Professor Ben Murdin
Professor of Physics
Qualifications: Qualifications: BA, MA (Cambridge), MSc, PhD (Heriot Watt), FInstP
Email: b.murdin@surrey.ac.uk
Phone: Work: 01483 68 9328
Room no: 15 ATI 01
Further information
Biography
1966 born Rochester NY, USA (British/US dual national)
1989 BA in Physics from Cambridge University, UK (upgraded to a free MA after a couple of years!)
1990 MSc in Optoelectronics from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
1993 PhD in Semiconductor spectroscopy from Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, UK
1993 - 1996 European Union Marie Curie fellow at FOM-Rijnhuizen, Utrecht, NL
1996 - 2002, Lecturer at University of Surrey.
2002 - 2004, Reader
2004 - present, Professor of Physics
2005 - 2007 School Director of Research
2007 - 2011 Associate Dean (Research and Enterprise)
2009 - present, COMPASSS grant PI
Research Interests
I am an experimentalist interested in the study of electronic and optical properties of semiconductors and semiconductor nanostructures using high-pressures, magnetic-fields, and linear, nonlinear and time resolved infrared spectroscopy. I am a regular user of the Free-Electron Laser, FELIX, in Holland, and I am the coordinator and spokesperson for UK Condensed Matter Physics users there. I am also a Programme Advisory Committee member for the Dresden laser, FELBE. I like "applicable physics" rather than really pure or really applied physics, for example I study how quickly and why electron spins lose their memory (applicable to spintronic devices). I chaired the International Conference on Narrow Gap Semiconductors, here in Guildford in 2007.
Research Collaborations
I have strong research links with the groups of Prof. Carl Pidgeon (my best friend and mentor) at Heriot-Watt University, Prof Gabriel Aeppli at UCL, Prof. Wolfgang Heiss at Uni. Linz, Dr Lesley Cohen at Imperial College London, Dr Tony Krier at Lancaster, Dr Tim Ashley at QinetiQ Ltd and Dr Lex van der Meer at the Free Electron Laser in Utrecht.
Further details can be found on my personal web page.
A full list of publications, conference presentations, and patents can be found here.
Publications
Highlights
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(2013) 'Si:P as a laboratory analogue for hydrogen on high magnetic field white dwarf stars.'. Nature Publishing Group Nat Commun, England: 4doi: 10.1038/ncomms2466Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/755949/
Abstract
Laboratory spectroscopy of atomic hydrogen in a magnetic flux density of 10(5) T (1 gigagauss), the maximum observed on high-field magnetic white dwarfs, is impossible because practically available fields are about a thousand times less. In this regime, the cyclotron and binding energies become equal. Here we demonstrate Lyman series spectra for phosphorus impurities in silicon up to the equivalent field, which is scaled to 32.8 T by the effective mass and dielectric constant. The spectra reproduce the high-field theory for free hydrogen, with quadratic Zeeman splitting and strong mixing of spherical harmonics. They show the way for experiments on He and H(2) analogues, and for investigation of He(2), a bound molecule predicted under extreme field conditions.
