Rebecca G Nicholls

Rebecca G Nicholls is a Senior Research Associate in the School of Physics at the University of Bristol, UK. Her research focuses on the growth, structural characterisation and electronic properties of actinide-based thin films—particularly uranium and light-actinide oxides—using advanced thin-film deposition and synchrotron-based techniques.

Her doctoral thesis, completed in 2023, investigated the unusual phase diagram of elemental uranium through structural and electronic characterisation of thin-film U metal.

• PhD Thesis: “Exploring the unusual phase diagram of elemental uranium: structural and electronic characterisation of thin film U metal” (University of Bristol, 2023).

Rebecca’s research spans several interconnected themes:

• Condensed-matter physics of actinide thin films
• Lattice dynamics and phase transitions in metastable uranium structures
• Epitaxial growth of light-actinide oxides and their suitability for nuclear applications
• Optical and electronic properties characterised via reflectivity, reflectance and Hall-effect measurements

Her recent peer-reviewed articles (2024 & 2022) demonstrate a strong emphasis on thin-film synthesis and in-situ structural analysis, connecting fundamental materials science with potential nuclear-fuel applications.

No major scientific awards are listed in the provided material.

Rebecca collaborates closely with colleagues at Bristol and external partners, as evidenced by co-authored publications and shared datasets. A notable dataset on the Hall effect in YBa₂Cu₃O₇ has been deposited in the University of Bristol data repository.