Professor Ben Powell
Professor

Ben Powell

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 52401

Background

This is an automatically generated university page - my real website is https://people.smp.uq.edu.au/BenPowell/

Availability

Professor Ben Powell is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Chemical Sciences Condensed matter physics

Search Professor Ben Powell’s works on UQ eSpace

143 works between 1976 and 2025
All (143) Journal Article (130) Book Chapter (3) Conference Publication (8) Other Outputs (2)

121 - 140 of 143 works

2006

Conference Publication

Massively parallel simulations on light-induced charge transfer in molecules

Pederson, Mark R., Anderson, W. A., Baruah, Tunna and Powell, B. J. (2006). Massively parallel simulations on light-induced charge transfer in molecules. HPCMP Users Group Conference (HPCMP-UGC'06), Denver CO, United States, 26-29 June 2006. Piscataway, NJ United States: IEEE. doi: 10.1109/HPCMP-UGC.2006.44

Massively parallel simulations on light-induced charge transfer in molecules

2006

Journal Article

Chemical and structural disorder in eumelanins: A possible explanation for broadband absorbance

Tran, M. L., Powell, B. J. and Meredith, P. (2006). Chemical and structural disorder in eumelanins: A possible explanation for broadband absorbance. Biophysical Journal, 90 (3), 743-752. doi: 10.1529/biophysj.105.069096

Chemical and structural disorder in eumelanins: A possible explanation for broadband absorbance

2006

Journal Article

Mixed order parameters, accidental nodes and broken time reversal symmetry in organic superconductors: a group theoretical analysis

Powell, B. J. (2006). Mixed order parameters, accidental nodes and broken time reversal symmetry in organic superconductors: a group theoretical analysis. Journal of Physics-Condensed Matter, 18 (46) L01, L575-L584. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/18/46/L01

Mixed order parameters, accidental nodes and broken time reversal symmetry in organic superconductors: a group theoretical analysis

2006

Journal Article

Towards structure-property-function relationships for eumelanin

Meredith, P., Powell, B. J., Riesz, J., Nighswander-Rempel, S. P., Pederson, M. R. and Moore, E. G. (2006). Towards structure-property-function relationships for eumelanin. Soft Matter, 2 (1), 37-44. doi: 10.1039/b511922g

Towards structure-property-function relationships for eumelanin

2006

Journal Article

Ferromagnetism, paramagnetism, and a Curie-Weiss metal in an electron-doped Hubbard model on a triangular lattice

Merino, J., Powell, B. J. and McKenzie, Ross H. (2006). Ferromagnetism, paramagnetism, and a Curie-Weiss metal in an electron-doped Hubbard model on a triangular lattice. Physical Review B, 73 (23) 235107, 235107. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevB.73.235107

Ferromagnetism, paramagnetism, and a Curie-Weiss metal in an electron-doped Hubbard model on a triangular lattice

2006

Journal Article

Strong electronic correlations in superconducting organic charge transfer salts

Powell, B. J. and McKenzie, R. H. (2006). Strong electronic correlations in superconducting organic charge transfer salts. Journal of Physics-condensed Matter, 18 (45) R03, R827-R866. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/18/45/R03

Strong electronic correlations in superconducting organic charge transfer salts

2005

Journal Article

Half-Filled Layered Organic Superconductors and the Resonating-Valence-Bond Theory of the Hubbard-Heisenberg Model

Powell, B. J. and McKenzie, Ross H. (2005). Half-Filled Layered Organic Superconductors and the Resonating-Valence-Bond Theory of the Hubbard-Heisenberg Model. Physical Review Letters, 94 (4) 047004, 047004-1-047004-4. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.047004

Half-Filled Layered Organic Superconductors and the Resonating-Valence-Bond Theory of the Hubbard-Heisenberg Model

2005

Journal Article

5,6-Dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid: a first principles density functional study

Powell, B. J. (2005). 5,6-Dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid: a first principles density functional study. Chemical Physics Letters, 402 (1-3), 111-115. doi: 10.1016/j.cplett.2004.12.010

5,6-Dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid: a first principles density functional study

2005

Journal Article

Broadband Photon-harvesting Biomolecules for Photovoltaics

Meredith, Paul, Powell, Ben J., Riesz, Jenny, Vogel, Robert, Blake, David, Kartini, Indriani, Will, Geff and Subianto, Surya (2005). Broadband Photon-harvesting Biomolecules for Photovoltaics. Artificial Photosynthesis: From Basic Biology to Industrial Application, 37-65.

