Professor Stephen Elliott

Our research is mainly concerned with different aspects of (bio)chemical sensing (e.g. using MEMS or optical devices), and with non-crystalline materials (e.g. glasses), understanding their physical properties in terms of their atomic structure and defects. The approach is multidisciplinary, covering solid-state chemistry, physics and materials science. Areas of interest include:

Microcantilever sensors for ultra-sensitive detection of chemical and biological analytes.

Optical sensors, including evanescent-waveguide sensors, SERS using holographic substrates.

Computer simulation of the atomic structure and vibrational dynamics of disordered materials.

Ab-initio computer simulation of phase transformations and optically-induced metastabilities in glasses, e.g. used in phase-change memories (Flash replacement).

Experimental study of optically-induced changes in glasses, with applications in the fields of optical- waveguides and chemical sensors, data storage and all-optical actuation.