Professor David Ritchie

Robinson College
  • Professor of Experimental Physics, University of Cambridge
  • Professor of Semiconductor Science and Technology, Swansea University
  • Fellow in Physics at Robinson College, University of Cambridge
Available to supervise doctoral students
Professor David Ritchie

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About

David Ritchie is Professor of Experimental Physics and a Fellow of Robinson College in Cambridge. He is also Professor of Semiconductor Science and Technology at Swansea University. He received his first degree, in physics, from the University of Oxford in 1980 and his D Phil from the University of Sussex in 1986 studying the physics of mixtures of liquid He-3 and He-4 at milli-kelvin temperatures. Since then he has been working on III-V semiconductor physics and has extensive experience of the growth, fabrication and measurement of low dimensional electronic and optical structures. He has been co-author of over 1200 papers and was awarded the 2008 Tabor medal and prize by the UK Institute of Physics for distinguished research in surface or nanoscale physics.

Watford Grammar School for Boys 1970-1977

MA in physics Hertford College, University of Oxford 1977-1980.

D Phil in low temperature liquid helium physics, University of Sussex 1980-1985

Research Assistant, University of Sussex 1984-1985

Research Assistant/Associate, University of Cambridge 1985-1991

Toshiba Assistant Director of Research, University of Cambridge 1991-1999

Fellow of Robinson College, University of Cambridge 1991-

Reader in Experimental Physics, University of Cambridge 1999-2002

Professor of Experimental Physics, University of Cambridge 2002-

Fellow of the Institute of Physics 2005-

Head of Semiconductor Physics Group, Cavendish Laboratory 2007-2018

Deputy Head of Department of Physics (Teaching) 2009-2013

Professor of Semiconductor Science and Technology, Swansea University 2018-

Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales 2020-

Member of Academia Europaea 2021-

  • Governor of Watford Grammar School for Boys 2005-2021.
  • Deputy Head (Teaching), Department of Physics, University of Cambridge 2009-2013.
  • Natural Sciences Management Ctte, Physical Sciences Education Ctte, University of Cambridge 2009-2013.
  • Faculty Board and Degree Committee of Physics and Chemistry, University of Cambridge 2010-2013.
  • Steering Committee National III-V technology facility and National epitaxy facility 2010-.
  • Senior Management Group, Dept. of Physics 2011-2013.
  • General Board review of Dept. of Chemistry, University of Cambridge 2012.
  • Chair of Institute of Physics semiconductor group 2012-2016.
  • Research Project Review Panel, Sandia National Laboratories, USA, 2013.
  • Research Quality Review Panel G, University College Cork 2015.
  • Board of Electors, Sir Alan Cottrell Chair in Material Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge 2015.
  • UK Institute of Physics awards committee 2013-2016.
  • Cavendish III Logistics Committee developing the design of the new Cavendish Laboratory 2015-
  • Royal Society University Research Fellowship panel Aii 2016-21.
  • Cavendish Laboratory Management Board 2016-2019.
  • Member NRC Canada Advisory Board 2018-21.
  • EPSRC ICT Strategic advisory Team 2020-
  • Advisory Board member EPSRC ReNU Centre for Doctoral Training 2020-
  • Cavendish Laboratory Finance Committee 2021-
  • Chair of International Conference on Molecular Beam epitaxy (ICMBE2022).

Research

The physics and technology of III-V semiconductors including:

  • Molecular beam epitaxy
  • Device processing, fabrication and testing
  • Low temperature electrical transport and optical measurements
  • Regrowth techniques
  • Very high mobility two-dimensional electron and hole gases 
  • Interactions between two-dimensional electron and hole gases
  • Quantum point contacts and quantum dots
  • THz devices and systems
  • THz quantum cascade lasers
  • Self-assembled InAs quantum dots
  • Single and entangled photon sources
  • Single photon detectors

Research Grants:

  • “Quantum light-emitting diode for secure communications” (Q-LED)” EPSRC/DTI LINK 7/4/2003 to 21/4/2006.
  • “The development of far-infrared quantum cascade lasers” EPSRC 1/4/2003 to 31/3/2006.
  • “Active Terahertz Imaging for Security - Detection of Threats, Explosives, Pathogens and Chemicals (TERASEC)” EU 1/1/2005 to 31/12/2006.
  • “Physics of Inter-subband Semiconductor Emitters (POISE)” EU 1/10/2004-30/9/2007.
  • “Novel terahertz, sensing and Imaging systems for biotechnology, healthcare and process monitoring (TERANOVA)” EU 1/10/2004 to 30/9/2007.
  • “Long wavelength, ultra-low threshold current THz Quantum Cascade Lasers” DTI 1/9/2005 to 31/8/2007.
  • “Remote sensing and detection of explosives using a terahertz camera” DTI 1/3/2005 to 29/2/2008.
  • “Development of a Global Network for Secure Communication based on Quantum cryptography (SECOQC)” EU 1/4/2004 to 30/9/2008.
  • “Mode locking of THz quantum cascade lasers” EPSRC 1/7/2006 to 30/3/2009.
  • “Quantum information processing IRC” EPSRC 1/4/2004 to 31/12/2009.
  • “Physics and technology of Semiconductor Quantum Nanostructures”  EPSRC 1/10/2005-28/2/2010.
  • “Deterministic single quantum dot nano-sources of entangled photon pairs (NanoEPR)” Nanoscience Europe1/7/2007-30/6/2010.
  • “Search for non-Abelian quantal phases and statistics” EPSRC 10/12/2009-9/10/2010
  • “Femtosecond Semiconductor Lasers” EPSRC 1/12/2009-30/12/2012.
  • “Electron-Hole Bilayers: Excitonic Phases and Collective Modes” EPSRC 1/2/2010-31/1/2014.
  • “Quantum Multiplexer” EPSRC 1/1/2011-31/12/2013.
  • “Indirect Excitons Fundamental Physics and Applications – INDEX” EC FP7 initial training network 1/11/2011-31/10/2015.
  • “Quantum Cascade amplifiers for high power Terahertz time domain spectrometry” EPSRC 1/1/2012-31/12/2014.
  • “Spintronic device physics in Si/Ge Heterostructures” EPSRC 24/1/2012-23/7/2015.
  • “Mapping Spin Polarisation in Quasi-One-Dimensional Channels” EPSRC 1/5/2012-31/10/2013.
  • “Beyond Luttinger Liquids-spin-charge separation at high excitation energies” EPSRC 1/5/2012-31/10/2014.
  • “Quantum Cascade Lasers Based Terahertz Frequency COMB” European Union FP7-ICT 1/6/2012-31/5/2015.
  • “Beyond modulation doping” EPSRC 1/7/2012-30/6/2015.
  • “Developing thermodynamic probes to study two-dimensional electron systems” Leverhulme Trust 1/10/2012-30/9/2015
  • “Semiconductor Integrated Quantum Optical Circuits” EPSRC 16/1/2012-15/7/2017.
  • “Coherent Terahertz Systems (COTS)-opening up the terahertz spectrum for widespread application” EPSRC 1/5/2012-31/10/2017.
  • “Nanoelectronic Based Quantum Physics - Technology and Applications” EPSRC 1/10/2012-31/3/2018.
  • "Sound-Light Manipulation in the Terahertz (SOULMAN)" ERC 1/4/2014-31/3/2018.
  • "Fibre wavelength quantum relay (FQRelay)" InnovateUK  1/10/16-31/12/2017.
  • "Advanced Materials Characterisation Suite in the Maxwell Centre, University of Cambridge" EPSRC 1/5/2015-30/4/2019.
  • "Versatile Quantum Multiplexing" EPSRC 1/11/2015-31/10/2018.
  • "Practical realisation of the Ampere" EURAMET 1/5/2016-30/4/2019.
  • "Fibre Wavelength Quantum Networks (FQNet)" EPSRC/InnovateUK 1/10/2017-31/3/2019.
  • "Semiconductor Quantum Photonics: Control of Spin, Exciton and Photon Interactions by Nano-Photonic Design" EPSRC 20/7/2016-19/7/2021.
  • "Agile Quantum Safe Communications (AQUASEC)" Innovate UK 1/11/2018-31/03/2021.

Current Research Grants:

  • “Multiplexed quantum circuits” EPSRC 1/3/2019-28/2/2022.
  • "Centre for integrative semiconductor materials" Research England UKRPIF 2019-2021
  • "HyperTerahertz - High precision terahertz spectroscopy and microscopy" EPSRC 1/6/2017-31/5/2022.
  • "Non-Ergodic quantum manipulation" EPSRC 1/1/2019-31/12/2023.
  • "Single Photon Infrared Imaging, Detection and Ranging (SPIDAR)" Innovate UK, 1/10/2020 to 20/9/2023.
  • “UK National Foundry for Quantum Components (QFoundry)” Innovate UK, 1/9/2020-31/8/2023.
  • “CS Connected - Integrating Research Excellence with our unique regional supply chain in advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing" UKRI Strength in Places (SIPF). 2020-

Collaborations:

In total with over 100 institutions worldwide, including:

Toshiba Research Europe Ltd, Teraview Ltd, E2V Ltd, NPL.

Universities:  Bath, Dundee, Exeter, Leeds, Lancaster, Imperial College, University College London, Royal Holloway College, Oxford, Southampton, Sheffield, ETH Zurich, New South Wales, Paris, Pisa, Taiwan and Sungkyunkwan

Publications

As of January 2021:

Over 1200 journal publications (38 in Nature journals, 6 in Science, 68 in Physical Review Letters, 179 in Physical Review B, 200 in Applied Physics Letters, 58 in Journal of Physics Condensed Matter, 37 in Optics Express, 10 in Optics Letters)

Web of Science: 32,000 citations, h-index 82 

Google Scholar: 52,000 citations, h-index 101

ResearchGate

Orcid

 

Research Fellows:

MBE: Harvey Beere, Lucy Goff, Chong Chen.

THz: Harvey Beere, Varun Kamboj, Huifang Zhang, Wladislaw Michailow.

Low dimensional transport:  Chong Chen.

Research Students:                              

 Nikita Almond, Louise Wells, Ginny Shooter, Rose Scowen, Kumaran Sivalognathan, Petros Laccotripes, 

Teaching and supervision

Available to supervise doctoral students