Broadband Photon-harvesting Biomolecules for Photovoltaics

2004

Journal Article

On the relationship between the critical temperature and the London penetration depth in layered organic superconductors

Powell, B. J. and McKenzie, Ross H. (2004). On the relationship between the critical temperature and the London penetration depth in layered organic superconductors. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 16 (30), L367-L373. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/16/30/L03

On the relationship between the critical temperature and the London penetration depth in layered organic superconductors

2004

Journal Article

Dependence of the superconducting transition temperature of organic molecular crystals on intrinsically nonmagnetic disorder: a signature of either unconventional superconductivity or the atypical formation of magnetic moments

Powell, B. J. and McKenzie, Ross H. (2004). Dependence of the superconducting transition temperature of organic molecular crystals on intrinsically nonmagnetic disorder: a signature of either unconventional superconductivity or the atypical formation of magnetic moments. Physical Review B, 69 (2) 024519, 024519-1-024519-17. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevB.69.024519

Dependence of the superconducting transition temperature of organic molecular crystals on intrinsically nonmagnetic disorder: a signature of either unconventional superconductivity or the atypical formation of magnetic moments

2004

Journal Article

A first-principles density-functional calculation of the electronic and vibrational structure of the key melanin monomers

Powell, B. J., Baruah, T., Burnstein, N., Brake, K., McKenzie, Ross H., Meredith, P. and Pederson, M. R. (2004). A first-principles density-functional calculation of the electronic and vibrational structure of the key melanin monomers. Journal of Chemical Physics, 120 (18), 8608-8615. doi: 10.1063/1.1690758

A first-principles density-functional calculation of the electronic and vibrational structure of the key melanin monomers

2004

Conference Publication

The origin of the difference in the superconducting critical temperatures of the beta(H) and beta(L) phases of (BEDT-TTF)(2)I-3

Powell, B. J. (2004). The origin of the difference in the superconducting critical temperatures of the beta(H) and beta(L) phases of (BEDT-TTF)(2)I-3. Les Ulis Cedexa: EDP Sciences. doi: 10.1051/jp4:2004114084

The origin of the difference in the superconducting critical temperatures of the beta(H) and beta(L) phases of (BEDT-TTF)(2)I-3

2004

Journal Article

Application of DFT to melanin monomers, dimers and macromolecules.

Pederson, MR, Bernstein, N, Baruah, T, Powell, BJ, Brake, K and McKenzie, RH (2004). Application of DFT to melanin monomers, dimers and macromolecules.. Abstracts of Papers of The American Chemical Society, 228, U290-U290.

Application of DFT to melanin monomers, dimers and macromolecules.

2004

Journal Article

First-principle density-functional calculation of the Raman spectra of BEDT-TTF

Brake, K., Powell, B. J., McKenzie, R. H., Pederson, M. R. and Baruah, T. (2004). First-principle density-functional calculation of the Raman spectra of BEDT-TTF. Journal De Physique Iv, 114, 293-295. doi: 10.1051/jp4:2004114063

First-principle density-functional calculation of the Raman spectra of BEDT-TTF

2003

Journal Article

Competition between disorder and exchange splitting in superconducting ZrZn2

Powell, B. J., Annett, J. F. and Gyorffy, B. L. (2003). Competition between disorder and exchange splitting in superconducting ZrZn2. Journal of Physics-condensed Matter, 15 (14), L235-L241. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/15/14/102

Competition between disorder and exchange splitting in superconducting ZrZn2

2003

Journal Article

The gap equations for spin singlet and triplet ferromagnetic superconductors

Powell, B. J., Annett, J. F. and Gyorffy, B. L. (2003). The gap equations for spin singlet and triplet ferromagnetic superconductors. Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General, 36 (35), 9289-9302. doi: 10.1088/0305-4470/36/35/314

The gap equations for spin singlet and triplet ferromagnetic superconductors

2002

Conference Publication

The behaviour of a triplet superconductor in a spin only magnetic field

Powell, B. J., Annett, J. F. and Gyorffy, B. L. (2002). The behaviour of a triplet superconductor in a spin only magnetic field. International Conference on Ruthenate and Rutheno-Cuprate Materials, Vietri sul Mare, Italy, 25-27 October 2001. Berlin, Germany: Springer.

