Research areas
Characterising charge carriers and traps in organic semiconductors using ESR. (Electron Spin Resonance)
High Magnetic Field Electron Spin Resonance. This is an enabling technique in the study of paramagnetic systems (transition metal ions, free radicals, defects) in materials science and structural biology offering higher resolution, higher sensitivity and higher energy quanta. At St.Andrews we have used the expertise within the millimetre wave and magnetic resonance groups to construct a highly sensitive quasi-optical spectrometer that works from 80 to 300GHz in magnetic fields up to 12T at cryogenic temperatures. This spectrometer has state of the art sensitivity and is now a UK EPSRC facility and part of a European network on High Field ESR Instrumentation and research. The spectrometer has also been commercialised and several versions are now being used at leading laboratories around the world
High Field Ferromagnetic Resonance. This is the study of ferromagnetic resonance in very high magnetic fields and uses the same type of spectrometer as for high field ESR measurements. Multi-frequency measurements in high fields allow anisotropy fields and damping terms to be calculated which are important parameters in the characterisation of magnetic storage media. The extra sensitivity available with the high field spectrometer has allowed very thin films to be characterised under conditions of full saturation and is very much an enabling technique
Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy (MRFM). This is a new technique that combines the spatial resolution of scanning probe microscopy with the chemical specifity associated with electron spin resonance. The magnetic resonance group is currently constructing a probe that works in high magnetic fields, low temperatures and in vacuum and should have a spatial resolution of around 10nm. Initial experiments have been very promising and point to the to the possibility of single spin sensitivity. If this can be achieved there are major applications in surface chemistry, ferromagnetic systems, semiconductor characterisation and structural biology.
For further information, see the .
Selected publications
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Open access
Slope, L. N., Shah, A., Taylor, M. J., Borghesani, V., Caulton, S. G., Brooks, N. J., Hadley, K. A., Rose, G., Hunter, R. I., Mkami, H. E. L., Smith, G. M., Leney, A. C., Buurma, N. J., Lovering, A. L., Lovett, J. E. & Peacock, A. F. A., 12 May 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Chemical Science. Advance Article, p. 1-11 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Topping, L., Mocanu, E. M., Fisher, S. R., Hunter, R. I., Ben‐Ishay, Y., Goldfarb, D., Smith, G. M., Lovett, J. E. & Butler, S. J., 10 Jan 2026, In: Chemistry Europe. 4, 1, 9 p., e202500282.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Mocanu, E. M., Ben-Ishay, Y., Topping, L., Fisher, S. R., Hunter, R. I., Su, X.-C., Butler, S., Smith, G. M., Goldfarb, D. & Lovett, J. E., 1 May 2025, In: Applied Magnetic Resonance. 56, 5, p. 591-611 21 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Jegadeesan, S. A., Zhao, Y., Smith, G. M., Kuprov, I. & Mathies, G., 21 Jul 2025, In: Journal of Chemical Physics. 163, 3, 14 p., 034111.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Xiao, J., Plaskocinski, T., Hunter, R. I., Biabanifard, M., Robertson, D. A., Smith, G. M., Horsley, S., Schulz, S. A. & Di Falco, A., 1 Aug 2024, Metamaterials XIV. MacDonald, K. F., Staude, I. & Zayats, A. V. (eds.). Bellingham, WA: SPIE, Vol. 12990. 7 p. 1299005. (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; vol. 12990).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
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Open access
Shah, A., Taylor, M. J., Molinaro, G., Anbu, S., Verdu, M., Jennings, L., Mikulska, I., Diaz-Moreno, S., El Mkami, H., Smith, G. M., Britton, M. M., Lovett, J. E. & Peacock, A. F. A., 4 Jul 2023, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 120, 27, e2219036120.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Zhao, Y., El Mkami, H., Hunter, R. I., Casano, G., Ouari, O. & Smith, G. M., 22 Aug 2023, In: Communications Chemistry. 6, 12 p., 171.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Xiao, J., Hunter, R. I., Robertson, D. A., Smith, G. M., Horsley, S., Schulz, S. A. & Di Falco, A., 4 Sept 2023, 2023 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC). Piscataway, NJ: IEEE, 1 p. eh_4_2. (Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe (CLEO EUROPE)).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
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Open access
Xiao, J., Hunter, R. I., Robertson, D. A., Smith, G. M., Horsley, S., Schulz, S. A. & Di Falco, A., 25 May 2023, In: Advanced Materials Technologies. 8, 10, 8 p., 2202006.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Schulz, S. A., Xiao, J., Hunter, R. I., Robertson, D. A., Smith, G. M., Horsley, S. & Di Falco, A., 1 Sept 2023, Proceedings of META 2023: The 13th International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics. Lalanne, P. & Zouhdi, S. (eds.). Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France: META, p. 394-395 2 p. (META proceedings).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution