His presentation focused on a unique approach of using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) to reveal details at the atomic level.

“The work I presented is part of my PhD thesis involves the study of growing monolayers of alloys such as Copper Antimony CuSb by utilising a variable temperature STM system to manipulate and study materials in the atomic scale,” noted Gebhu. “Both the thermodynamics and the kinetics of the alloys play a crucial role in the study of the CuSb system.”

“In my presentation,” he added, “I elucidated the bulk immiscible CuSb system which forms surface alloys at a specific coverage of a few monolayers of Antimony. My presentation was well received by the audience and was awarded first prize in the PhD category in the field of Condensed Matter Physics/Materials Science,” he said. “I am honoured to have received it given that I am in the final year of my PhD and it has been long anticipated by my supervisor, Prof Thembela Hillie and I.”

The prize is named after Prof Frank Nabarro, who was a Physics Professor and CSIR fellow in 1994. For more information, seehttp://intraweb.csir.co.za/news/articles/2011/09/Ndlovu.php