The behaviour of a triplet superconductor in a spin only magnetic field

1989

Journal Article

DENTISTS PROFESSIONAL SATISFACTION WITH ADOLESCENT DENTISTRY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH ADOLESCENT DENTAL-HEALTH BEHAVIOR

DURANT, RH, PIERCE, KL, POWELL, BJ and SANDERS, JM (1989). DENTISTS PROFESSIONAL SATISFACTION WITH ADOLESCENT DENTISTRY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH ADOLESCENT DENTAL-HEALTH BEHAVIOR. Journal of Adolescent Health, 10 (1), 46-50. doi: 10.1016/0197-0070(89)90047-8

DENTISTS PROFESSIONAL SATISFACTION WITH ADOLESCENT DENTISTRY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH ADOLESCENT DENTAL-HEALTH BEHAVIOR

1986

Journal Article

WHEN ALCOHOLICS DRINK AFTERSHAVE - A STUDY OF NONBEVERAGE ALCOHOL CONSUMERS

EGBERT, AM, LIESE, BA, POWELL, BJ, REED, JS and LISKOW, BI (1986). WHEN ALCOHOLICS DRINK AFTERSHAVE - A STUDY OF NONBEVERAGE ALCOHOL CONSUMERS. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 21 (3), 285-294.

WHEN ALCOHOLICS DRINK AFTERSHAVE - A STUDY OF NONBEVERAGE ALCOHOL CONSUMERS

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2030
    Queensland Quantum Decarbonisation Alliance
    Quantum Decarbonisation Mission
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Switching, sensing and multifunctionality in spin crossover materials
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2020 - 2023
    Emergent behaviours in spin crossover materials (ARC Discovery Project administered by University of Sydney)
    University of Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    2D or not 2D? Beyond the standard model of organic quantum spin liquids
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2017
    Advanced X-ray Facility for Structural Elucidation and Photocrystallography
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Emergent quantum matter in multinuclear coupled coordination clusters
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    Advanced Superfluid Physics Facility
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Facility for fabrication and characterisation of micro/nano-optoelectronic devices
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2018
    Quantum phases of matter driven by strong electronic correlations in complex molecular crystals
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    Computer Modelling for Development of Phosphorescent Iridium (III)
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Trouble at the bottom: Exploring the limits of Fermi liquid theory through dimensionless ratios
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2015
    Strengthening merit-based access and support at the new National Computing Infrastructure petascale supercomputing facility (ARC LIEF Grant administered by ANU)
    ARC LIEF Collaborating/Partner Organisation Contributions
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Non-radiative decay in organometallic complexes for organic light-emitting complexes: from theory to materials design
    CSIRO Flagships Collaboration Fund
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    ResTeach 2011 0.2 FTE School of Mathematics and Physics
    UQ ResTeach
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    Spin-liquids, antiferromagnetism, and superconductivity in organic charge transfer salts: synthesis, neutron scattering and theory
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2010
    Organic superconductors: from synthesis to neutron scattering to theory
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards - DVC(R) Funding
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2012
    Strongly correlated electron models for organic superconductors
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2008
    Vector magnetic field facility for nanoscale spintronic materials and device research (ARC LIEF Administered by University of New South Wales)
    University of New South Wales
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2008
    First principles parameterisation of minimal models of strongly correlated systems
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2007
    Emergent properties of oxides and biomolecules
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2008
    Quantum states of matter: from spin liquids to superconductors
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2007
    Ion Implanted Polymers as New Plastic Electronic and Superconducting Materials
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2004 - 2007
    Organic superconductors and frustrated antiferromagnets: from quantum chemistry to quantum many-body theory
    ARC Linkage International
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Ben Powell is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • New types of particles in spin-crossover materials

    Condensed matter physicists sometimes pity our colleagues in high-energy physics. They are limited to studying a single vacuum and its excitations: the particles of the standard model. For condensed matter physicists every new phase of matter brings a new ‘vacuum’. Remarkably the low-energy excitations of these new vacua can be very different from the individual electrons, protons and neutrons that constitute the material. The condensed matter multiverse contains universes where the particle-like excitations carry only a fraction of the elementary electronic charge are magnetic monopole, or are their own antiparticle. None of these properties have ever been observed in the particles found in free space. Often emergent gauge fields accompany these ‘fractionalized’ particles, just as electromagnetic gauge fields accompany charged particles.

