Physics
Overview
Research Contact: Professor Haida Liang
Our research has applications in various academic disciplines such as agriculture, chemistry, cultural heritage science, electronics, medicine, nanotechnology, life sciences as well as various industries.
We collaborate with colleagues from SST and across the university participating in a number of University Research Themes.
Research Areas
Imaging and Sensing includes development of advanced optical imaging (e.g. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), hyperspectral imaging) and spectroscopy, remote imaging and sensing (e.g. remote spectral imaging, remote Raman spectroscopy) instruments, design, testing and application of pressure sensitive contrast agents in NMR/MRI, low cost NMR devices, development of image and signal processing methods to analyse spectral images, multimodal images and data bases to extract features of interest.
Contacts for staff in Imaging and Sensing: Professor Haida Liang, Dr Martin Bencsik, Dr Rob Morris and Dr Mike Newton.
Materials and Devices includes SMART materials (e.g. functional nanofibers and coatings for applications in life sciences, healthcare, optical encoding of information, energy and environment) and devices (e.g. acoustic wave devices), photonic technologies (design, modelling and fabrication of photonic materials, processes and devices) and plasmonics (conventional and alternative materials for plasmonics), laser processing of materials, thin film technology (device fabrication and characterisation) and liquid crystal displays, density functional theory (DFT) investigations of chemical processes at surfaces.
Contacts for staff in Materials and Devices: Professor Bob Stevens, Dr Demos Koutsogeorgis, Dr Ian Shuttleworth, Dr Nikos Kalfagiannis, Dr Mike Newton and Professor Carl Brown.
Soft Matter Physics describes the physics of materials which are easily deformable by applied stresses. A common theme is that systems possess particles that are too large for quantum effects to be important, but too small for gravity to dominate. Our interests include squidgy materials (colloids, surfactants and gels), liquid crystals (LCDs, flexoelectricity, nematic microcargo transport), liquid drops and flows (droplet evaporation, wetting and spreading, de-wetting, flow through disordered porous media), complex fluids and solids (pattern formation, drying, fracturing).
Contacts for staff in Soft Matter Physics: Professor Carl Brown, Dr David Fairhurst, Dr Mike Newton, Dr Lucas Goehring, Dr Fouzia Ouali and Dr Kyle Baldwin.
Space Weather at NTU investigates how the flow of material and radiation from the Sun affects the Earth which is an important research topic as our modern society relies more and more on satellite technology. We have previous experience in a wide range of terrestrial and space physics topics, such as solar physics, the effect of space weather upon GPS, radiation belt dynamics, and the solar wind interaction on other planets. It comprises staff who work with major international collaborations such as Venus Express, the EISCAT (European Incoherent Scatter) Scientific Association, PLASMON, and SMILE (Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer).
Contacts for staff in Space Weather: Dr Alan Wood and Dr Ian Whittaker.
Science for Heritage, Arts and Humanities is an emerging field where science is applied to the study of arts and humanities, in particular through the study of cultural heritage. Science is a tool for research in archaeology, history and art conservation. It also enables and inspires contemporary art. Cultural heritage presents the most varied and complex material science problems that requires new innovations in materials, imaging and sensing technology.
Contacts for staff in Science for Heritage, Arts and Humanities: Professor Haida Liang, Dr Daniel Brown and Dr Martin Bencsik.
The Nottingham BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme
You can apply for the Nottingham BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme as a training partnership with University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and the National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC). Find out how to apply here.