Matthew C. Sullivan

Fall 2007 courses:

• Physics 114 - Introduction to Experimental Physics
• Physics 217 - Principles of Physics III

Research:

I study transport (resistivity, Hall effect) and other properties (specific heat) of high-temperature superconductors in an effort to understand how these materials superconduct. My focus is on the normal-superconducting phase transition.

My current research focuses on the cuprate superconductor Praesodymium Cerium Copper oxide (Pr_2-xCe_xCuO₄).  This research, funded by the National Science Foundation, includes sample growth at the University of Maryland, sample patterning via photolithography at the Cornell Nanoscale Science and Technology Facility, and measuring the samples back in the Low Temperature Lab at Ithaca College.

You should take a look at a movie made by Ithaca College Physics student Marco Salvaggio describing the research he did during the summer of 2007.  It's a must-see!  It clocks in at over ten minutes and about 20 MB.

We recently  made a cool movie about a superconducting levitation and suspension demonstration that physics Student Charlie Strehlow worked on.  It's another must-see!  It even has a roller-coaster track.  A lower-quality movie (thus shorter download) is at http://youtube.com/watch?v=1zwBoBbHR4I

Finally, here is a video made by Advanced Lab I students Stephen Dylag and Blaine Laughlin on the Stable Kaye Effect.