The University of Leeds is acclaimed for the quality of its teaching and research, and has been ranked within the top 100 universities worldwide. The results of the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise in the UK identified that 83% of its research activity has a top quality rating of either “world leading” or “internationally excellent”, confirming the University’s position as a leading member of the UK’s prestigious, research-intensive Russell Group universities. The Condensed Matter Physics group (7 academics) is recognised as one of the leading UK thin film growth and nanomagnetism groups. Our facilities include, as part of the Henry Royce Institute in Leeds, a UHV growth system with chambers for pulsed laser deposition (complex oxides), molecular beam epitaxy (topological insulators, 2D materials), sputtering (metals, YIG), e-beam (metals) and thermal evaporation (molecules). We also have a wide array of transport (50 mK to 500 K; 0-8 T), magnetometry (SQUID-VSM, MOKE microscopy), microscopy (He3 scanning microscope) and spectroscopy tools (Raman, luminescence).

Leeds will optimise and supply other partners with hybrid molecular multilayers and thin film samples, and is in charge of delivering WP4: Hybridization controlled Spin-Orbit Torque.