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School of Physical and Chemical Sciences

Dr James Thomas

James

Lecturer in Quantum Technologies

Email: j.o.thomas@qmul.ac.uk
Room Number: G. O. Jones Building, Room 227

Profile

Dr Thomas joined Queen Mary University in 2023 as a lecturer in quantum technology. He completed a MChem degree at the University of Oxford in 2011, and a PhD in nanophysics at the University of Bristol in 2016 with the Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials.

Subsequently he was a postdoctoral researcher and then senior research fellow at the University of Oxford, in the Departments of Chemistry and Materials respectively, working on the synthesis and characterization of molecular electronic devices.  He is primarily interested in quantum transport and molecular electronics, i.e., studying electrical circuits in which a component, such as a transistor or switch, is a single molecule, with a view to applications in both classical and quantum computing, as well as sensing.

Dr Thomas currently has a PhD project available in quantum electronics - if you are interested in physical chemistry, quantum electronics, and quantum sensing, then see here for more details and how to apply, or drop him an email for informal enquiries!

Teaching

CHE100 – Essential Skills for Chemists

CHE307 – Bioorganic Chemistry

CHE600 – Chemistry Research Project

CHE601 – Chemistry Investigative Project

Research

Research Interests:

Dr Thomas’ research expertise is in quantum electronics, i.e., the fabrication of devices in which individual or self-assembled quantum objects, such as molecules, act as circuit elements. The aims of his research are to understand how the quantum (electronic/spin, vibrational) states of molecules and their dynamics (how they evolve in time) influence how they conduct electricity, and what new functionalities emerge when electronics are scaled down to nanometre dimensions. He is also interested in exploring wave-particle duality of electrons in two-dimensional materials, such as graphene, through the study of electronic interference effects, with a view to new sensing applications.

Publications

Below are some recent examples of Dr Thomas research publications, click on the DOI for a link to the paper, they are all open-access. You can find a complete list here.

Quantum interference enhances the performance of single-molecule transistors, Nature Nanotechnology, 2024, DOI

Z. Chen, I. M. Grace, S. L. Woltering, L. Chen, A. Gee, J. Baugh, G. A. D. Briggs, L. Bogani, J. A. Mol, C. J. Lambert, H. L. Anderson, and J. O. Thomas

 

Connections to the Electrodes Control the Transport Mechanism in Single-Molecule Transistors, Angewandte Chemie, 2024, DOI

Z. Chen, S. L. Woltering, B. Limburg, M-Y. Tsang, J. Baugh, G. A. D. Briggs, L. Bogani, J. A. Mol, H. L. Anderson, and J. O. Thomas

 

Phase Coherent Charge Transport through a Graphene Nanoribbon-Graphene Junction, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2023, DOI

Z. Chen, J. R. Deng, S. Hou, X. Bian, J. L. Swett, Q. Wu, J. Baugh, G. A. D. Briggs, J. A. Mol, C. J. Lambert, H. L. Anderson, and J. O. Thomas

 

Charge-state dependent vibrational relaxation in a single-molecule junction, Physical Review Letters, 2022, DOI

X. Bian, Z. Chen, J. K. Sowa, C. Evangeli, B. Limburg, J. L. Swett, J. Baugh, G. A. D. Briggs, H. L. Anderson, J. A. Mol and J. O. Thomas

 

Exchange-induced spin polarization in a single magnetic molecule junction, Nature Communications, 2022, DOI

T Pei, J. O. Thomas, S. Sopp, N. Dotti, J. Baugh, S. Cardona-Serra, A. Gaita-Arino, H. L. Anderson, L. Bogani

 

Charge transport through extended molecular wires with strongly correlated electrons, Chemical Science, 2021, DOI

J.O. Thomas, J. K. Sowa, B. Limburg, X. Bian, C. Evangeli, J. L. Swett, S. Tewari, J. Baugh, G. C. Schatz, G. A. D. Briggs, H. L. Anderson, J. A. Mol

Grants

Single-Electron Quantum Devices for Ultra-Low Background Particle Detection Experiments, ST/Y005058/1, £46K, Principle Investigator

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