Low Temper<strong>at</strong>ure <strong>Physics</strong>Low Temper<strong>at</strong>ure research <strong>at</strong> <strong>Lancaster</strong> includesexperiments on superfluids and other m<strong>at</strong>erials with widerapplic<strong>at</strong>ions in areas such as cosmology and turbulence.The group has a strong intern<strong>at</strong>ional reput<strong>at</strong>ion forperforming st<strong>at</strong>e-of-the-art experiments <strong>at</strong> the lowestachievable temper<strong>at</strong>ures. Our cus<strong>to</strong>m made dilutionrefrigera<strong>to</strong>rs, built in-house, achieve world record lowtemper<strong>at</strong>ures. We have pioneered several innov<strong>at</strong>iveapproaches including: `<strong>Lancaster</strong>-style' nuclear coolingstages <strong>to</strong> cool superfluids <strong>to</strong> record low temper<strong>at</strong>ures;`he<strong>at</strong>-flush' procedures <strong>to</strong> produce highly purified helium-4; ion transport measurement methods for quantum fluids;novel NMR systems; and various mechanical oscilla<strong>to</strong>rtechniques which provide extremely sensitivethermometry and bolometry <strong>at</strong> microkelvin temper<strong>at</strong>ures.Low temper<strong>at</strong>ure physics gives unique access <strong>to</strong> largescalequantum phenomena, notably superconductivity insome metals and superfluidity in liquid helium-3, and wehave a broad research portfolio specialising in quantumfluids and solids research.We have performed ground-breaking research onnumerous <strong>to</strong>pics, including: superfluid analogues ofcosmological processes; ion and vortex ring dynamics;ballistic quasiparticle beams; exotic superfluid spinphenomena; superfluid phase nucle<strong>at</strong>ion; phase boundarydynamics; wave turbulence; and quantum turbulence. TheUltralow Temper<strong>at</strong>ure cluster of cryost<strong>at</strong>s has beendesign<strong>at</strong>ed a European Facility, providing experimentalaccess for visiting European scientists through the EUFramework 7 collabor<strong>at</strong>ion MICROKELVIN.Biomedical <strong>Physics</strong>Biomedical physics applies physics <strong>to</strong> living systems.Traditionally medical physics develops methods forimaging structures within the human body and therapeutictechniques for tre<strong>at</strong>ment of diseases, such as radiologicaltre<strong>at</strong>ment of cancer. At <strong>Lancaster</strong> we also develop newtechniques for moni<strong>to</strong>ring and imaging on all scales – fromcells <strong>to</strong> the whole body. We apply nonlinear physics <strong>to</strong>study human physiological functions, on scales rangingfrom the opening and closing of ion channels within a cellmembrane, <strong>to</strong> interactions between the heart, the lungsand the brain. Joint projects link us with the Royal<strong>Lancaster</strong> Infirmary and with partners within UK, Europe,USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.Our work aims <strong>to</strong> gener<strong>at</strong>e fundamental understanding ofthe oscilla<strong>to</strong>ry processes involved in energy andinform<strong>at</strong>ion transfer within the body, and then <strong>to</strong> apply thenew knowledge <strong>to</strong> hypertension, cardiac failure, diabetes,postmyocardial- infarction, anæsthesia, aging, cancer andmany other human conditions. Our studies of biologicaloscill<strong>at</strong>ions are revealing fascin<strong>at</strong>ing new insights in<strong>to</strong>systems designed by N<strong>at</strong>ure and how they can functionrobustly despite their extraordinary complexity.Solid St<strong>at</strong>e <strong>Physics</strong>We study the physics of semiconduc<strong>to</strong>r nanostructuresand devices, including the MBE growth of antimonides anddilute nitrides, with emphasis on mid-infrared (2-5µm)op<strong>to</strong>electronics and spectroscopy of quantum structures.This is stimul<strong>at</strong>ed by a wide range of novel physicalphenomena and practical applic<strong>at</strong>ions, such as midinfraredlasers; LEDs and detec<strong>to</strong>rs for environmentalmoni<strong>to</strong>ring; fire detection and freespace opticalcommunic<strong>at</strong>ions; devices for telecommunic<strong>at</strong>ions; andcharge-based digital d<strong>at</strong>a s<strong>to</strong>rage memories.This research includes the growth, characteris<strong>at</strong>ion andhigh-magnetic-field spectroscopy of self-assembledquantum dots. These ‘artificial a<strong>to</strong>ms’ are spontaneouslyformed when a few mono-layers of m<strong>at</strong>erial are depositedon a substr<strong>at</strong>e with a different l<strong>at</strong>tice constant, and are anarea of intense scientific activity worldwide. Work isundertaken in an <strong>at</strong>mosphere of n<strong>at</strong>ional and intern<strong>at</strong>ionalcooper<strong>at</strong>ion supported, for example, by the PROPHETEuropean Network. Particularly strong links exist with TUBerlin, NTU Taiwan, the Ioffe Institute, KU Leuven and<strong>University</strong> of Antwerp. Our UK industrial partners includeQinetiQ Ltd and Oclaro.Measuring blood flow in the Biomedical <strong>Physics</strong> Labora<strong>to</strong>ry.30www.physics.lancs.ac.uk
One of three <strong>Lancaster</strong> <strong>Physics</strong> MBE (Molecular Beam Epitaxy)machines used for fabric<strong>at</strong>ing new semiconduc<strong>to</strong>r nanostructures.A self-assembled quantum ring grown in our MBE machine.Individual a<strong>to</strong>ms and a<strong>to</strong>mic rows can be seen in this image,which was taken using a cross-sectional scanning tunnellingmicroscope <strong>at</strong> the Eindhoven <strong>University</strong> of Technology.www.physics.lancs.ac.uk 31
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