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Overview

Prof Peter Hatton

Professor

BSc (Hons)., PhD, P.G.C.E., M. InstP., C Phys., FHEA


Affiliations
AffiliationRoom numberTelephone
Professor in the Department of Physics107+44 (0) 191 33 43600
Professor in the Centre for Materials Physics107+44 (0) 191 33 43600

Biography

Responsibilities within Department

I was the elected (2004-2007) and re-elected (2007-2010) Head of the Condensed Matter Physics research group, which is the largest research group in the Department. I am now a member of the Technical Review Committee. 

Interdepartmental Responsibilities

I am Director of the newly formed Durham X-ray Centre. This combines all of the x-ray research at Durham conducted by over 40 staff in 8 Departments and 2 Faculties. It is the largest interdisciplinary research centre in the University.

Teaching activity

For 2010-11 I have a reduced teaching load and continue to teach both the Level 1 Waves and Optics course comprising of 12 lectures and also the Level 3 Statistical Physics course comprising 16 lectures and 3 example classes. I am the MSci project supervisor for three Level 4 MSci Research Projects on resonant x-ray scattering studies of charge and magnetic ordering. These projects often involve travel to undertake experiments on national or international synchrotron radiation sources. I also teach courses at synchrotron radiation summer schools both at Diamond and Internationally.

Research interests

Development of x-ray scattering techniques. X-ray scattering studies of strongly correlated electron systems such as transition metal oxides. This involves studies of the crystallographic structure, charge segregation, spin ordering and orbital ordering. Studies of spin and charge stripes in high temperature superconducting cuprates. Spin, charge and orbital ordering in collosal magnetoresistance manganites. High resolution studies and determination of critical exponents of spin and charge stripes in nickelates. Resonant polarised synchrotron x-ray studies at National (e.g. Diamond) and International synchrotron facilities (e.g. ESRF, Grenoble and NSLS, Brookhaven). Development of high energy (~100 keV) X-ray scattering at ESRF and Hasylab, Hamburg. The first group worldwide to undertake resonant soft (500 - 1500 eV) X-ray diffraction from single crystals and the first to directly observe orbital ordering at the L edges. The major focus of our research is now resonant soft x-ray scattering at Diamond, ESRF and NSLS. We have an EPSRC research grant for soft x-ray and neutron scattering studies of nanoscale ordering in strongly correlated electron systems.We designed and constructed an advanced diffractometer for resonant soft X-ray scattering for use on the new national synchrotron Diamond. The soft X-ray diffractometer RASOR was constructed in Japan by Toyama and is now a user instrument on I06 and I10 (BLADE) at Diamond. Our current research interests focus on multiferroics where we attempt to disentangle and uncover the interatomic interactions that lead to ferroelectricity and magnetoelectric coupling.

Research interests

  • Resonant Soft X-ray scattering
  • Strongly Correlated Electron Systems
  • Orbital Physics
  • x-ray scattering
  • superconductors
  • Neutron scattering

Research groups

Awarded Grants

  • 2008: NANOSCALE ORDERING PHENOMENA(£355477.00 from Epsrc)
  • 2006: AN ADVANCED DIFFRACTOMETER(£749978.87 from CCLRC)
  • 2004: SOFT X-RAY DIFFRACTION STUDIES(£19183.00 from Epsrc)
  • 1999: HIGH RESOLUTION X-RAY SCATTERING(£124435.00 from Epsrc)
  • 1999: NEUTRON SCATTERING STUDIES(£7977.00 from Dunelm Science Associates Ltd)
  • 1999: X-RAY SCATTERING STUDIES(£450.00 from Pparc)
  • 1998: STUDIES OF CHARGE STRIPES(£392.00 from Pparc)
  • 1998: X-RAY SCATTERING STUDIES(£588.00 from Pparc)
  • 1996: STUDIES OF SUPERCONDUCTORS(£178803.00 from Epsrc)
  • 1996: X-RAY SCATTERING STUDIES OF CDW'S(£22041.00 from Epsrc)

Esteem Indicators

  • 2008: Director of the Durham X-ray Research Centre:
  • 2007: Chairman of the Diamond Physical Sciences Peer Review Panel (2007-2010):
  • 2007: Co-Editor in Chief of the Open access journal PhysMath Central B (2007-2010):
  • 2006: Chairman of the CCLRC Soft X-ray Diffractometer Project Management Committee (2006-2009):
  • 2006: International member of Brookhaven Laboratory NSLS Peer Review panel (2006-2008):
  • 2006: Member of Diamond Peer Review Panel (2006-2008):
  • 2006: Member of the CCLRC Facilty Development Advisory Board (2006-2008):
  • 2006: Principal investigator on £878,157 CCLRC Facility Development grant to build a soft x-ray diffractometer (2006):
  • 2004: Member of the CCLRC UK Science Advisory Council, Daresbury Laboratory (2004-2006):
  • 2004: over £1.3 Million worth of facility beamtime obtained through competative peer review (2001-2004):
  • 2003: Chairman of the I16 (Magnetism and Materials) beamline working party (DIAMOND) (2003-2007):
  • 2003: Member of the Facility Access Panel -1 (Crystallography) at ISIS, RAL (2003-2008):
  • 2002: Sir James Knott University Foundation Fellow:
  • 2001: Durham Excellence in Teaching award:
  • 2001: Member of the BM28 (XMaS) Programme Management Committee, which oversees the development of the EPSRC funded science programme of the beamline at the ESRF. (2001-2008):
  • 1993: Leverhulme Research Fellow:

Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

  • Atomic particles: Basic matter: Electrons in Solids
  • Atomic particles: Basic matter: Statistical Physics
  • Atomic particles: Basic matter: X-ray scattering
  • Atomic particles: Basic matter: Synchrotron Radiation

Publications

Conference Paper

Conference Proceeding

Journal Article

Supervision students