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(2010) 'Coherent control of Rydberg states in silicon'. NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP NATURE, 465 (7301), pp. 1057-U116.doi: 10.1038/nature09112Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7175/
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(2010) 'Strong dependence of spin dynamics on the orientation of an external magnetic field for InSb and InAs'. AMER INST PHYSICS APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 96 (11) Article number ARTN 111107 doi: 10.1063/1.3337111Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7724/
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(2009) 'Continuous Voltage Tunability of Intersubband Relaxation Times in Coupled SiGe Quantum Well Structures Using Ultrafast Spectroscopy'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 102 (14) Article number ARTN 147401 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7721/
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(2008) 'Silicon as a model ion trap: Time domain measurements of donor Rydberg states'. NATL ACAD SCIENCES PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 105 (31), pp. 10649-10653.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7767/
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(2008) 'Temperature dependence of the electron Lande g factor in InSb and GaAs'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 77 (3) Article number ARTN 033204 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/217915/
Journal articles
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(2013) 'Si:P as a laboratory analogue for hydrogen on high magnetic field white dwarf stars.'. Nature Publishing Group Nat Commun, England: 4doi: 10.1038/ncomms2466Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/755949/
Abstract
Laboratory spectroscopy of atomic hydrogen in a magnetic flux density of 10(5) T (1 gigagauss), the maximum observed on high-field magnetic white dwarfs, is impossible because practically available fields are about a thousand times less. In this regime, the cyclotron and binding energies become equal. Here we demonstrate Lyman series spectra for phosphorus impurities in silicon up to the equivalent field, which is scaled to 32.8 T by the effective mass and dielectric constant. The spectra reproduce the high-field theory for free hydrogen, with quadratic Zeeman splitting and strong mixing of spherical harmonics. They show the way for experiments on He and H(2) analogues, and for investigation of He(2), a bound molecule predicted under extreme field conditions.
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(2011) 'Experimental determination of the Rashba coefficient in InSb/InAlSb quantum wells at zero magnetic field and elevated temperatures'. IOP PUBLISHING LTD JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-CONDENSED MATTER, 23 (3) Article number ARTN 035801 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7763/
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(2010) 'Coherent control of Rydberg states in silicon'. NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP NATURE, 465 (7301), pp. 1057-U116.doi: 10.1038/nature09112Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7175/
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(2010) 'Strong dependence of spin dynamics on the orientation of an external magnetic field for InSb and InAs'. AMER INST PHYSICS APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 96 (11) Article number ARTN 111107 doi: 10.1063/1.3337111Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7724/
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(2010) 'Circular photogalvanic effect in HgTe/CdHgTe quantum well structures'. IOP PUBLISHING LTD SEMICONDUCTOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 25 (9) Article number ARTN 095005 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7720/
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(2009) 'Gain recovery dynamics of a terahertz quantum cascade laser'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 80 (7) Article number ARTN 075303 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7689/
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(2009) 'Continuous Voltage Tunability of Intersubband Relaxation Times in Coupled SiGe Quantum Well Structures Using Ultrafast Spectroscopy'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 102 (14) Article number ARTN 147401 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7721/
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(2009) 'Far-infrared free-electron lasers and their applications'. TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD CONTEMPORARY PHYSICS, 50 (2) Article number PII 910353824 , pp. 391-406.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7764/
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(2009) 'Fast detector of the ellipticity of infrared and terahertz radiation based on HgTe quantum well structures'. AMER INST PHYSICS JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, 105 (1) Article number ARTN 013106 doi: 10.1063/1.3056393Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7765/
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(2008) 'Temperature dependence of the electron spin g factor in GaAs'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 78 (24) Article number ARTN 245203 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7766/
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(2008) 'Resonant circular photogalvanic effect in GaN/AlGaN heterojunctions'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 78 (20) Article number ARTN 205435 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7885/
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(2008) 'Silicon as a model ion trap: Time domain measurements of donor Rydberg states'. NATL ACAD SCIENCES PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 105 (31), pp. 10649-10653.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7767/
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(2008) 'Zero-field spin splitting and spin lifetime in n-InSb/In(1-x)A1(x)Sb asymmetric quantum well heterostructures (vol 77, art no 165335, 2008)'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 78 (7) Article number ARTN 079901 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7768/
