New Electronic Materials from Extreme Conditions

发现新的相关电子基态，如新型超导体和磁体，可能会支撑未来的技术，例如计算机存储器，是一项挑战，需要化学家，物理学家，材料科学家和工程师的综合技能。近年来令人兴奋的发现包括高温铜酸盐和磷属元素化物超导体，以及锰氧化物的巨磁阻（CMR）。然而，这些性质的预测是非常困难的，许多高影响力的发现都是偶然发现的，例如MgB 2的超导性。我们更有针对性的方法是利用极端条件来促进新电子材料的发现。高压-温度合成提供了致密的新材料，其中电子相关性增强，并且可以通过化学掺杂来改变。对低温、高压和高磁场的仔细调整可以用来将材料推向新的电子基态形成的临界点。申请人在不同学科有很强的背景，将结合起来，以实现我们的雄心勃勃的目标，发现具有显着性能的新材料。通过该平台奖提供的支持将为现有安排增加相当大的价值。它将确保我们的核心团队的关键工作人员和他们带来的基本研究专业知识的连续性。我们将有灵活性，以应对重大发展，并探索投机但可能有回报的新方向。它将为我们的电子材料研究小组提供一个高姿态，作为更广泛的CSEC方案中的一个独特实体。目前的国际合作将通过整个平台团队的参与得到加强，并将促进与其他国际领先团体的新联系。邀请研究讲师和与这些团体交换研究人员将是另一个好处。平台奖还将增加我们可以为学生和PDRA提供的培训的跨学科性质。虽然他们（和我们）正式属于三个独立的UOE学校，在同一个研究所一起工作，今后作为一个共同的群体将提供一个刺激的氛围，以产生新的想法和发现在电子材料研究。

The discovery of new correlated-electron ground states such as new types of superconductor and magnet that may underpin future technologies, e.g. for computer memories, is a challenge requiring the combined skills of chemists, physicists, materials scientists and engineers. Exciting discoveries in recent years have included high temperature cuprate and pnictide superconductors, and colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) manganites. The prediction of such properties is, however, notoriously difficult and many high impact discoveries have been made serendipitously e.g. superconductivity in MgB2. Our more targeted approach is to use extreme conditions to facilitate the discovery of new electronic materials. High pressure-temperature synthesis provides dense new materials in which electron correlations are enhanced and may be altered by chemical doping. Careful tuning of low temperatures, high pressures and high magnetic fields can then be used to push materials to the tipping points where new electronic ground states form. The applicants have strong backgrounds in different disciplines that will be combined to achieve our ambitious goal of discovering new materials with notable properties. Support through this Platform award will add considerable value to the existing arrangement. It will ensure continuity for our core group of key staff and the essential research expertise that they bring. We will have the flexibility to respond to major developments and explore speculative but potentially rewarding new directions. It will provide a high profile for our electronic materials research group as a distinct entity within the broader programme of CSEC. Current international collaborations will be strengthened by involving the whole Platform team, and will facilitate new links to other internationally-leading groups. Inviting research lecturers and exchanging research staff with such groups will be a further benefit. The Platform award will also augment the cross-disciplinary nature of the training that we can provide to our students and PDRA's. Although they (and we) formally belong to three separate UoE Schools, working together in the same institute and henceforth as a common group will provide a stimulating atmosphere to generate new ideas and discoveries in electronic materials research.