
Dr Chris Bell
PhD(Cantab.), MSci(Cantab.), BA(Cantab.)
Expertise
Current positions
Associate Professor
School of PhysicsAcademic Director of Recruitment and Admissions
Science Faculty Office
Contact
Press and media
Many of our academics speak to the media as experts in their field of research. If you are a journalist, please contact the University’s Media and PR Team:
Research interests
My research focuses on the creation and control of novel electronic phases of matter in metals, semiconductors, and insulators. Recently my work has centred on low dimensional systems, including low-density high-mobility two-dimensional superconductors, and ultrathin ferromagnets. Understanding how these two types of long range order, which usually do not exist together in nature, combine and interact is another key area of interest.
I use field-effect gating geometries, precise thin film heterostructures, proximity effects and photoconductivity to induce and continuously tune the electronic properties of these systems. Since the materials science and chemistry of these materials, their interfaces and surfaces, is vital to control and understand in these systems, the research spans a broad range of disciplines. The samples are typically characterized at low temperatures and high magnetic fields, and hence the studies fundamental in nature. These underlying aims feed into the global community’s aspirations of creating new functional materials and devices for future applications.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Advanced Nanofabrication for Quantum Material Exploration
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of PhysicsDates
01/05/2024 to 30/04/2027
Pulsed laser deposition of ternary oxide nanowires
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of PhysicsDates
01/03/2016 to 01/03/2017
Light tunable superconducting devices using transition metal oxides
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of PhysicsDates
01/11/2014 to 30/04/2017
Thesis supervisions
Photoconductivity in Strontium Titanate
Supervisors
Uranium-based Spintronics
Supervisors
The role of ionic liquids/deep eutectic solvents in sol-gel syntheses of complex metal oxides
Supervisors
A Study of the Relationship Between Correlated Displacive Disorder, Metastability and Lattice Dynamics using the Epitaxially Stabilised Alloy System γs-(U1−xMox)
Supervisors
Publications
Recent publications
22/02/2024Absence of induced ferromagnetism in epitaxial uranium dioxide thin films
Physical Review B
A review of uranium-based thin films
Advances in Physics
Structure and phase transitions of metastable hexagonal uranium thin films
Physical Review Materials
Magnetic anisotropy in Fe/U and Ni/U bilayers
Physical Review B
Structural, magnetic and electrical properties of nickel thin films deposited on Si (100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition
JOURNAL OF OVONIC RESEARCH