammonium lead halide perovskites.
  Bird, T. A., Chen, J., Songvilay, M., Stock, C., Wharmby, M. T., Bristowe, N. C., & Senn, M. S. (2024). Large dynamic scissoring mode displacements coupled to band gap opening in the cubic phase of the methylammonium lead halide perovskites. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 36(41), Article 415402. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-648X/ad5b44
• Symmetry-informed design of magnetoelectric coupling in the manganite perovskite CeBaMn2O6
  Simpson, S., Scott, C. A. M., Pomiro, F., Tidey, J. P., Dey, U., Orlandi, F., Manuel, P., Lees, M. R., Hong, Z.-M., Chen, W.-T., Bristowe, N. C., & Senn, M. S. (2024). Symmetry-informed design of magnetoelectric coupling in the manganite perovskite CeBaMn2O6. Journal of Materials Chemistry C Materials for optical and electronic devices, 12(37), 15058-15069. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4tc02743d
• Pseudo-proper two-dimensional electron gas formation
  Bennett, D., Aguado-Puente, P., Artacho, E., & Bristowe, N. C. (2024). Pseudo-proper two-dimensional electron gas formation. New Journal of Physics, 26(10), Article 102001. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/ad8180
• The Interplay of Electronic Configuration and Anion Ordering on the Magnetic Behavior of Hydroxyfluoride Diaspores
  Crawford, C., Hiley, C., Scott, C., Ritter, C., Lees, M., Bristowe, N., Walton, R., & Senn, M. (2024). The Interplay of Electronic Configuration and Anion Ordering on the Magnetic Behavior of Hydroxyfluoride Diaspores. Inorganic Chemistry, 63(20), 9184-9194. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c00679
• Structural origins of dielectric anomalies in the filled tetragonal tungsten bronze Sr 2 NaNb 5 O 15
  Tidey, J., Dey, U., Sanchez, A., Chen, W.-T., Chen, B.-H., Chuang, Y.-C., Fernández-Díaz, M., Bristowe, N., Beanland, R., & Senn, M. (2024). Structural origins of dielectric anomalies in the filled tetragonal tungsten bronze Sr 2 NaNb 5 O 15. Communications Materials, 5(1), Article 71. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00508-1
• First-principles investigation of the magnetoelectric properties of Ba 7 Mn 4 O 15
  Dey, U., Senn, M. S., & Bristowe, N. (2024). First-principles investigation of the magnetoelectric properties of Ba 7 Mn 4 O 15. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 36(9), Article 095701. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-648x/ad0d27
• Pressure-dependent phase transitions in hybrid improper ferroelectric Ruddlesden-Popper oxides
  Clarke, G., Daisenberger, D., Luo, X., Cheong, S. W., Bristowe, N. C., & Senn, M. S. (2024). Pressure-dependent phase transitions in hybrid improper ferroelectric Ruddlesden-Popper oxides. Physical Review B, 109(9), Article 094107. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.109.094107
• Structural origins of the infamous "Low Temperature Orthorhombic" to "Low Temperature Tetragonal" phase transition in high-Tc cuprates
  Tidey, J. P., Keegan, C., Bristowe, N. C., Mostofi, A. A., Hong, Z.-M., Chen, B.-H., Chuang, Y.-C., Chen, W.-T., & Senn, M. S. (2022). Structural origins of the infamous "Low Temperature Orthorhombic" to "Low Temperature Tetragonal" phase transition in high-Tc cuprates. Physical Review B, 106(8), Article 085112. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.106.085112
• Quantum Spin 1/2 Dimers in a Low Dimensional Tetrabromocuprate Magnet
  Sampson, G., Bristowe, N. C., Carr, S. T., Saib, A., Stenning, G. B., Clark, E. R., & Saines, P. J. (2022). Quantum Spin 1/2 Dimers in a Low Dimensional Tetrabromocuprate Magnet. Chemistry - A European Journal, 28(32), Article e202200855. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202200855
• Coupling between tilts and charge carriers at polar-nonpolar perovskite interfaces
  Bennett, D., Aguado-Puente, P., Artacho, E., & Bristowe, N. C. (2022). Coupling between tilts and charge carriers at polar-nonpolar perovskite interfaces. Physical Review B, 106, Article 094106. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.106.094106
• Soft-mode anisotropy in the negative thermal expansion material ReO3
  Bird, T., Wilkinson, M., Keen, D., Smith, R., Bristowe, N., Dove, M., Phillips, A., & Senn, M. (2021). Soft-mode anisotropy in the negative thermal expansion material ReO3. Physical Review B, 104(21), Article 214102. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.104.214102