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(2008) 'Quantum ratchet effects induced by terahertz radiation in GaN-based two-dimensional structures'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 77 (24) Article number ARTN 245304 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7769/
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(2008) 'Zero-field spin splitting and spin lifetime in n-InSb/In1-xAlxSb asymmetric quantum well heterostructures'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 77 (16) Article number ARTN 165335 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7770/
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(2008) 'Temperature dependence of the electron Lande g factor in InSb and GaAs'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 77 (3) Article number ARTN 033204 Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/217915/
- . (2007) 'Photoluminescence of InNAs alloys: S-shaped temperature dependence and conduction-band nonparabolicity'. AMER PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 76 (7) Article number ARTN 075209
- . (2007) 'Direct determination of ultrafast intersubband hole relaxation times in voltage biased SiGe quantum wells by a density matrix interpretation of femtosecond resolved photocurrent experiments'. IOP PUBLISHING LTD NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS, 9 Article number ARTN 128
- . (2007) 'Interwell relaxation times in p-Si/SiGe asymmetric quantum well structures: Role of interface roughness'. AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 75 (4) Article number ARTN 045338
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(2006) 'Spectroscopy of GaAs/AlGaAs quantum-cascade lasers using hydrostatic pressure'. AMER INST PHYSICS APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 89 (22) Article number ARTN 221105 doi: 10.1063/1.2364159Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/733502/
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(2006) 'Direct monitoring of the excited state population in biased SiGe valence band quantum wells by femtosecond resolved photocurrent experiments'. AMER INST PHYSICS APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 89 (21) Article number ARTN 211111 doi: 10.1063/1.2397004
- . (2006) 'Toward silicon-based lasers for terahertz sources'. IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS, 12 (6), pp. 1570-1578.
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(2006) 'Two- and one-dimensional light propagations and gain in layer-by-layer-deposited colloidal nanocrystal waveguides'. AMER INST PHYSICS APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 89 (11) Article number ARTN 111120 doi: 10.1063/1.2354433
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(2006) 'Band anticrossing in GaNxSb1-x'. AMER INST PHYSICS APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 89 (11) Article number ARTN 111921 doi: 10.1063/1.2349832Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7913/
- . (2006) 'Spin lifetime in InAs epitaxial layers grown on GaAs'. AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOC PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 74 (7) Article number ARTN 075331
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(2006) 'Recombination processes in midinfrared InGaAsSb diode lasers emitting at 2.37 mu m'. AMER INST PHYSICS APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 89 (5) Article number ARTN 051104 doi: 10.1063/1.2243973Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/733501/
- . (2006) 'Spin relaxation in n-InSb/AlInSb quantum wells'. IOP PUBLISHING LTD NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS, 8 Article number PII S1367-2630(06)15617-7
- . (2006) 'Spin relaxation by transient monopolar and bipolar optical orientation.'. Phys Rev Lett, United States: 96 (9)
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(2003) 'Spin-galvanic effect due to optical spin orientation'. American Physical Society Physical Review B, 68 (8) Article number 081302 , pp. ---.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/712002/
Abstract
Under oblique incidence of circularly polarized infrared radiation the spin-galvanic effect has been unambiguously observed in (001)-grown $n$-type GaAs quantum well (QW) structures in the absence of any external magnetic field. Resonant inter-subband transitions have been obtained making use of the tunability of the free-electron laser FELIX. It is shown that a helicity dependent photocurrent along one of the $<110>$ axes is predominantly contributed by the spin-galvanic effect while that along the perpendicular in-plane axis is mainly due to the circular photogalvanic effect. This strong non-equivalence of the [110] and [1$\bar{1}$0] directions is determined by the interplay between bulk and structural inversion asymmetries. A microscopic theory of the spin-galvanic effect for direct inter-subband optical transitions has been developed being in good agreement with experimental findings.
Conference papers
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(2011) 'Substantial temperature dependence of transverse electron g*-factor in lead chalcogenide multi-quantum wells'. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1416, pp. 178-180.doi: 10.1063/1.3671728
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(2011) 'Manipulation of spin dynamics in semiconductor structures by orientation of small external magnetic field'. American Institute of Physics AIP Conference Proceedings, Seoul, South Korea: ICPS2010, 30th International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors 1399, pp. 657-658.doi: 10.1063/1.3666548
- . (2010) 'First Observation of a THz Photon Echo'. IEEE 35TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INFRARED, MILLIMETER, AND TERAHERTZ WAVES (IRMMW-THZ 2010), Rome, ITALY: 35th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves
- . (2009) 'All Electrical Detection of the Stokes Parameters of IR/THz Radiation'. IEEE 2009 34TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INFRARED, MILLIMETER, AND TERAHERTZ WAVES, VOLS 1 AND 2, Busan, SOUTH KOREA: 34th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz 2009), pp. 298-299.
