My Research Profile
At a glance
My research focuses on the solid state synthesis and crystal growth methods, as well as the characterisation of the structural and physical properties of the materials prepared. In the sections below, you will find more information about my professional experience, an overview of my research interests and some highlights of my research work.
A full and up-to-date list of all my publications (including number of citations) can be found by visiting the databases below.
Professional experience
September 2021 - Present
Scientist in the Laboratory for Multiscale materials eXperiments (LMX), at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Switzerland and Materials Discovery Laboratory, Department of Materials (D-MATL), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Switzerland.
June 2018 - August 2021
Research Focused Assistant Professor (previously called Senior Research Fellow) in the Superconductivity and Magnetism Group, Department of Physics, University of Warwick, United Kingdom.
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September 2018 - August 2021: Project ”Single crystal growth at Warwick” funded by EPSRC, UK (Grant EP/T005963/1).
January 2013 - May 2018
Research Fellow in the Superconductivity and Magnetism Group, Department of Physics, University of Warwick, United Kingdom.
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July 2015-July 2018: Project ”Single crystal growth at Warwick” funded by EPSRC, UK (Grant EP/M028771/1).
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March 2014-July 2015: Project ”Topo- logical insulators” funded by EPSRC, UK (Grant EP/L014963/1).
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January 2013-March 2014: Project ”Single crystal growth at Warwick” funded by EPSRC, UK (Grant EP/I007210/1).
Research interests, highlights and expertise
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Study of newly discovered states of matter, such as superconductors, topological insulators, skyrmion lattices.
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My contributions include growth and characterisation of single crystals of topological and Kondo insulators, SmB6, Sm1−xCexB6, YbB12 and FeSi, superconductors, PdBix (x = 1 and 2) and Ru7B3, materials which exhibit a skyrmion lattice, Cu2OSeO3, GaV4S8 and Co10−xZn10−yMnx+y.
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Study of magnetic materials, and in particular systems that exhibit puzzling magnetic behaviours.
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My contributions include the growth by the floating zone method of single crystals of rare earth zirconate, titanate and hafnate oxides, R2M2O7 (M = Zr, Ti, and Hf), garnets (Yb3Ga5O12), rare earth tetraborides and hexaborides, RB4 and RB6.
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Study of layered metal chalcogenides with various physical properties, such as semiconductors, superconductors.
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My contributions include growth and characterisation of single crystals of the 2D ferromagnet Cr2Ge2Te6, Mn3Si2Te6 and the transition metal dichalcogenide VSe2.
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Study of the correlation between crystallographic structures and the physical properties of materials, from the investigation of polymorphism and phase transitions to design of materials in order to tune/enhance their properties.
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My contribution includes the growth by floating zone method of single crystals of rare earth disilicate compounds, R2Si2O7 (R = Ho, Er, and Tm) and characterisation of the different polymorphs exhibited by these materials.
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Study of multiferroic compounds and materials that could exhibit magnetoelectric coupling, due to their possible applications in spintronics.
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My contributions include growth and study of ferromagnets such as R1−xSrxMnO3 (R = Pr, Nd), study of the physical properties and spin dynamics by inelastic neutron scattering in single crystals of the candidate magnetoelectric materials, Ga2−xFexO3 ferrimagnets.
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Determination of the crystallographic parameters, magnetic structure and spin dynamics of materials. My expertise in powder and single crystal X-ray and neutron diffraction, as well as inelastic neutron scattering techniques are of great importance for the understanding of the materials studied. I am an advanced user of various software packages used to analyse the data collected.