• Structural and magnetic phase diagram of epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 from first principles
  Pilo, J., Pruneda, J., & Bristowe, N. (2021). Structural and magnetic phase diagram of epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 from first principles. Electronic Structure, 3(2), Article 024001. https://doi.org/10.1088/2516-1075/abe6af
• Mechanisms for collective inversion-symmetry breaking in dabconium perovskite ferroelectrics
  Allen, D., Bristowe, N., Goodwin, A., & Yeung, H. .-M. (2021). Mechanisms for collective inversion-symmetry breaking in dabconium perovskite ferroelectrics. Journal of Materials Chemistry C Materials for optical and electronic devices, 2021(8), 2706-2711. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1tc00619c
• Striping of orbital-order with charge-disorder in optimally doped manganites
  Chen, W.-T., Wang, C.-W., Cheng, C.-C., Chuang, Y.-C., Simonov, A., Bristowe, N. C., & Senn, M. S. (2021). Striping of orbital-order with charge-disorder in optimally doped manganites. Nature Communications, 12(1), Article 6319. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26625-w
• From first- to second-order phase transitions in hybrid improper ferroelectrics through entropy stabilization
  Pomiro, F., Ablitt, C., Bristowe, N. C., Mostofi, A. A., Won, C., Cheong, S.-W., & Senn, M. S. (2020). From first- to second-order phase transitions in hybrid improper ferroelectrics through entropy stabilization. Physical Review B, 102(1), Article 014101. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.102.014101
• Magneto-electric multiferroics: designing new materials from first-principles calculations
  Varignon, J., Bristowe, N. C., Bousquet, E., & Ghosez, P. (2020). Magneto-electric multiferroics: designing new materials from first-principles calculations. Physical Sciences Reviews, 5(2), Article 20190069. https://doi.org/10.1515/psr-2019-0069
• Tolerance Factor Control of Uniaxial Negative Thermal Expansion in a Layered Perovskite
  Ablitt, C., Mcgay, H., Craddock, S., Cooper, L., Reynolds, E., Mostofi, A. A., Bristowe, N. C., Murray, C. A., & Senn, M. S. (2020). Tolerance Factor Control of Uniaxial Negative Thermal Expansion in a Layered Perovskite. Chemistry of Materials, 32(1), 605-610. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b04512
• Polarity-field driven conductivity in SrTiO3/LaAlO3: A hybrid functional study
  SrTiO3/LaAlO3: A hybrid functional study. Physical Review B, 102(11), https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.102.115309
• Polarization Screening Mechanisms at La0.7Sr0.3MnO3-PbTiO3 Interfaces
  Peters, J. J., Bristowe, N. C., Rusu, D., Apachitei, G., Beanland, R., Alexe, M., & Sanchez, A. M. (2020). Polarization Screening Mechanisms at La0.7Sr0.3MnO3-PbTiO3 Interfaces. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 12(9), 10657-10663. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b21619
• Spin interactions and magnetic order in the iron oxychalcogenides BaFe(2)Q(2)O (Q = S and Se)
  Coles, B., Hillier, A., Coomer, F., Bristowe, N., Ramos, S., & McCabe, E. (2019). Spin interactions and magnetic order in the iron oxychalcogenides BaFe(2)Q(2)O (Q = S and Se). Physical Review B, 100(2), Article 024427. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.100.024427
• First-Principles Study of Ferroelastic Twins in Halide Perovskites
  Warwick, A. R., Iniguez, J., Haynes, P. D., & Bristowe, N. C. (2019). First-Principles Study of Ferroelastic Twins in Halide Perovskites. Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 10(6), 1416-1421. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b00202
• Negative thermal expansion in high pressure layered perovskite Ca2GeO4
  Chen, W.-T., Ablitt, C., Bristowe, N. C., Mostofi, A. A., Saito, T., Shimakawa, Y., & Senn, M. S. (2019). Negative thermal expansion in high pressure layered perovskite Ca2GeO4. Chemical Communications, 55(20), 2984-2987. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8cc09614g
• Tuning octahedral tilts and the polar nature of A-site deficient perovskites Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available.
