At Diamond I am responsible for the I05-ARPES beamline which is dedicated to the study of the electronic structures of novel materials and builds on my past experience. Our primary technique is Angle-Resolved PhotoEmission Spectroscopy (ARPES). I lead a talented team doing fundamental research as well as supporting beamline users. It is important that we maintain and develop the beamline to the highest level. A typical day is a balance between time on experiments, scientific research and administrative work which require high concentration levels.
We study the electronic structure of quantum materials with potential application for the electronics of tomorrow – more powerful and faster electronics for device miniaturisation used in mobile phones, computers, and other devices. This involves looking in new materials with exotic properties to understand their microscopic physics with a view of discovering new phenomena. They include two dimensional materials which are made of few atomic layers and offer serious potential to make very compact devices.
I enjoy the discovery aspect of this work. Seeing the way electrons behave in materials can be full of surprises. I enjoy making sense of what we see when we do our experiments. This is how we grow science knowledge and innovation.