Dr Kirrily Rule
Staff Profile
Role at ANSTO
Kirrily Rule is an instrument scientist co-responsible for the thermal triple-axis spectrometer, TAIPAN. After completing her PhD in 2004 from Monash University (supervisors Trevor Hicks and Shane Kennedy), Kirrily undertook a 2 year post doc at McMaster University in Canada, working in the group of Bruce Gaulin. Here she performed a number of elastic and inelastic neutron scattering experiments at NIST in the USA and at the Canadian neutron source in Chalk River.
Most recently Kirrily has spent 6 years (2006 – 2012) at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin as an instrument scientist for the cold-neutron triple-axis spectrometer FLEX. Kirrily’s research interests are focused on novel and low dimensional magnetic materials. Investigations of these materials have included triple-axis measurements and high-resolution time-of-flight methods, combined with extreme sample environments (usually dilution temperatures and high magnetic fields).
Some highlights include the study of the frustrated pyrochlore materials, Tb2Ti2O7 and Tb2Sn2O7, and the investigation of magnetic monopoles as emergent quasi-particles in the spin-ice material Dy2Ti2O7. Kirrily’s current projects are based on the investigation of low-dimensional, Spin = ½, copper oxide materials – in particular the natural minerals azurite and linarite.
Both of these materials are quantum magnets and show intriguing magnetic behavior at low temperatures and high magnetic fields. Thorough experimental investigations of materials such as these will allow for rigorous tests of advanced theoretical models and calculations.
Publications
B. Willenberg, M. Schäpers, K. C. Rule, et al. Magnetic Frustration in a Quantum Spin Chain: The Case of Linarite PbCuSO4(OH)2 Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 117202 (2012)
K. C. Rule, D. A. Tennant, et al., Dynamics of azurite Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 in a magnetic field as determined by neutron scattering. Phys. Rev. B 84, 184419 (2011)
K.C. Rule, et al., The magnetic and crystal structure of azurite Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 as determined by neutron diffraction. Phys. Rev. B 84, 184419 (2011)
M. C. R. Gibson, K. C. Rule, A. U. B. Wolter, et al., Magnetoelastic and structural properties of azurite Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 from neutron scattering and muon spin rotation. Phys. Rev. B 81, 140406(R) (2010) (editor's choice article)
K. C. Rule, G. Ehlers, J. S. Gardner, et al. Neutron scattering investigations of the partially ordered pyrochlore Tb2Sn2O7. J. Phys.: Cond. Matt. 21 486005 (2009)
D. J. P. Morris, D. A. Tennant, S. A. Grigera, et al., Dirac Strings and Magnetic Monopoles in the Spin Ice Dy2Ti2O7. Science 326 411-414 (2009)
K. C. Rule, A. R. Wildes, R. I. Bewley, D. Visser and T. J. Hicks, High energy excitations measured by neutron spectroscopy in FePS3 J. Phys.: Cond. Matt. 21 124214 (2009)
K. C. Rule, P. Bonville, Tetragonal distortion in Tb2Ti2O7 seen by neutron scattering. J. Phys. Conference Series 145 012027 (2009)
K. C. Rule, M. J. Lewis, H. A. Dabkowska, D. R. Taylor and B. D. Gaulin, Critical x-ray scattering studies of Jahn-Teller phase transitions in TbV1-xAsxO4. Phys. Rev. B 77 134116 (2008)
K. C. Rule, A. U. B. Wolter, S. Süllow, D. A. Tennant, et al. Nature of the spin dynamics and 1/3 magnetization plateau in azurite. Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 117202 (2008)
K. C. Rule, G. Ehlers, J. R. Stewart et al. Polarized inelastic neutron scattering of the partially ordered Tb2Sn2O7. Phys. Rev. B 76 212405 (2007)
K. C. Rule, G. J. McIntyre, S. J. Kennedy, et al. Single-crystal and powder neutron diffraction experiments on FePS3: Search for the magnetic structure. Phys. Rev. B 76 134402 (2007)
K. C. Rule, J. P. C. Ruff, B. D. Gaulin, et al. Field-induced order and spin waves in the pyrochlore antiferromagnet Tb2Ti2O7 Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 177201 (2006)