  Beqiri, D., Cascos, V., Roberts-Watts, J., Clark, E. R., Bousquet, E., Bristowe, N. C., & McCabe, E. E. (2019). Tuning octahedral tilts and the polar nature of A-site deficient perovskites Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. Chemical Communications, 55(18), 2609-2612. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8cc10126d
• A group-theoretical approach to enumerating magnetoelectric and multiferroic couplings in perovskites
  Senn, M. S., & Bristowe, N. C. (2018). A group-theoretical approach to enumerating magnetoelectric and multiferroic couplings in perovskites. Acta Crystallographica Section A: Foundations and Advances, 74(4), 308-321. https://doi.org/10.1107/s2053273318007441
• Probing magnetic interactions in metal-organic frameworks and coordination polymers microscopically
  Saines, P. J., & Bristowe, N. C. (2018). Probing magnetic interactions in metal-organic frameworks and coordination polymers microscopically. Dalton Transactions, 47(38), https://doi.org/10.1039/c8dt02411a
• The competition between mechanical stability and charge carrier mobility in MA-based hybrid perovskites: insight from DFT
  Lee, J.-H., Deng, Z., Bristowe, N. C., Bristowe, P. D., & Cheetham, A. K. (2018). The competition between mechanical stability and charge carrier mobility in MA-based hybrid perovskites: insight from DFT. Journal of Materials Chemistry C Materials for optical and electronic devices, 6(45), 12252-12259. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8tc04750b
• Control of Uniaxial Negative Thermal Expansion in Layered Perovskites by Tuning Layer Thickness
  Ablitt, C., Mostofi, N. A., Bristowe, N. C., & Senn, M. S. (2018). Control of Uniaxial Negative Thermal Expansion in Layered Perovskites by Tuning Layer Thickness. Frontiers in Chemistry, 6, Article 455. https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2018.00455
• Tunable Magnetism and Extraordinary Sunlight Absorbance in Indium Triphosphide Monolayer
  Miao, N., Xu, B., Bristowe, N. C., Zhou, J., & Sun, Z. (2017). Tunable Magnetism and Extraordinary Sunlight Absorbance in Indium Triphosphide Monolayer. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 139(32), 11125-11131. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b05133
• The origin of uniaxial negative thermal expansion in layered perovskites
  Ablitt, C., Craddock, S., Senn, M. S., Mostofi, A. A., & Bristowe, N. C. (2017). The origin of uniaxial negative thermal expansion in layered perovskites. npj Computational Materials, 3, Article UNSP 44. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-017-0040-0
• Electric Field Control of Jahn-Teller Distortions in Bulk Perovskites
  Varignon, J., Bristowe, N. C., & Ghosez, P. (2016). Electric Field Control of Jahn-Teller Distortions in Bulk Perovskites. Physical Review Letters, 116(5), Article 057602. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.116.057602
• Resolving the Physical Origin of Octahedral Tilting in Halide Perovskites
  Lee, J.-H., Bristowe, N. C., Lee, J. H., Lee, S.-H., Bristowe, P. D., Cheetham, A. K., & Jang, H. M. (2016). Resolving the Physical Origin of Octahedral Tilting in Halide Perovskites. Chemistry of Materials, 28(12), 4259-4266. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b00968
• Symmetry Switching of Negative Thermal Expansion by Chemical Control
  Senn, M. S., Murray, C. A., Luo, X., Wang, L., Huang, F.-T., Cheong, S.-W., Bombardi, A., Ablitt, C., Mostofi, A. A., & Bristowe, N. C. (2016). Symmetry Switching of Negative Thermal Expansion by Chemical Control. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 138(17), 5479-5482. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5b13192
• First-Principles Study of the Thermoelectric Properties of SrRuO3
  Miao, N., Xu, B., Bristowe, N. C., Bilc, D. I., Verstraete, M. J., & Ghosez, P. (2016). First-Principles Study of the Thermoelectric Properties of SrRuO3. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 120(17), 9112-9121. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b02514
• Novel magneto-electric multiferroics from first-principles calculations
  Varignon, J., Bristowe, N. C., Bousquet, E., & Ghosez, P. (2015). Novel magneto-electric multiferroics from first-principles calculations. Comptes Rendus Physique, 16(2), 153-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crhy.2015.01.011
• Ferromagnetism induced by entangled charge and orbital orderings in ferroelectric titanate perovskites
  Bristowe, N., Varignon, J., Fontaine, D., Bousquet, E., & Ghosez, P. (2015). Ferromagnetism induced by entangled charge and orbital orderings in ferroelectric titanate perovskites. Nature Communications, 6, Article 6677. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7677
