An experimental investigation of the unconventional superconductivity in novel materials

Superconductivity is a unique state of matter with significant potential for practical applications. In a superconductor electrons travel without dissipation, a property
that can have significant impact for energy transmission and storage. Iron-based superconductors are exciting new materials that offer a new prospective on the important routes towards high-temperature superconductivity. However, superconducting phases often occur in the presence of other structural and magnetic phases and detailed experimental work is needed to assess their role on superconductivity.

This is an experimental project that aims to address the origin of the unconventional superconductivity in iron-based superconductors under extreme conditions. The student will use high magnetic fields and high pressures in a series of single crystals to access the normal electronic structure and construct experimental superconducting phase diagrams. By combing experimental and computational results, detailed information on the electronic structure of different materials will be determined. This work will provide the necessary experimental ingredients towards theoretical modelling of superconductivity.

The student will learn a series of experimental techniques for investigating superconductivity using transport measurements under pressures in high magnetic fields. The student will develop computational skills to simulate and analyse complex experimental data. The student will participate in experiments at international facilities and present the obtained data at different conferences.