Quantum Light and Matter at Durham University
@durhamqlm.bsky.social
The Durham Quantum Light and Matter (QLM) research section encompasses several research groups sharing a common interest in the study of the quantum properties of atoms, molecules and solids and their interactions with light. Website: https://durham-qlm.uk
Kevin Weatherill of Durham University is presenting his team’s research on multi-spectral terahertz imaging using an atomic sensor, demonstrating two-colour THz imaging at 0.55 and 1.1 THz with applications in food inspection, and material discrimination. #SPIESensors
Interesting @durhamqlm.bsky.social seminar by Ivan Deutsch on quantum computing. Second talk today about qudits!
Help! Parton Community Council has 60 days to raise £70k to buy Parton Kirk (resting place of James Clerk Maxwell). They plan to turn it into a visitor centre celebrating our great hero! The other buyers could turn it into long-term storage 😬 Even £5 would help 🙏🧪⚛️ www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding...
Help raise £70000 to Save Parton Kirk – JustGiving Crowdfunding
Iʼm raising money to Save Parton Kirk. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.
justgiving.com
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 11mo agoWent on a little pilgrimage today to Parton, the resting place of 🏴Scotland’s very own Einstein, James Clerk Maxwell. Quite the pause when I realised he was only one year older than me (48) when he died. ⚛️🔭
Despite the title, there is in fact a mention of the Durham physics @durhamphysics.bsky.social QUASAR underground quantum experiment in this article. See here for more details: www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...
Pioneering quantum research moves deep underground - Durham University
durham.ac.uk
The Guardian@theguardian.com · 3w agoSubterranean salad: underground farmers seek solution to food crisis in disused UK mines
Hot off the press! Quantified absorption of laser light by silver atoms in a hollow-cathode lamp arxiv.org/abs/2608.27700 First foray into silver spectroscopy, with two undergraduate final year project students as authors. Atoms, lasers, and lamps! 🧪 #physics ⚛️ #optics 💡
The Royal Astronomical Society is shocked and dismayed to hear that the UK's iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory is at risk of closure amid a slew of catastrophic budget cuts. Read our full statement here: ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
I'm absolutely devastated for colleagues at Jodrell Bank who found out this morning that funding for the UK's e-MERLIN radio telescope array will be terminated. This is a short-sighted move, to save a tiny fraction of the overall UK science budget. #SaveJodrellBank 🔭🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jodrell Bank's Lovell telescope faces axe in science cuts, BBC understands
Astronomers warn it would tear the heart out of UK science, and leave a generation untrained.
bbc.co.uk
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 2mo ago“What will the Lovell Telescope discover/enable 20 yrs from now? I can’t tell you, and that’s the point. It will either be something extraordinary that none of us can yet predict, or we will defund it and leave Cheshire with a rusting monument to unfulfilled potential and discoveries never made.” 🔭🧪
Absolutely devastated to hear that the SFTC cuts mean that funding for astronomical research at Jodrell Bank has been stopped. The changes to UKRI funding and especially SFTC are really harming UK science
Jodrell Bank Observatory facing closure after major funder cuts support
Scientists say decision is blow to UK astronomy as deep space observatory is home to world-leading facilities
theguardian.com
Short-sighted, stupid cuts to the UKRI budget include shutting down Jodrell Bank, the icon of British astronomy. (Many other cuts too, including 20% to our brand new @vrubinobs.bsky.social). Interesting politically to shut down a major facility in...um..Manchester 🔭 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jodrell Bank's Lovell telescope faces axe in science cuts, BBC understands
Astronomers warn it would tear the heart out of UK science, and leave a generation untrained.
bbc.co.uk
Interesting to note that some members of the section have been publishing papers with L4 undergraduates since before many of the current final-year undergraduate were born!
Ifan Hughes@ifanghughes.bsky.social · 2mo agoIt is 25 years (!) since my first paper was published with a Durham final-year project student as a co author. Periodic trajectories of cold atoms in a gravitational cavity doi.org/10.1088/0953... via @ioppublishing.bsky.social
Some context for the Florence Nightingale Prize for Graphical Excellence.
Ifan Hughes@ifanghughes.bsky.social · 2mo agoThe 2026 Florence Nightingale Prize for Graphical Excellence at @durhamphysics.bsky.social In recognition of undergraduates who produce the most effective graphical presentation of data to illustrate complex physical phenomena in their laboratory reports.
