Welcome to the
Blackett Laboratory
.
World leading Physics in the heart of London
Department of Physics – Blackett Laboratory
Student Statistics
~ 800 undergraduate, 120 Masters, and
270 PhD students
2009: 34% female intake
33% of undergraduates continue with
further studies (mostly PhD)
highly trained analytical minds for the
financial sector
115 academic staff
Outreach to London’s global community
fostering of science communication
skills from undergraduates to faculty
embedding of top-level science
with the arts:
Royal College of Music joint
degree programme, Royal
College of Arts projects, artist in residence
cultural diversity and championing of
women in science and engineering
Page 2
9 one-year Masters programmes
Shock Physics
Optics and Photonics
Quantum Fields & Fundamental Forces
Physics
Theory and Simulation of Materials
Controlled Quantum Dynamics
Photonics
Plastic Electronics
Plasmonics and Metamaterials
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/physics
© Imperial College London
Academic Research: 120 staff and 220 RAs
☼ Astrophysics: Steve Warren + 6 staff
Far Infrared/sub-mm, X-ray, Gravitational Lensing, Cosmology, Galactic, Solar, ….
☼ Condensed Matter Theory: Matthew Faulkes + 9 staff
Materials Modelling, Metamaterials, Complexity Science, Nanotechnology, Quantum Phases
☼ Experimental Solid State Physics: Lesley Cohen + 15 staff
Semiconductor Optoelectronics, Functional Magnetism, Nanotechnology, Molecular Materials and
Devices, Quantum Optics, Photovoltaics, Spintronics, Plasmonics, Superconductivity, ….
☼ High Energy Physics: Jordan Nash + 21 staff
Beyond the Standard Model, CMS/LHCb/D0/BaBar, Neutrino Factory, T2K, Dark Matter, Gravitational
Waves, Grid Computing, ….
☼ Photonics: Paul French + 11 staff
Fibre and solid state lasers, Sculpted thin films, Data storage, Imaging, Adaptive optics, Nonlinear
optics,
☼ Plasma Physics: Steve Rose + 7 staff
Laser-solid interactions, Particle acceleration, Magnetic Confinement Fusion, Wire array Z-pinch,
Astrophysical Jets, Dusty Plasmas, Laser-Plasma theory, ….
☼ Quantum Optics and Laser Science: Mungshik Kim + 11 staff
Attosecond science, Quantum coherence, Quantum Optics, Quantum Information, Atom chips,
Trapping and Cold matter, EDM measurement, Non-linear ….
☼ Space and Atmospheric Physics: Steve Schwartz + 13 staff
Heliospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, Planetary Physics, Earth’s Atmosphere and Oceans, Earth
Observation, Climate change, Instrumentation, ….
☼ Theoretical Physics: Jerome Gauntlett + 14 staff
Quantum Field Theory, Quantum Gravity/Foundations of QM, String Theory & M-Theory, Cosmology,
Page 3
Astrophysics: Milestone in cosmology
Discovery of first quasar with redshift >7
Seen when the age of the
Universe was 770 Myr
(6% of current age).
Reveals for the first time a
cosmos predominantly
neutral i.e. reached back
to the epoch of cosmic
reionisation.
Mortlock et al. Nature, June 2011
Experimental Solid State
Physics
Low-voltage ZnO thin-film transistors
Anthopoulos and team
ADV MATER 2011, Vol:23
ADV FUNC MATER 2011
NanoPlasmonics
Maier, Pendry and team
Nano Lett, 2011, Vol:11
Phys Rev Lett, 2010, Vol:105
Magnetic Monopole Defects
Branford team: Nature Physics 2010
Science 2012
Organic Photovoltaics
Kim, Nelson and Bradley
MACROMOL 44 2011
High Energy Physics:
Search for SUSY particles at CERN
Most stringent limits in the world on the masses of supersymmetric
particles - led by Imperial physicists (Phys.Lett. B 698, 196-218, 2011).
