Department of Physics

Prof AE Botha

College of Science, Engineering and Technology
School of Science
Department: Physics
Professor
Tel: 011 670 9077
E-mail: bothaae@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • Ph.D. (Physics) – University of Western Ontario, Canada.
  • M.Sc. – University of Denver, U.S.A.
  • M.Sc. – Rhodes University, South Africa.

NRF Rating

C1

Currently teaching

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Nonlinear Dynamics
  • Synchronization and Chaos

Fields of academic interests

Theoretician: Solid State, Condensed Matter, Computational 

My main research interests lie in Condensed Matter Physics, focusing on the nonlinear dynamics of various physical systems. It includes various forms of nonlinear behavior; such as, synchronization and chaos, which occur in many different physical systems. I am currently active in at least three research areas: (i) Artificial neural networks and machine learning (ii) Complex networks such as electrical power grids (iii) Systems involving the interaction between superconductivity and magnetism.

Journal articles

  • Stabilisation of the Landau—Lifshitz—Gilbert equation for numerical solution via standard methods, A. E. Botha, Scientific Reports 15, 15775 (2025).
  • Bifurcations of the superconductor–ferromagnet–superconductor φ0 Josephson junction, V. Eclerová and A. E. Botha, Commun. Nonlinear Sci. Numer. Simulat. 146, 108777 (2025).
  • Chaos in the φ0 SFS Josephson Junction, J. Tekic, A. E. Botha, M. R. Kolahchi, and Yu. M. Shukrinov, In: Skiadas, C. H., Dimotikalis, Y. (eds) 16th Chaotic Modeling and Simulation International Conference. CHAOS 2023. Springer Proceedings in Complexity (2024).
  • Hysteresis and chaos in anomalous Josephson junctions without capacitance, A. A. Mazanik, A. E. Botha, I. R. Rahmonov, and Yu. M. Shukrinov, Phys. Rev. Appl. 22, 014062 (2024).
  • Embedding nonlinear systems with two or more harmonic phase terms near the Hopf–Hopf bifurcation, V. Eclerová, L. Pribylová, and A. E. Botha, Nonlinear Dyn. 111, 1537 (2023).
  • Chimera Patterns of Synchrony in a Frustrated Array of Hebb Synapses, A. E. Botha, M. Ansariara, S. Emadi and M. R. Kolahchi, Front. Comput. Neurosci. 16, 888019 (2022).
  • Probability distribution for heat exchange in plastic deformation, W. Dednam, M. J. Caturla, A. E. Botha, E. SanFabián, J. A. Miralles, E. Louis, Phys. Rev. E 104, 034101 (2021).
  • Double and triple resonance behaviour in large systems of LC-shunted intrinsic Josephson junctions, Yu. M. Shukrinov, A. S. Abouhaswa, A. E. Botha, Phys. Lett. A 387, 127025 (2021).
  • Analytical criteria for magnetization reversal in a φ0-Josephson junction, A.A. Mazanik, I. R. Rahmonov, A. E. Botha, Yu. M. Shukrinov, Phys. Rev. Applied 14 (1), 014003 (2020).
  • Signs of memory in a plastic frustrated Kuramoto model of neurons, M. Ansariara, S. Emadi, V. Adami, A. E. Botha, M. R. Kolahchi, Nonlinear Dynamics 100, 3685 (2020).

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

  • C1 NRF rating (2019 - 2023)
  • Member of the British Institute of Physics (since 2004)

Projects

  • Synchronization effects in electrical power grids
  • Dynamics of  Josephson junctions
  • Random number generation
  • Neurological modelling