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Condensed Matter Physics

Ripple
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Thin film deposition system

An image pertaining to soft matter

Structured surface to control liquid-solid interaction

Image of supercomputer

High performance supercomputer for electronic structure calculations

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CMP's Vision Statement

Condensed Matter Physics is one of the largest, most diverse and dynamic fields in modern physics, encompassing all aspects of the solid and liquids states of matter. This breadth is reflected in the research undertaken at Durham which spans a wide range of subjects from light emitting polymers and solar cell materials to nanoscale magnetics. Our work aims to push forward the forefront of our understanding in the physics of materials using experiment, theory and computation.

Students sitting on Palace Green

Postgraduate Study Opportunities

We offer PhD and MScR research study opportunities across our broad range of experimental and theoretical condensed matter physics research activities

Find out more

Upcoming events

Dr Max Birch - RIKEN Centre for Emergent Matter Science

Wednesday 12 February 2025 - Wednesday 12 February 2025
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Ph8
Dr Max Birch - RIKEN Centre for Emergent Matter Science

Prof Paolo Radaelli - Title TBC

Wednesday 26 February 2025 - Wednesday 26 February 2025
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
PH8 (Rochester Building) Physics Department.
Paolo G. Radaelli graphic

18 Feb - Dr Sven Friedemann

Tuesday 18 February 2025 - Tuesday 18 February 2025
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Ph30
Dr Sven Friedermann

Dr. Roderick Mackenzie - Durham Engineering department

Wednesday 12 February 2025 - Wednesday 12 February 2025
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
CG83
Dr Roderick Mackenzie
See all seminars

CMP Research Highlights

Emma McCabe delivers Lonsdale Prize winning lecture at the British Crystallographic Association (BCA)'s spring meeting.

The Lonsdale Lecture Prize is awarded annually by the early-stage crystallography group (ESCG) of the British Crystallographic Association in memory of Dame Kathleen Lonsdale. Dr Emma McCabe (Durham condensed matter physics) was honoured to be awarded this prize at the BCA spring meeting 2025.
The title slide of the prize winning lecture

CMP PhD students inspire Darlington schoolkids with their science knowhow

On Monday a team of six PhDs and PDRAs from Durham Physics visited Rydal Academy in Darlington to talk about science to 90 students across three sessions in Years 1.
CMP students at Rydal Academy

Dr Clodomiro Cafolla, an Addison-Wheeler Fellow, publishes paper in IOP Nanotechnology thanks to support of the Physics Dept Developing Talent Award.

Clodomiro Cafolla, who became an Addison-Wheeler Fellow last spring, has recently published a paper in IOP Nanotechnology, thanks to the generous support of the Physics Dept Developing Talent Award.
Wolfson Nanotechnology Lab equipment, description needed

Durham Physicists receive funding for EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Fusion Power, making fusion energy commerical and meeting net zero goals

Researchers in the Physics Department at Durham University will receive funding for the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Fusion Power from the UK’s biggest-ever investment in engineering and physical sciences doctoral skills.
3D Render fusion reactor nuclear fusion, tokamak inside heated plasma, toroidal shape, clean energy

Condensed Matter Physics Research Section came together for an Away Day

The whole Condensed Matter Physics research section (CMP) in Physics at Durham came together for an Away Day at Ushaw House for training and development activities to strengthen our research capabilities and support career progression.
Images of CMP Away Day

1st year PhD student Mian Faisal is awarded at major renewable energy conference for his poster and research

Mian Faisal, a first-year PhD student in CMP, attended the Ustinov Annual Conference 2023, which this year has been centred on Sustainability and Renewable Energy. His poster entitled “MoS2 Grown Carbon Cloth as a Pseudo Capacitive Electrode Material for Flexible Supercapacitors” was selected among the top three posters of the event.
Mian Faisal with his research poster, talking to another student

1st year PhD student Paul Dirk wins the CrystEngComm Poster Prize at the spring meeting of the British Crystallographic Association

Congratulations to 1st year PhD student Paul Dirk for winning the Cryst. Eng. Comm. poster prize for his poster entitled “Energy landscape of the brownmillerite Sr2ScGaO5 from first principles calculations” at the spring meeting of the British Crystallographic Association (April 2023, Sheffield).
Paul Dirk News Image

EPSRC National Fellowship in Fluid Dynamics awarded to Dr Abhinav Naga

Dr Abhinav Naga has been awarded a National Fellowship in Fluid Dynamics, funded by the EPSRC for a period of 3 years.
Graphic explaining superhydrophobic and Liquid-infused surfaces

The Living Shoe: Utilising microbes to create living materials, a new design principle for conferring structure and motility in biohybrid systems.

Dr Margarita Staykova from the Centre for Materials Physics has teamed up with Durham University sociologist Professor Tiago Moreira to discover some of the science and ethics of using microbes to create materials.
Living shoe

Durham research highlighted by U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory

Collaborative international research on spin transport aimed at energy efficient spintronics led by Condensed Matter Physics at Durham has been recognised as a Science Highlight for work involving X-ray experiments at the Advanced Photon Source synchrotron facility.
The research demonstrates that efficient interfacial spin transport depends on the proximity-induced-magnetism in “non-magnetic” heavy metal layers within spintronic multilayers.

CMP PhD students win two Department of Physics Postgraduate Awards

We are pleased to announce that two Condensed Matter Physics postgraduates have won Physics Postgraduate Prizes this year.
White space

Mystery over unusual topological magnets explained

The low temperature electronic and magnetic behaviour of materials hosting a topological magnetic state known as a soliton has been explained by Durham scientists, with the help of muon-spin spectroscopy experiments made at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source.
White space

Get in Touch

Email links below or give us a call

Head of Condensed Matter Physics

Professor Del Atkinson

 

General CMP Enquiries

Tel: +44 (0)191 334 4622

 

Postgraduate admissions

Tel: +44 (0)191 334 3745