• Role of hydrogen-bonding and its interplay with octahedral tilting in CH3NH3PbI3
  Lee, J.-H., Bristowe, N. C., Bristowe, P. D., & Cheetham, A. K. (2015). Role of hydrogen-bonding and its interplay with octahedral tilting in CH3NH3PbI3. Chemical Communications, 51(29), 6434-6437. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5cc00979k
• Model of two-dimensional electron gas formation at ferroelectric interfaces
  Aguado-Puente, P., Bristowe, N., Yin, B., Shirasawa, R., Ghosez, P., Littlewood, P., & Artacho, E. (2015). Model of two-dimensional electron gas formation at ferroelectric interfaces. Physical Review B (Condensed Matter), 92(3), Article 035438. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.92.035438
• Coupling and electrical control of structural, orbital and magnetic orders in perovskites
  Varignon, J., Bristowe, N. C., Bousquet, E., & Ghosez, P. (2015). Coupling and electrical control of structural, orbital and magnetic orders in perovskites. Scientific Reports, 5, Article 15364. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep15364
• First-principles study of the lattice dynamical properties of strontium ruthenate
  Miao, N., Bristowe, N. C., Xu, B., Verstraete, M. J., & Ghosez, P. (2014). First-principles study of the lattice dynamical properties of strontium ruthenate. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 26(3), Article 035401. https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/26/3/035401
• The origin of two-dimensional electron gases at oxide interfaces: insights from theory
  Bristowe, N., Ghosez, P., Littlewood, P., & Artacho, E. (2014). The origin of two-dimensional electron gases at oxide interfaces: insights from theory. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 26(14), Article 143201. https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/26/14/143201
• One-dimensional half-metallic interfaces of two-dimensional honeycomb insulators
  Bristowe, N., Stengel, M., Littlewood, P., Artacho, E., & Pruneda, J. (2013). One-dimensional half-metallic interfaces of two-dimensional honeycomb insulators. Physical Review B (Condensed Matter), 88(16), Article UNSP 161411. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.88.161411
• Probing Surface and Bulk Electrochemical Processes on the LaAlO3-SrTiO3 Interface
  Kumar, A., Arruda, T. M., Kim, Y., Ivanov, I. N., Jesse, S., Bark, C. W., Bristowe, N. C., Artacho, E., Littlewood, P. B., Eom, C.-B., & Kalinin, S. V. (2012). Probing Surface and Bulk Electrochemical Processes on the LaAlO3-SrTiO3 Interface. ACS Nano, 6(5), 3841-3852. https://doi.org/10.1021/nn204960c
• Proposal of a One-Dimensional Electron Gas in the Steps at the LaAlO3-SrTiO3 Interface
  Bristowe, N., Fix, T., Blamire, M., Littlewood, P., & Artacho, E. (2012). Proposal of a One-Dimensional Electron Gas in the Steps at the LaAlO3-SrTiO3 Interface. Physical Review Letters, 108(16), Article 166802. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.108.166802
• Electrochemical ferroelectric switching: Origin of polarization reversal in ultrathin films
  Bristowe, N., Stengel, M., Littlewood, P., Pruneda, J., & Artacho, E. (2012). Electrochemical ferroelectric switching: Origin of polarization reversal in ultrathin films. Physical Review B (Condensed Matter), 85(2), Article 024106. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.85.024106
• Van der Waals forces in the perfluorinated metal-organic framework zinc 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane tetrafluoroterephthalate
  Chang, B. K., Bristowe, N. C., Bristowe, P. D., & Cheetham, A. K. (2012). Van der Waals forces in the perfluorinated metal-organic framework zinc 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane tetrafluoroterephthalate. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 14(19), 7059-7064. https://doi.org/10.1039/c2cp23530g
• The net charge at interfaces between insulators
  Bristowe, N., Littlewood, P., & Artacho, E. (2011). The net charge at interfaces between insulators. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 23(8), Article 081001. https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/23/8/081001
• Surface defects and conduction in polar oxide heterostructures
  Bristowe, N., Littlewood, P., & Artacho, E. (2011). Surface defects and conduction in polar oxide heterostructures. Physical Review B (Condensed Matter), 83(20), Article 205405. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.83.205405
• Oxide superlattices with alternating p and n interfaces
  Bristowe, N., Artacho, E., & Littlewood, P. (2009). Oxide superlattices with alternating p and n interfaces. Physical Review B (Condensed Matter), 80(4), Article 045425. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.80.045425