High Pressure and Temperature Synthesis of New Electronic Perovskite Oxides

Electronic properties of metal oxides such as superconductivity and colossal magnetoresistance are important both for fundamental science and for applications. We aim to discover new materials with notable properties by preparing new or ill-characterised perovskites at high temperatures (1000 C) and pressures (5-20 GPa) - perovskites are dense phases and so are favoured under such conditions. Target materials include cubic and layered Cr4+ perovskites, new Bi materials with multiferroic properties, and new magnetic cuprate superconductors. A press and a Walker multianvil module are requested for synthesis. The materials will be characterised by X-ray and neutron diffraction and electron microscopy, and conducting, magnetic and ferroelectric properties will be measured. The project will benefit from collaborations with other UK groups for measurements and with leading European high pressure synthesis laboratories (through an EU COST network).