- Professor Stephen Blundell
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I am a Professor of Physics in Oxford University, working in
the Department of
Physics, and based in
the Clarendon Laboratory.
I am also
a Professorial Fellow of
Mansfield
College, Oxford.
I was Head of Condensed Matter Physics from 2008-2011.
My research is concerned with using muon-spin rotation and
other techniques to learn about emergent phenomena in a variety of
highly correlated magnetic and superconducting systems.
Recently I have been developing a technique called DFT+μ for understanding muon sites and also using Oxford's Pulsed Field system to generate higher magnetic fields.
I received the Yamazaki Prize in 2022 and the Bragg Medal of the IoP in 2024.
For more information on my research group see the homepage of
the
Muons and Magnets Group. My books about physics
are shown on the right.
My current
lecture courses in the Department of Physics are as follows:
Older courses:
I have appeared on the BBC Radio 4 programme In Our Time presented by Melvyn Bragg on episodes
on Absolute Zero (March 2013), The Earth's Core (April 2015)
and Superconductivity (January 2023); and a programme about Magnetism (April 2015) on the Forum on the World Service.
My useful links
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- General Relativity for the Gifted Amateur
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This new book by Prof. Tom Lancaster and myself was published
by Oxford
University Press in January 2025.
General relativity lies at the heart of modern physics and represents the pinnacle of Albert Einstein's celebrated work. Despite being mentioned as a motivation in huge numbers of applications to university physics courses, many future physicists leave university without having engaged with perhaps the most famous of all modern theories of physics.
Link.
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- Muon spectroscopy: an introduction
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This edited volume provides a modern introduction to the use of muons as a probe for studying magnets, superconductors, semiconductors, chemistry, dynamics and much more.
This modern, pedagogic introduction to muon spectroscopy is written with the beginner in the field in mind, but also aims to serve as a reference for more experienced researchers.
(Published on 10 November 2021).
Link.
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- Quantum Field Theory for the Gifted Amateur
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This book by Prof. Tom Lancaster and myself was published
by Oxford
University Press in April 2014.
Using numerous worked examples, diagrams, and careful physically motivated explanations, this book will smooth the path towards understanding the radically different and revolutionary view of the physical world that quantum field theory provides, and which all physicists should have the opportunity to experience.
Link.
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- A Very Short Introduction to Magnetism
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This
short introduction to magnetism was published by Oxford
University Press in June 2012. The Very Short Introduction series
represents a wide variety of topics in history, philosophy, religion,
science, and the humanities.
Link.
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- A Very Short Introduction to Superconductivity
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This
short introduction to superconductivity is published by Oxford
University Press in May 2009. The Very Short Introduction series
represents a wide variety of topics in history, philosophy, religion,
science, and the humanities.
Link.
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- Concepts in Thermal Physics
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I have written a textbook, together with
Professor
Katherine Blundell,
which was published by Oxford University Press in July 2006. The second edition was published in October 2009.
This covers kinetic theory, thermodynamics, statistical mechanics and applications in astrophysics, atmospheric physics, information theory and many other areas.
Link.
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- Magnetism in Condensed Matter
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My textbook on magnetism was published by Oxford University Press in October 2001. It takes the reader from the basics of the quantum mechanics of magnetism through to symmetry breaking, excitations and applications.
Link.
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