Tuning Physical Properties Through Microstructure Variation in Uranium-based Thin Films

Student project (GA UK): Uranium-based compounds exhibit a range of quantum phenomena due to the complex behavior of their 5f electrons, including the rare coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism. In UGe₂, superconductivity emerges near a ferromagnetic quantum critical point, confined to the ferromagnetic state, suggesting spin-triplet pairing—a form of superconductivity highly sensitive to structural order. This project aims to investigate how microstructural variations across a broad range of U-Ge stoichiometries, prepared as thin films, affect magnetic and electronic properties, offering detailed insights into 5f electron interactions. Additionally, we will synthesize the ternary heavy fermion compound URu₂Si₂, known for its hidden order (HO) transition in bulk, to examine how specific structural features impact the stability and properties of the HO phase.