Quantum Optics and Laser Science
Measuring the shape of the electron
Nature 473, 493–496 (26 May 2011)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature10104
Photonics: Fluorescence
lifetime imaging
to read out biomolecular
interactions
– interdisciplinary frontiers
1 m
3.5ns
2ns
0ns
3ns
10 m
1 mm
0ns
Plasma Physics:
Laser wakefield driven x-ray source
Experimental set-up
Laser wakefield is bright source of xrays with spatial coherence:
potential for phase-contrast imaging
Radiograph of damsel-fly
Image of xray beam
High imaging
resolution
demonstrates
small source
size
X-ray beam has:
• small divergence
• ultrashort duration (<30 fs)
• high resolving ability
• spatial coherence
➜ high peak brightness
Phase contrast image of same
damsel-fly
Stefan Kneip et al., Nature Physics, 6 980, 2010
Space and Atmospheric Physics
Climate predictability from the oceans
(with Grantham Institute)
• The oceans in mid-latitudes experience frequent convective events
“communicating” sea surface temperature to a deep atmospheric layer.
Percentage of days with deep convection (ERAint data)
Included in
climate models
(“upright” convection)
Not included in
climate models
(“slantwise” convection)
• A large number of these convective events are not currently represented in
climate models.
• Predictability might be underestimated in the current generation of
climate/weather forecast models.
Czaja, A. and N. Blunt: A new mechanism for ocean atmosphere coupling in midlatitudes, QJRMS, 2011
Space and Atmospheric Physics
Discovery of dynamic
atmosphere at Saturn’s moon
Enceladus by the Cassini
magnetometer team
Theoretical Physics: Maths of string theory and black
holes finding applications in condensed matter
physics
e.g. quantum phase transition in
‘unconventional’ superconductors
AdS/CFT and Condensed Matter
AdS/CFT and
Condensed Matter
International
meeting at Imperial
Jan 2011
Postgraduate Programmes:
PhD students (2012)
350
MSc taught courses:
135
Optics & Photonics:
25
Quantum Fields & Fundamental Forces: 40
General Physics:
23
Shock Physics
5
MRes Photonics:
4
Plasmonics and Metamaterials
4
EPSRC DTCs Integrated Masters plus PhD:
Controlled Quantum Dynamics:
Theory and Simulation of Materials:
Plastic Electronic Materials:
Page 13
13
15
12
MSc in Physics
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/physics/admissions/pg/msc/mscphysics
MSc course outline:
• Wide choice of
•
•
•
advanced courses in
most areas of physics
Training in key
mathematical and
computational skills
Major project element
Entry criteria: GPA of
3.2+/4 or 4+/5 (MIT)
Career options:
Programme aimed at
preparing students for a
PhD or research in
industry. Most graduates
win PhD places – some in
US
Two year course with
extended research project
soon available
Highlights:
• Able to tailor course to
•
•
•
match your interests
Offers specialist courses
from other masters
programmes
Opportunity for project
work in most areas of
physics
Projects with
international research
facilities
Plastic Electronic Materials
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/plasticelectronicsdtc
MRes course outline:
Career options:
Highlights:
covering chemistry,
physics and materials
• Courses span both
academic and hands-on
practical training in
industry
• Major research project
• Entry criteria: GPA of
3.15+/4 or 4+/5 (MIT)
energy, displays and thin
film electronics
•$1B/year global industry
and growing.
• Demand for skilled
researchers – materials to
device systems
•Opportunities in large
multi-nationals to start-up
companies
for Materials research
• Strong industrial
engagement
• Research Project
selected from the outset
• Focus on employability
and research leadership
• Major transferable skills
programme, including IP
and entrepreneurship
• Multidisciplinary
•Key technology for solar
• Imperial in World’s top 3
Controlled Quantum Dynamics
www.imperial.ac.uk/controlledquantumdynamics
MRes course outline:
Career options:
Highlights:
• Programme focus on
• Basis for new science and
• Research projects with
•
•
•
preparation for PhD
career
Courses cover Quantum
Information, Quantum
Optics and control of
single/few quantum
systems
Choice of theoretical or
experimental projects
Entry criteria: GPA of
3.2+/4 or 4+/5 (MIT)
•
technology including:
o Quantum computing
o Quantum metrology
o Quantum
communications
New companies and
technologies – Toshiba,
NTT, Oxford Instrument
and idQuantique.
