Dr Otto Mustonen

Leverhulme Early Career Fellow
University of Birmingham

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I am a materials chemist working at the intersection of chemistry, materials science and condensed matter physics. My research focuses on magnetic and quantum materials, which have exotic properties arising from strong quantum effects. I use neutron scattering and muon spectroscopy to elucidate these materials and their electronic and magnetic states. I was awarded the 2023 IoP/RSC BTM Willis Prize for early career scientists in neutron scattering for my “work on the design, synthesis and unique realisations of long-sought models of quantum magnetism”.

I’m from Finland and I studied at Aalto University under the supervision of Prof. Maarit Karppinen. For my PhD in Inorganic Chemistry (2014-2018), I investigated half-metallicity and quantum magnetism in strongly correlated oxide materials. I discovered the first square-lattice quantum spin liquid candidate over 30 years after its existence was predicted by Nobel Laureate Philip W. Anderson. Quantum spin liquids are exotic magnetic states that do not order or freeze even at absolute zero.

After completing my PhD in 2018, I moved to the United Kingdom to join Prof. Eddie Cussen’s group at the University of Sheffield. The focus of my postdoc was on the discovery of new magnetic materials and magnetic states in oxides using neutron and muon techniques. I led the collaboration with ISIS Neutron and Muon Source and secured over 30 days of beamtime at central facilities.

I was awarded a prestigious Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship in 2021, which I hold at the School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham. The aim of my fellowship is to develop a new approach to designing quantum materials based on fine control of their chemical composition.

Research Interests

• Design, synthesis and characterisation of inorganic quantum materials
• Frustrated and quantum magnetism in oxides
• Tuning magnetic interactions with chemical dopants
• Quantum criticality in magnetic materials
• Neutron scattering and muon spectroscopy
• Ferro/ferrimagnetic thin films

You can find out more about my research on the Research page.