    In this project you will discover the nature of the particles that emerge a recently phase of matter – the spin-state ice – that is predicted to occur in spin crossover materials. You will develop new theories of these materials and seek to discover other exotic phases in them.

  • Spin crossover materials

    Some molecules are magnetic. Others are not. Spin-crossover molecules are unusual because they can be switched between magnetic (high-spin) and non-magnetic (more generally, low-spin) states by temperature, pressure, chemical environment, or irradiation by light. Furthermore, materials containing spin-crossover molecules can display phase transitions between states with different spatial patterns of molecules with high- and low-spin that have similarities to emergent states with magnetic, orbital and charge ordering, such as antiferromagnetism.

    The fundamental question you will investigate is: why does this happen? This will require the application of state-of-the-art computational methodologies to describe the quantum behavior of the electrons in these materials. Importantly, the electrons interact strongly with one another in these systems. This means that the behaviors are collective and the standard approaches to chemistry, where we treat each electron independently, fail miserably. Instead you will use supercomputers to model the collective physics.

  • Design and control of quantum materials: metal organic frameworks (MOFs)

    Materials are vital for modern technology. Our understanding and control of the physics of silicon enabled the digital revolution. But electron-electron interactions are not important for the physics of silicon. In many other materials quantum mechanical electron-electron interactions determine the properties of the materials. These quantum materials show amazing properties such as high temperature superconductivity and sometime have excitations that are very different from the properties of the vacuum [1]. If we could routinely design and control quantum materials it would revolutionise technologies from electricity distribution to computing. But currently we have very limited abilities to design quantum materials. A new class of materials, MOFs, may be the key to enabling the rational design of quantum materials. Several projects are available in this area using techniques varying from supercomputer calculations to pen and paper theory to help change this in collaboration with world leading synthetic chemists and experimental physicists.

    [1] B. J. Powell, The expanding materials multiverse, Science 360, 1074 (2018)

  • Can we design a room temperature, ambient pressure superconductor?

    A room temperature, ambient pressure superconductor would change the world. We could plant "farms" of solar panels in the outback and losslessly transport the energy generated to capital cities and Asia, dramatically lowering the cost of power generation. But the world record for the highest temperature ambient pressure superconductor hasn't increased in decades.

    However, new types of materials have recently emerged that can be clicked together like lego. This offers us the chance to design new materials with taylored propoerties from the ground up. However, doing so is a formidable theoretical challenge that requires understanding the quantum mechanical behaviours of 10^23 electrons simulatneously? In this project you will develop and apply new theoretical techniques to attack this problem.

  • Room temperature single molecule switches

    Switches are the basis of all modern digital electronics. Binary logic is based on turning switches on (1) and off (0). So miniaturising memories and logic circuits requires miniaturising switches. Societies program of miniaturising switches is so advanced that the next frontier is reaching the molecular scale. This requires a detailed understanding of the quantum physics and chemistry of the molecules at play. Traditional quantum chemical approaches are limited to absolute zero. So they do not describe switching at room temperature, where we would like use our switches. This project will apply state-of-the-art quantum theory to model switching in a class of materials known as Prussian blue analogues.

    This would suit a physics student with a strong understanding of quantum mechanics (no previous knowledge of chemistry is required, although chemistry majors are welcome to apply). It will involve learning and apply quantum field theory and both analytical and computational work.

  • Can we design a room temperature, ambient pressure superconductor?

    A room temperature, ambient pressure superconductor would change the world. We could plant "farms" of solar panels in the outback and losslessly transport the energy generated to capital cities and Asia, dramatically lowering the cost of power generation. But the world record for the highest temperature ambient pressure superconductor hasn't increased in decades.

