Dr Anthony Phillips

Profile

I was born and grew up in Perth and studied at the Universities of Sydney (B.Sc., B.A. 2007) and Cambridge (Ph.D. 2011).

In 2011 I joined the School of Physics and Astronomy at Queen Mary, where I am currently Reader in the Centre for Condensed Matter and Materials Physics.

Teaching

I currently lead the second-year module Condensed Matter A and teach on the second-year module Introduction to Scientific Computing; I originally wrote both of these modules.

Previously, I wrote and taught the Masters’ module Phase Transitions, and the second-year module Structure and Properties of Functional Materials.

Research

Research Interests:

My research focuses on the relationship between the atomic structure of materials and their functional properties. I study the structural response of materials to in situ perturbations such as changes in temperature or pressure or irradiation with light. This has included materials with negative coefficients of thermal expansion (i.e., that shrink as you heat them up) and photochromic and photorefractive materials, whose colour and refractive index change as a result of light illumination.

My work is both experimental and computational. On the experimental side much of my work takes place at central facilities, including synchrotrons and neutron sources. On the computational side I use both ab initio and empirical-potential modelling, especially using the density-functional theory code CASTEP.

I am also interested in the mathematical and computational problems that often arise in structural studies. These include problems of statistical inference (does an experimental data set provide sufficient evidence to posit a subtle structural change?), group-theoretical analysis of symmetry changes at phase transitions, and challenges associated with navigating a complex, multi-dimensional phase space when establishing a structural model and refining it against either experimental or computed data.

Funding

My research is currently funded by EPSRC and the Royal Society, with previous support from an EPSRC First Grant. My research group includes students funded by EPSRC, STFC, and the Chinese Scholarships Council. Much of our work is done at central facilities, and we are grateful especially to STFC for providing beam time.

Publications

• Yang Z, Cai G, Bull CL et al. (2019). Hydrogen-bond-mediated structural variation of metal guanidinium formate hybrid perovskites under pressure. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2018.0227

  
  

  QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/56555
• Duncan HD, Beake EOR, Playford HY et al. (2017). Local structure of a switchable dielectric Prussian blue analogue. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1039/C7CE01883E

  
  

  QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/29017
• PHILLIPS AE, fortes A (2017). Crossover Between Tilt Families and Zero Area Thermal Expansion in Hybrid Prussian Blue Analogues. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1002/anie.201708514

  
  

  QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/28640
• Walker HC, Duncan HD, Le MD et al. (2017). Magnetic structure and spin wave excitations in the multiferroic metal-organic framework (CD3)ND2[Mn(DCO2)3]. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.96.094423

  
  

  QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/25862
• Duncan HD, Dove MT, Keen DA et al. (2016). Local structure of the metal–organic perovskite dimethylammonium manganese( ii ) formate. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1039/C5DT03687A

  
  

  QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/10999
• Fang H, Dove MT, Phillips AE (2014). Common origin of negative thermal expansion and other exotic properties in ceramic and hybrid materials. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.89.214103

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref

Supervision

This is not an exhaustive list and I would be happy to discuss other project possibilities.

Project Title

High-pressure studies of crystals

Fluctuations in crystals by neutron and x-ray scattering