The 2026 Florence Nightingale Prize for Graphical Excellence at @durhamphysics.bsky.social In recognition of undergraduates who produce the most effective graphical presentation of data to illustrate complex physical phenomena in their laboratory reports.
Hot off the press! Transformation of vector modes by the Faraday effect in strong magnetic fields arxiv.org/pdf/2607.15088 Collaboration with @sonjafrankearnold.bsky.social Atoms, lasers, and magnets! 🧪 #physics ⚛️ #optics 💡
I hate that this — urgent pleas to save prestigious departments from drastic cuts — is becoming a regular occurrence. A program like this takes decades to build and a few strokes of a pen to destroy.
Save Sussex Physics
Save Sussex Physics - Open Letter
sussexphysics.github.io
At the department Research Away Day at Ushaw College Phil and Alex presented an overview of the section's research, and our vision for the future. There has been a significant increase in the size of the section in the last 4 years, mostly as a consequence of hosting early-career fellows.
Greatly enjoyed our Physics department research away day at Ushaw College. The theme was "A 10-year horizon". Two of my early career colleagues gave the talk on behalf of @durhamqlm.bsky.social .
Stars of physics are in Westminster right now to call on the Government to halt funding cuts to astronomy and particle physics research. Professor Brian Cox called them "inexplicable", urging the Government to instead "trust, inspire and continue to invest in the next generation of scientists".
Os oes diddordeb gennych mewn clywed am ddatblygiadau diweddar ym myd cyfrifiadura cwantwm yna gwrandewch ar Dros Ginio. Dechrau ar ôl 9 1/2 munud. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Dros Ginio - Cennydd Davies yn cyflwyno - BBC Sounds
Trin a thrafod Cymru a'r byd, gan godi'r pynciau a gofyn y cwestiynau sy'n bwysig i chi.
bbc.co.uk
Prof. Stuart Adams receives Holweck Prize - www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...
Stuart Adams receives Holweck Prize - Durham University
durham.ac.uk
The Rochester Lecture 2026 was delivered by Prof. Antoine Browaeys - www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...
The Rochester Lecture 2026 was delivered by Prof. Antoine Browaeys - Durham University
durham.ac.uk
Looking forward to host the Rochester lecture on Monday 18th May, "Assembling quantum matter one atom at a time". The lecturer is Prof. Antoine Browayes.
I am very excited to be involved with the QuASAR project (Quantum Atom-experiment for Sensing And fundamental Research). @durhamqlm.bsky.social we are building the UK’s first underground cold-atom quantum sensor at Boulby Underground Laboratory in North Yorkshire. www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...
Pioneering quantum research moves deep underground - Durham University
durham.ac.uk
As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2026 and the closing of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, we're delighted to introduce Kyle Tate — the QLM research group’s new Quantum Apprentice. 1/n #NAW2026
Thank you Sarah Thomas for your interesting talk on light-matter interactions for quantum memories, their importance in quantum networking and recent work in improving the efficiency and storage time of memories.
Great day back in Durham visiting @durhamqlm.bsky.social to give a seminar on QEC and our recent work at Quantum Software Lab. Also fun to discuss the fault-tolerance of the Welsh towname Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch w/ @ifanghughes.bsky.social @tobifranzen.bsky.social
In this week’s Fourier Optics course we shall be looking at spatial filtering – how a pair of lenses performs a Fourier analysis and subsequently Fourier synthesis in the 4f set up. The importance of the f to f set up with a single lens is emphasised. 🧪 #physics ⚛️ #optics 💡 #iTeachPhysics 🎢
In this week’s Fourier Optics course we shall be looking at diffraction from 2D apertures, with arrays of identical structures. A quiz to test your understanding of the array theorem. Can you match the apertures to their Fraunhofer diffraction patterns? 🧪 #physics ⚛️ #optics 💡 #iTeachPhysics 🎢
In this week’s Fourier Optics course we shall be looking at diffraction from 2D apertures. Fourier techniques provide an elegant way of calculating the patters for regular arrays 🧪 #physics ⚛️ #optics 💡 #iTeachPhysics 🎢
Thank you Rob Harris for making the arduous journey from the Ogden Centre West to present us a seminar on his work in the CfAI on multicore fibres, two-photon polymerisation, and laser inscribed waveguides.