    However, new types of materials have recently emerged that can be clicked together like lego. This offers us the chance to design new materials with taylored propoerties from the ground up. However, doing so is a formidable theoretical challenge that requires understanding the quantum mechanical behaviours of 10^23 electrons simulatneously? In this project you will develop and apply new theoretical techniques to attack this problem.

  • Design and control of quantum materials: metal organic frameworks (MOFs)

    Materials are vital for modern technology. Our understanding and control of the physics of silicon enabled the digital revolution. But electron-electron interactions are not important for the physics of silicon. In many other materials quantum mechanical electron-electron interactions determine the properties of the materials. These quantum materials show amazing properties such as high temperature superconductivity and sometime have excitations that are very different from the properties of the vacuum [1]. If we could routinely design and control quantum materials it would revolutionise technologies from electricity distribution to computing. But currently we have very limited abilities to design quantum materials. A new class of materials, MOFs, may be the key to enabling the rational design of quantum materials. Several projects are available in this area using techniques varying from supercomputer calculations to pen and paper theory to help change this in collaboration with world leading synthetic chemists and experimental physicists.

    [1] B. J. Powell, The expanding materials multiverse, Science 360, 1074 (2018)

  • New types of particles in spin-crossover materials

    Condensed matter physicists sometimes pity our colleagues in high-energy physics. They are limited to studying a single vacuum and its excitations: the particles of the standard model. For condensed matter physicists every new phase of matter brings a new ‘vacuum’. Remarkably the low-energy excitations of these new vacua can be very different from the individual electrons, protons and neutrons that constitute the material. The condensed matter multiverse contains universes where the particle-like excitations carry only a fraction of the elementary electronic charge are magnetic monopole, or are their own antiparticle. None of these properties have ever been observed in the particles found in free space. Often emergent gauge fields accompany these ‘fractionalized’ particles, just as electromagnetic gauge fields accompany charged particles.

    In this project you will discover the nature of the particles that emerge a recently phase of matter – the spin-state ice – that is predicted to occur in spin crossover materials. You will develop new theories of these materials and seek to discover other exotic phases in them.

  • Spin crossover materials

    Some molecules are magnetic. Others are not. Spin-crossover molecules are unusual because they can be switched between magnetic (high-spin) and non-magnetic (more generally, low-spin) states by temperature, pressure, chemical environment, or irradiation by light. Furthermore, materials containing spin-crossover molecules can display phase transitions between states with different spatial patterns of molecules with high- and low-spin that have similarities to emergent states with magnetic, orbital and charge ordering, such as antiferromagnetism.

    The fundamental question you will investigate is: why does this happen? This will require the application of state-of-the-art computational methodologies to describe the quantum behavior of the electrons in these materials. Importantly, the electrons interact strongly with one another in these systems. This means that the behaviors are collective and the standard approaches to chemistry, where we treat each electron independently, fail miserably. Instead you will use supercomputers to model the collective physics.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Theories of strongly correlated electrons in metal-organic frameworks

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Theories of strongly correlated electrons in metal-organic frameworks

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The role of spin-orbit coupling in spin crossover materials

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jack Clegg

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Theories of strongly correlated electrons in metal-organic frameworks

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Emergence of fractionalised quasiparticles in spin-crossover materials

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Stimuli Responsive Single Molecule Switches

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Peter Jacobson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Theories of strongly correlated electrons in metal-organic frameworks

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    New Methods for Strongly Correlated Electrons in Chemically Complex Materials

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Carla Verdi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Computer-aided material discovery for light-emitting materials in OLEDs

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Xiuwen Zhou

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Electron-phonon coupling in atomic defects for quantum technologies

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Carla Verdi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Computer-aided material discovery for light-emitting materials in OLEDs

    Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Novel physics in topological flat-band metal-organic frameworks

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Carla Verdi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Is the superconducting phase compact or not?

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Tom Stace

  • Doctor Philosophy

    First principles calculations of defects in solids for quantum technologies

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Carla Verdi

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Ben Powell directly for media enquiries about:

  • Biophysics
  • Condensed matter physics
  • Low temperature physics
  • Magnetism
  • Melanin
  • Organic electronics
  • Quantum mechanics
  • Solar cells
  • Solid state physics
  • Statistical mechanics
  • Superconductors
  • Theoretical chemistry
  • Theoretical physics

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