- . (2008) 'Lifetime Measurements of Group V Donor Rydberg States in Silicon at THz Frequencies'. IEEE 2008 5TH IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GROUP IV PHOTONICS, Sorrento, ITALY: 5th IEEE International Conference on Group IV Photonics, pp. 24-26.
- . (2008) 'Temperature dependence of the electron Lande g-factor in InSb'. SPRINGER NARROW GAP SEMICONDUCTORS 2007, Guildford, ENGLAND: 13th International Conference on Narrow Gap Semiconductors 119, pp. 27-29.
- . (2008) 'Density and well-width dependence of the spin relaxation in n-InSb/AlInSb quantum wells'. SPRINGER NARROW GAP SEMICONDUCTORS 2007, Guildford, ENGLAND: 13th International Conference on Narrow Gap Semiconductors 119, pp. 19-21.
- . (2007) 'Spin dynamics in narrow-gap semiconductor epitaxial layers'. SPRINGER JOURNAL OF SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND NOVEL MAGNETISM, Maui, HI: 4th International School and Conference on Spintronics and Quantum Information Technology (Spintech IV) 20 (6), pp. 461-465.
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(2007) 'Spin lifetime in high quality InSb epitaxial layers grown on GaAs'. AMER INST PHYSICS JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, 101 (8)doi: 10.1063/1.2719017
- . (2007) 'High pressure studies of mid-infrared type-II "W" diode lasers at cryogenic temperatures'. WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI B-BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Barcelona, SPAIN: 12th International Conference on High Pressure Semiconductor Physics (HPSP-12) 244 (1), pp. 224-228.
- . (2007) 'Carrier recombination mechanisms in mid-infrared GaInAsSb quantum well lasers'. WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI B-BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Barcelona, SPAIN: 12th International Conference on High Pressure Semiconductor Physics (HPSP-12) 244 (1), pp. 203-207.
- . (2006) 'Strain-symmetrized Si/SiGe multi-quantum well structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy for intersubband engineering'. ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV JOURNAL OF LUMINESCENCE, Nice, FRANCE: Symposium on Si-based Photonics held at the EMRS 2006 Conference 121 (2), pp. 403-408.
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(2006) 'Dilute antimonide nitrides for very long wavelength infrared applications - art. no. 62060L'. SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING Infrared Technology and Applications XXXII, Pts 1and 2, Kissimmee, FL: 32nd Conference on Infrared Technology and Applications 6206, pp. L2060-L2060.doi: 10.1117/12.667232
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(2005) 'Silicon quantum cascade lasers for THz sources'. IEEE 2005 IEEE LEOS Annual Meeting Conference Proceedings (LEOS), Sydney, AUSTRALIA: 18th Annual Meeting of the IEEE-Lasers-and-Electro-Optical-Society, pp. 727-728.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/1763/
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(2005) 'LO phonon scattering as a depopulation mechanism in Si/SiGe quantum cascades'. IEEE 2005 2nd IEEE International Conference on Group IV Photonics, Antwerp, BELGIUM: 2nd IEEE International Conference on Group IV Photonics, pp. 7-9.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/1787/
Teaching
In the Physics Department I teach level one Data Handling (aka probability and statistics), level two physics laboratory, level three Physics of Stars. On the MSc in Medical Physics I teach Medical Statistics. For EE I teach a component of the MSc module Nanoelectronics and Devices on spintronics.
Departmental Duties
I manage the department's final year projects, and I am the course coordinator for the Physics with Satellite Technology degree pathway. I am an External Examiner for the Physics Department at Heriot-Watt University.
