Gabriel Clarke

I am a fourth-year PhD student at the University of Warwick based at the Materials and Analytical Sciences centre as part of the Chemistry department. I joined the Senn Group in October 2017 and my research is focused on investigating multiferroic properties, such as the coupling between ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity, in a variety of different ceramic structures. By varying the stoichiometric ratios of different elements in these structures, I aim to use crystallographic techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction, neutron powder diffraction and SQuID experiments to characterise novel ceramics and identify the connection between structure and property. I am additionally investigating in-situ polarisation switching in hybrid improper ferroelectric Ruddlesden-Popper oxides. This work involves a combination of synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and simulations of distortion modes, with the aim of experimentally identifying the mechanism by which the polarisation is switched in these structures. Beyond my own research, I have been involved in helping to supervise students at MChem level and undergraduate summer students.