•
•
•
•
leading UK/European
groups and international
companies
Direct transfer to PhD
Focus on employability
and research leadership
Outreach activities
Lectures by leading
researchers
Theory & Simulation of Materials
www.tsmcdt.org
MSc course outline:
• Multidisciplinary
• Six core courses:
•
•
•
advanced math,
equilibrium, kinetics,
elasticity, electronic
structure, multiscale
simulation methods
Choice of two options
Major research project
Entry criteria: GPA of
3.2+/4 or 4+/5 (MIT)
Career options:
• Materials underpin all
•
modern technology e.g.:
o Energy
o Transport
o Security
o IT & communication
Links (including funding)
with Argonne National
Lab, Baker Hughes, US
Air Force, Johnson
Matthey etc.
Highlights:
• Cohort-based
• Direct transfer to PhD
• Residential professional
•
•
skills training (PhD):
o Team-working
o Career planning
o Science
communication (BBC)
Outreach activities
Master classes with
senior figures
MSc in Optics and Photonics/MRes in Photonics
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/photonics/
MSc/MRes course
outline:
• Either stand-alone
•
•
•
(MSc) or part of PhD
programme (MRes)
Covers classical and
modern optics and
applications
Substantial practical
element
Entry criteria: GPA of
3.15+/4 or 4+/5 (MIT)
Career options:
• Proven route for careers
•
•
in photonics and for
PhD research
Key science behind
imaging, displays,
telecommunications and
computing
Many new exciting
photonic technologies
reaching marketplace
Highlights:
• Both include a major
•
•
•
research project
Imperial has nearly 100
years of teaching and
research in optics
Substantial research
activity in Department ,
over $10M/year
(GUESS!)
Projects in both industry
and academia
MRes in Plasmonics and Metamaterials
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/physics/admissions/pg/msc/plasmonicsmetamaterials
MRes course outline:
• Compulsory courses on
nanophotonics, optical
materials at the
nanoscale,
metamaterials and
computational photonics
• Nine month research
project
• Entry criteria: GPA of
3.15+/4 or 4+/5 (MIT)
Career options:
• Ideal preparation for a
•
PhD in Plasmonics and
Metamaterials
Provides key skills for
burgeoning industries
exploiting these
technologies
(healthcare, computing)
Highlights:
• Imperial
•
•
in World’s top
3 for materials research
Major international
centre for research
(negative refractive
index media, cloaking)
Centre research income
of $15M
MSc in Shock Physics
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/shockphysics/courses/msc
MSc course outline:
• Compulsory courses
•
•
•
cover fundamental
physics, chemistry and
mechanics of shocks
Option course extend
subject to area of
interest
Five month research
project
Entry criteria: GPA of
3.15+/4 or 4+/5 (MIT)
Career options:
• Key science in many
•
areas of physics
(astrophysics, plasmas)
and engineering
(aerospace, mining)
Careers in physics and
engineering, research
and industry
Highlights:
• Collaborations with
many research and
industrial partners in UK
and US
• Projects with worldwide
research facilities
• Guest lectures with
international speakers
Train on experimental
facilities (static
pressure, explosives)
MSc in Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/theoreticalphysics
MSc course outline:
• Compulsory courses
•
•
•
cover the Standard
Model, Quantum Field
Theory and QED
Options include string
theory, supersymmetry
and particle cosmology
Guest lectures by
leading physicists
Entry criteria: GPA of
3.2+/4 or 4+/5 (MIT)
Career options:
• Programme aimed at
•
preparing students for a
PhD in theoretical
physics
Mathematical skills
gained in great demand
in other areas of
physics, mathematics
and business
Highlights:
• Theoretical physics
•
•
group established by
Nobel Laureate Abdus
Salam
Over 30 years of
teaching theoretical
physics
Two week research
seminar series
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/physics/s
tudentinfo/internationalstudents
Educational and Research Links
Undergraduates
Post Graduates
UG - student exchange agreement
UG - study abroad program
UG -Extra-curricular summer projects
(undergraduate research
opportunity scheme UROP or
IROP)
12M stand alone Masters qualifications
Students can take 3M, 6M components
receiving a certificate or diploma respectively.
Potential for formal student exchange
schemes for post graduate students who may
want to take reciprocal courses within
collaborative institutions.
Study Leave: PhD students taking time to
pursue complementary research activities.
Benefits
•Closer ties institutionally at discipline specific level
•Widening opportunities for the student educational experience
•Recruiting highest calibre students
•Seeding research interactions for the development of new scientific programmes
and potentially for joint funding platforms.
World Leading Physics in the Heart of London
Page 24
© Imperial College London