Research Subject Area: Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics

REF impact found 97 Case Studies

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Advanced Radiometer Instrumentation for Earth Observation

Summary of the impact

Research on Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) structures has led to major advances in the design and manufacture of the world's most advanced payload instrumentation for use in Earth observation satellites. This technology has provided the core element of the radiometer instrumentation needed for more accurate global weather forecasts and better understanding of climate change. The advances described have made it possible to combine all of the different functions of the MetOP-SG radiometer into one instrument, thereby halving the footprint of the satellite payload resulting in a [text removed for publication] cost saving.

Submitting Institution

Queen's University Belfast

Unit of Assessment

Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
Technology: Communications Technologies

Advances in Gamma-Ray Detection and Imaging

Summary of the impact

The University of Southampton's distinguished body of work on the design of technology for gamma-ray detection and imaging has informed new counter-terrorism practices. Technological advances arising from the research have been crucial to delivering significant benefits in the fields of homeland security and nuclear safety — the latter particularly in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster. A spin-out company, Symetrica, currently employs 26 people in the UK and the USA, has a forecast turnover of more than £10 million for 2013-14 and has been recognised as an example of best practice. It is a technological leader in the field of radioactive isotope identification.

Submitting Institution

University of Southampton

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Other Physical Sciences

A New Manufacturing, Research and Development Centre for e2v

Summary of the impact

Our research on semiconductor materials and devices has led to the establishment by e2v Technologies of a combined manufacturing, research and development facility within the School of Physics and Astronomy. We have adapted and transferred device simulation software to e2v, and have provided epitaxially-grown semiconductors and access to fabrication facilities which have been used in their manufacturing processes. Devices fabricated within the facility, which was opened in 2011, have generated sales of £7M for e2v. This initiative has also led to shifts in the investment priorities of e2v, and mitigated risks to the company arising from import restrictions associated with the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

Submitting Institution

University of Nottingham

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
Chemical Sciences: Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Engineering: Materials Engineering

Antimatter: From CERN to Hollywood

Summary of the impact

In public perception, antimatter used to be associated with science fiction, but the creation and trapping of antihydrogen at CERN by the ATHENA and ALPHA Collaborations has sparked world-wide media interest in the real science of antimatter. Building on this, we started a campaign of public dissemination and education to promote and explain our work through media interviews, popular articles, and public lectures including a Welsh language component. We developed software simulators that have been used by school pupils in Masterclasses to re- create virtually CERN's antihydrogen production. YouTube clips and webcasts with over 100,000 hits have been produced and we have hosted thousands of visitors per year in CERN. These activities resulted in improved understanding of antimatter among school students and the wider population, and a radical change in the public perception of antimatter, which is now associated with the experiments at CERN rather than with Star Trek.

Submitting Institution

Swansea University

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Other Physical Sciences

Applications of laser spectroscopy techniques to the nuclear, defence and aerospace industries

Summary of the impact

A range of techniques based on laser physics and developed since 1993 by the group of Prof Telle in our analytical laser spectroscopy unit (ALSU) has led to:

  • Founding a spin-off company, Applied Photonics which produces remote-sensing products employing laser spectroscopy to detect the chemical composition of unknown samples aimed at the military and nuclear energy industry. This technology has allowed multi-million pound savings on the operational costs of nuclear plants due to their functionality in normally inaccessible radioactive environments thus avoiding the need for a power station shutdown.
  • Establishing a laboratory in the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) dedicated to the stewardship of UK's nuclear weapons stockpile and chemical explosives by detecting isotopic abundances in uranium samples and analysing the composition of munitions deteriorating in desert environments;
  • Assisting the design and development of a new product line of Spectrum Technologies, a market-leading company which removes specialised enamel insulation from conductors used in the aerospace industry.

Submitting Institution

Swansea University

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
Chemical Sciences: Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)

Bomb detection

Summary of the impact

Research at the University of Cambridge, Department of Physics on sensitive techniques for measurements of magnetic and electrical properties of materials led to the selection of Dr Michael Sutherland as an expert witness in a series of major police investigations involving fraudulent bomb detecting equipment. Scientific evidence Dr Sutherland presented in court was key in securing guilty verdicts, leading to the breakup in 2013 of several international fraud rings with combined revenue in excess of £70 million. This criminal activity had caused significant damage to the reputation of the UK in Iraq and elsewhere.

Submitting Institution

University of Cambridge

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Condensed Matter Physics
Chemical Sciences: Inorganic Chemistry

Benchmark Testing in High Performance Computing

Summary of the impact

High Performance Computing (HPC) is a key element in our research. The Particle Physics Group has accumulated expertise in the development and optimisation of coding paradigms for specific supercomputer hardware. Our codes are deployed on supercomputers around the world, producing high-profile research results. We have developed a simulation environment, BSMBench, that is, on the one hand, flexible enough to run on major supercomputer platforms and, on the other hand, pushes supercomputers to their limits. These codes are used by IBM and Fujitsu Siemens for benchmarking their large installations and mainframes. The third party company BSMBench Ltd has commercialised the usage of our codes for analysing and optimising HPC systems of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Submitting Institution

Plymouth University

Unit of Assessment

Mathematical Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Other Physical Sciences
Information and Computing Sciences: Computation Theory and Mathematics

Castep

Summary of the impact

CASTEP is a parameter-free and predictive quantum mechanical atomistic simulation code developed by Professor Payne in the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge. CASTEP has been sold commercially by Accelrys since 1995, with more than 800 industrial customers using the package. As part of Accelrys' Materials Studio, it can be used by non-experts to determine a wide range of physical and chemical properties of materials. Companies can thus perform `virtual experiments' using CASTEP. As quantum mechanical simulations can be cheaper and more flexible than experiments, CASTEP invariably reduces costs and accelerates product development.

Submitting Institution

University of Cambridge

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
Chemical Sciences: Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, Theoretical and Computational Chemistry

C8 - A theoretical prediction leading to a redesigned read head used in all hard-disk drives (HDDs) manufactured today

Summary of the impact

We demonstrate a strong influence on the design of the read head used in the present state-of-the-art hard-disk drive (HDD) first produced commercially in 2008. This much improved read head, enabling disk storage density to increase by a factor of 5 to around 1 Tbit/in2, relies crucially on a magnetic tunnel junction with a MgO barrier whose huge tunneling magnetoresistance was predicted theoretically in a 2001 paper co-authored by Dr A. Umerski [1], the RA on one of our EPSRC-funded research grants. This prediction relied on techniques developed by us over many years, specifically in refs [2] and [3]. Such magnetic tunnel junctions are used in all computer HDDs manufactured today with predicted sales in 2012 amounting to more than $28 billion [section 5, source A].

Submitting Institution

Imperial College London

Unit of Assessment

Mathematical Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Pure Mathematics
Physical Sciences: Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
Chemical Sciences: Inorganic Chemistry

Entirely new forms of microscopy

Summary of the impact

Basic research combining scanning probe microscopy with thermal, spectroscopic and chemical analysis has enabled the development of powerful, entirely new forms of analytical microscopy. Commercialisation of instruments for micro-thermal analysis began by TA Instruments, in 1998, based on four patents, followed by a Lancaster start-up company Anasys Ltd. These instruments have since been extensively used in multidisciplinary applications by scientific industry and government laboratories. Anasys has sold over 100 units of these nanoscale thermal analysis instruments (total turnover £3M) and many leading polymer industries, research institutes and academic programs worldwide are now users of this technology.

Submitting Institution

Lancaster University

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Other Physical Sciences
Chemical Sciences: Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)

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