Background

I completed a Ph.D. in Physics at Durham University in 2016, under the supervision of Dr Tom Lancaster. My project comprised numerous investigations into novel quantum magnetic systems, including molecular magnet systems and correlated magnetic oxides. The primary experimental technique for these studies was muon-spin spectroscopy, and I made extensive use of the facilities at ISIS, UK and PSI, Switzerland. Prior to that, I completed an integrated MPhys degree from the University of Oxford in 2012. I joined the Superconductivity and Magnetism group at Warwick as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in October 2016, where I work with Dr Paul Goddard.

Research Interests

My current project involves the study of quantum magnet systems and materials which exhibit unconventional superconductivity. This research includes the measurement of electronic, magnetic and structural properties under extreme conditions such as low temperatures, high magnetic fields and hydrostatic pressure. Collectively, these measurements will elucidate the role of quantum fluctuations, topology and disorder in establishing new states of matter, and provide a means of scrutinising fundamental quantum physics.

Publications

A. Mannig, J. S. Möller, M. Thede, D. Hüvonen, T. Lancaster, F. Xiao, R. C. Williams, Z. Guguchia, R. Khasanov, E. Morenzoni, and A. Zheludev, "Effect of disorder on a pressure-induced z = 1 magnetic quantum phase transition", Physical Review B 94, 144418 (2016).
R. C. Williams, F. Xiao, T. Lancaster, R. De Renzi, G. Allodi, S. Bordignon, P. G. Freeman, F. L. Pratt, S. R. Giblin, J. S. Möller, S. J. Blundell, A. T. Boothroyd, and D. Prabhakaran, "Magnetic phase diagram of La2−xSrxCoO4 revised using muon-spin relaxation", Physical Review B 93, 140406(R) (2016).
J. Liu, P. A. Goddard, J. Singleton, J. Brambleby, F. Foronda, J. S. Möller, Y. Kohama, S. Ghannadzadeh, A. Ardavan, S. J. Blundell, T. Lancaster, F. Xiao, R. C. Williams, F. L. Pratt, P. J. Baker, K. Wierschem, S. H. Lapidus, K. H. Stone, P. W. Stephens, J. Bendix, T. J. Woods, K. E. Carreiro, H. E. Tran, C. J. Villa, and J. L. Manson, "Antiferromagnetism in a family of S = 1 square lattice coordination polymers NiX2(pyz)2 (X = Cl, Br, I, NCS; pyz = Pyrazine)", Inorganic Chemistry 55, 3515 (2016).
L. H. R. Dos Santos, A. Lanza, A. M. Barton, J. Brambleby, W. J. A. Blackmore, P. A. Goddard, F. Xiao, R. C. Williams, T. Lancaster, F. L. Pratt, S. J. Blundell, J. Singleton, J. L. Manson, and P. Macchi, "Experimental and theoretical electron density analysis of copper pyrazine nitrate quasi-low-dimensional quantum magnets", Journal of the American Chemical Society 138, 2280 (2016).
R. C. Williams, F. Xiao, I. O. Thomas, S. J. Clark, T. Lancaster, G. A. Cornish, S. J. Blundell, W. Hayes, A. K. Paul, C. Felser, "Muon-spin relaxation study of the double perovskite insulators Sr2BOsO6 (B  =  Fe, Y, ln)", Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 28, 76001 (2016).
T. Lancaster, R. C. Williams, I. O. Thomas, F. Xiao, F. L. Pratt, S. J. Blundell, J. C. Loudon, T. Hesjedal, S. J. Clark, P. D. Hatton, M. Ciomaga Hatnean, D. S. Keeble, and G. Balakrishnan, "Transverse field muon-spin rotation signature of the skyrmion-lattice phase in Cu2OSeO3", Physical Review B 91, 224408 (2015).
N. Z. Ali, R. C. Williams, F. Xiao, S. J. Clark, T. Lancaster, S. J. Blundell, D. V. Sheptyakov, and M. Jansen, "Magnetostructural relationship in the tetrahedral spin-chain oxide CsCoO2", Physical Review B 91, 024419 (2015).
F. Xiao, J. S. Möller, T. Lancaster, R. C. Williams, F. L. Pratt, S. J. Blundell, D. Ceresoli, A. M. Barton, and J. L. Manson, "Spin diffusion in the low-dimensional molecular quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet Cu(pyz)(NO3)2 detected with implanted muons", Physical Review B 91, 144417 (2015).
B. Yan, A. K. Paul, S. Kanungo, M. Reehuis, A. Hoser, D. M. Többens, W. Schnelle, R. C. Williams, T. Lancaster, F. Xiao, J. S. Möller, S. J. Blundell, W. Hayes, C. Felser, and M. Jansen, "Lattice-Site-Specific Spin Dynamics in Double Perovskite Sr2CoOsO6", Physical Review Letters 112, 147202 (2014).