Christopher is a Technical Assistant to the Patents team based in the London office.

 

Christopher has a PhD in Molecular Engineering from the University of Cambridge, in which his studies were in the field of non-linear optical (NLO) materials at The Cavendish Laboratory.

 

His research explored new classes of dipolar organic and octupolar organometallic materials for telecoms applications, where computations have predicted them to serve with superior NLO properties. This work provides a significant fundamental contribution to a current dearth in material science. It is salient given the applicability of such materials in the development of next-generation all-optical circuitry, micro/nano-optical data storage devices and telecoms.

 

His first degree was a 1st class honours degree in Physics (MSci) from Queen's University, Belfast. His research project focused on the controlled injection of domain wall structures in inorganic ferroelectric materials, in an effort to devise new nano-data storage devices.

 

Christopher joined Maucher Jenkins in May 2019 and is currently working towards qualification as a Patent Attorney.

 

Interests outside work:

 

Outside of work Christopher is a keen oenophile, holding a WSET Level 2 & 3 in wine. He also enjoys classic literature, opera and good coffee.

 

Publications:

 

Ashcroft, C. M.; Cole, J. M.; Lin, T.-C.; Lee, S.-C.; Malaspina, L. A.; Kwon, O.-P. Multiphase Structural Models and Hyperpolarizability Calculations Explain Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Properties of Stilbazolium Ions. Phys. Rev. Mater. 2020, 4 (11), 115203.

 

Ashcroft, C. (2018). Molecular Engineering of Dipolar and Octupolar Non-Linear Optical Materials for Next-Generation Telecommunications (Doctoral thesis). Accessed By: Cambridge University Apollo Repository. 

 

Ashcroft, C. M.; Jacqueline M. Cole; Boardman, E. A.; Lin, T.-C.; Perez-Moreno, J.; Clays, K. Molecular Origins of the Nonlinear Optical Responses of a Series of α-(X-2-Pyridylamino)-o-Cresol Chromophores from Concerted X-Ray Diffraction, Hyper-Rayleigh Scattering, and Ab Initio Calculations. J. Phys. Chem. C 2019, 123 (1), 665–676.

 

Cole, J. M.; Ashcroft, C. M. Generic Classification Scheme for Second-Order Dipolar Nonlinear Optical Organometallic Complexes That Exhibit Second Harmonic Generation. J. Phys. Chem. A 2018.

 

Cole, J. M.; Lin, T.-C.; Ashcroft, C. M.; Perez-Moreno, J.; Tan, Y.; Venkatesan, P.; Higginbotham, A. P.; Pattison, P.; Edwards, A. J.; Piltz, R. O.; et al. Relating the Structure of Geminal Amido Esters to Their Molecular Hyperpolarizability. J. Phys. Chem. C 2016, 120 (51), 29439–29448.

 

Whyte, J. R.; McQuaid, R. G. P.; Ashcroft, C. M.; Einsle, J. F.; Canalias, C.; Gruverman, A.; Gregg, J. M. Sequential Injection of Domain Walls into Ferroelectrics at Different Bias Voltages: Paving the Way for “Domain Wall Memristors.” J. Appl. Phys. 2014, 116 (6), 066813.

 

Ashcroft, C. M.; Cole, J. M. Ch. 18 Molecular Engineering of Organic and Organometallic Second-Order Non-Linear Optical Materials. In Handbook of Organic Materials for Electronic and Photonic Devices; Elsevier.