Cziffra, historia de un doctor

[Cziffra]

Bien. Voy a comenzar la historia de la defensa de mi tesis haciendo público el informe que hicieron sobre mí los dos examinadores por separado antes del examen y conjuntamente tras éste.

Estos informes no deberían ser públicos hasta dentro de alrededor de un mes así que confío en que seáis discretos y no me metáis en un lío. Sed buenos chicos.

[Cziffra]

What the Internal Examiner had to say

Report on PhD thesis by the Internal Examiner.

This thesis describes experimental work undertaken by Cziffra in the Low Temperature Laboratories at Royal Holloway.

He studied the properties of thin sub-micron films on liquid 3He at very low temperatures in order to study the superfluid phase transitions in films with a free liquid surface. This is an excellent and very interesting model system, given the simplicity of the atoms themselves and the high level of complexity that is observed. The experimental work reported is impressive, showing a high level of competence in the cryogenic techniques and the measurement systems for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and for torsional oscillators, which were the two techniques used. This expertise has been developed over many years in the research group and used to good effect here. Superfluid transitions were observed using both NMR and a torsional oscillator. These were carefully analysed and interpreted. The analysis was complicated by the rather uncertain morphology of the helium films, caused by capillary rise effects. The filling procedures were carefully optimised, but all the experiments indicated that bulk liquid 3He played a significant role. However, superfluid transitions in the helium films were convincingly identified. By comparison with theoretical predictions and with the superfluid A and B-phases in superfluid bulk 3He, A-like and B-like phases were identified. An A-phase to B-phase transition was seen for the first time in a 3He film with a free surface. Great thought and care have been taken in carrying out the research, which was done with considerable motivation, flair and enthusiasm. The results make a significant contribution to new knowledge and the understanding of superfluid 3He in confined geometries. Some of this work has already been presented at conferences and publications should follow.

The thesis is very well written, with an exceptionally small number of typographic errors. Chapter 1 gives a good, clear and concise introduction, following an entertaining Prelude. Chapter 2 gives an excellent review of confined superfluid 3He, including experimental and theoretical work. Chapters 3 and 4 describe the new experimental work and results using the two techniques of NMR and the torsional oscillator. These are excellent, the work is clearly described, explained and interpreted. The experimental instrumentation is clearly described, building on previous work within the group. The data is complex and considerable work has gone into the analysis and interpretation, in collaboration with his supervisor and others. Chapter 5 gives suggestions for future work, but could have been longer. Two appendices describe the cryogenic systems, thermometry and data analysis, developed by the group over many years. A comprehensive bibliography is presented.

On the basis of this thesis, I strongly recommend the award of a PhD to Cziffra. The work was undertaken as part of a research group. The contribution of the candidate and his understanding will be established in the viva examination.


23 February 2006

[Cziffra]

What the External Examiner had to say

Report on PhD thesis by the External Examiner

The thesis covers work on the very demanding areas of superfluidity in liquid 3He in very thin layers. The experiments described are not only made close to the limit of current cooling techniques (required to reach the superfluid regime) but also rely on very sensitive measurements in this regime to detect the very tiny layer samples under investigation (and for which the Royal Holloway group is well known).

It was a pleasure to read this thesis. Despite Cziffra´ Spanish background the language is exemplary. Furthermore the introduction to superfluidity in liquid 3He is one of the best I have read. Having said that, the complexity of the two experiments embarked upon, the examination by NMR and by torsional oscillator techniques turned out to be so demanding thath the outcomes in terms of publishable results are somewhat sparse and the work falls more into the class of feasibility studies brought just to the point of success but not quite beyond. Nevertheless, the work makes a substantial contribution to a difficult field. An A-B transition has been seen in a thin film at zero pressure for the first time and the experience gained will provide the basis for much further work by the group.

In the viva I hope to probe further some of the difficulties encountered, but I have no hesitation from reading the thesis (which was a pleasure) in recommending the award of a doctorate with no revisions whatsoever, apart from a few (very few) minor typo´s and grammatical errors. I thought this a very nice piece of work.


26 March 2006

[Cziffra]

After the exam...

Joint Report on PhD thesis by the Examiners

This work covers two very demanding experiments in low temperature physics. First, the examination by NMR of the phase diagram of superfluid 3He confined in a slab geometry, and secondly the examination by torsional oscillator methods of a similar system. This work is at the limit of what is technically possible with current knowledge.

Since these problems are very new, the thesis is very much concerned with the development of the methods rather than the production of results with existing techniques. The student has solved more or less all the difficulties presented by his given problems and had laid the foundations for much work in the future. The work is of high quality, and makes a significant contribution to the scholarship of this field.

The performance in the viva confirmed both examiners´preliminary judgements of the thesis.

We recommend without reservation the award of a PhD and would like to compliment the student on the elegance of the language given his Spanish background.


27 March 2006

[Cziffra]

No me negaréis que he dejado el pabellón español bien alto.

Como premio a semejante hazaña sólo pido a pod que me permita colgar mi tesis en la web principal de Canal #fisica, ahora que ya es un texto de dominio público. Adiverto: es un PDF que pesa algo más de 5 Mb.

Hoy os juro que voy a dormir con el sueño de los justos.

[pod]

No me negaréis que he dejado el pabellón español bien alto.

Como premio a semejante hazaña sólo pido a pod que me permita colgar mi tesis en la web principal de Canal #fisica, ahora que ya es un texto de dominio público. Adiverto: es un PDF que pesa algo más de 5 Mb.

Hoy os juro que voy a dormir con el sueño de los justos.

ea, ya os podéis bajar la tesi, en la sección de física experimental de la web: http://lawebdefisica.com/experim/?selact=experim

[Cziffra]

Gracias, pod.

[tupaka]

Felicidades tio, esos informes te habran hecho engordar por lo menos 5 kilos cada uno... pon uan foto nueva jajaj!!!

[Entro]

Me tienes que pasar el nombre de los examinadores externos esos.

Los métodos de persuasión que empleaste.

Y escribirme la tesis por aquello de que a mi las correcciones y segundas lecturas de lo que ya he escrito me tocan un poco las pelotas.

Mi maxima enhorabuena Dr.


PD: Cuando empieces a escribir pon lo primero que se te ocurra yo no tengo muy claro que es lo que estoy haciendo, cuando me toque defenderla ya veré como hago que parezca física. Mi principal herramienta para saber que lo estoy haciendo bien es la herramienta de Word que te calcula la dificultad del texto.

[Cziffra]

Llevo tres días de postdoc. Todos me tratan de doctor. Las púberes doncellas recién licenciadas me ponen ojitos por los pasillos. Cobro en un año más que en todos los anteriores de mi vida juntos.

Así que como a alguien se le ocurra despertarme, le desparramo los dientes a codazos. Avisados estáis.

[Dramey]

Tu eres este, no?

Dr. Abi Graham

[Chusg]

¿No nos vas a contar un día de estos cómo entraste en Cambridge sin tener un expediente de esos deslumbrantes?. ¿Tuviste buena recomendación, les caíste bien, habías publicado ya algo...? ¿O simplemente mandaste la solicitud y te aceptaron?

Es que el común de los mortales tenemos la idea de que ese tipo de universidades reciben cantidad de solicitudes de todo el mundo y para entrar hay que tener un expediente impresionante u otro tipo de méritos demostrados más o menos destacados, pero no sé si en realidad será tan así.

Si ya lo has contado mis disculpas, llevo poco por aquí.