Solid-state and materials chemistry; ferroelectrics and dielectrics; functional materials; impedance and dielectric spectroscopy; composition-structure-property relationships.

Solid-state chemistry of functional materials, especially ferroelectric and related materials.

My research focusses on functional inorganic materials (piezo-, pyro-, ferroelectrics and also multiferroics) for electronic applications. Activities encompass both development of new materials and understanding of the role of intrinsic (composition, crystal structure) and extrinsic (interfaces, processing) factors on the performance of materials. Our approach is to use in-depth structural studies, using x-ray and neutron powder diffraction techniques, in combination with extensive electrical characterisation using immittance/dielectric spectroscopy, polarisation-field, and pyroelectric current measurements.

Specialist areas: solid-state and materials chemistry; functional materials; electroceramic oxides.

Teaching

Lectures: CH1402 Inorganic and Physical Chemistry (Properties of Solids); CH3712 Quantum Theory of Atoms, Molecules and Solids (Advanced Solid-State Chemistry); CH4715 Functional Materials (Module Convenor).

Laboratories: CH1402 Inorganic and Physcial Chemistry (Convenor);  CH4421 Research Skills Lab (Solid-State Chemistry).

Finlay also provides extra-curricular development for undergraduates by coordinating Summer Research Projects and acting as Chemistry Careers Link.

Finlay Morrison obtained his PhD in solid-state chemistry (University of Aberdeen 1999) followed by PDRA positions in the Engineering Materials Department, University of Sheffield (1999-2001) and the Earth Sciences Department, University of Cambridge (2001-2004). Finlay was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2004-2012) which he initially held at the University of Cambridge before joining the School of Chemistry at St Andrews in 2006.