Position: Graduate Student
Tel: 865-974-7838 (office)
Email: mliu@utk.edu

EDUCATION
Sept. 2004 --- July 2008, B.S. in Physics, Zhengzhou University, Henan, China.
Sept. 2008 --- Now, Ph.D Candidate, University of Tennessee, TN, USA

RESEARCH INTEREST
The origin of unconventional superconductivity, such as in cuprates, iron pnictides and heavy fermion superconductors, is still an unsettled matter. While magnetism and the coupling of Cooper pairs are mutually exclusive in conventional superconductors, the appearance of unconventional superconductivity is always in close proximity with magnetism. Therefore, spin fluctuation has been proposed as a possible pairing mechanism, which can lead to unconventional superconductivity. One of the most direct ways to identify the character of the magnetism is to study the magnetic excitation spectrum by inelastic neutron scattering. I have been working on several different high Tc systems using inelastic neutron scattering, including spin waves in electron doped iron pnictide Ba122, cuprate PLCCO and NCO, heavy fermion UPt3 and Yb doped CeCoIn5,etc. I also grow some electron doped cuprates in our floating zone furnace lab.

PERSONAL INTEREST
I enjoy my life studying in Knoxville, and traveling the world doing neutron experiments. I like snow skiing, kayaking, and is planning to learn scuba diving this summer. I love visiting museums, watching movies, and cooking Chinese food in my spare time. I also have been serving at CSSA of UT for four years as one of the many vice presidents.