Nicola Spaldin: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2022 |  |
| Name | Prof. Dr. Nicola Spaldin |
| Name variants | N. A. Hill Nicola A. Hill Nicola Hill |
| Field | Materials Theory |
| Address | Professur für Materialtheorie ETH Zürich, HIT G 43.3 Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 27 8093 Zürich SWITZERLAND |
| Telephone | +41 44 633 37 55 |
| Fax | +41 44 633 14 59 |
| nicola.spaldin@mat.ethz.ch | |
| Department | Materials |
| Relationship | Full Professor |
| Number | Title | ECTS | Hours | Lecturers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 327-1202-00L | Solid State Physics and Chemistry of Materials I | 5 credits | 4G | N. Spaldin | |
| Abstract | In this course we study how the properties of solids are determined from the chemistry and arrangement of the constituent atoms, with a focus on materials that are not well described by conventional band theories because their behavior is governed by strong quantum-mechanical interactions. | ||||
| Learning objective | Electronic properties and band theory description of conventional solids Electron-lattice coupling and its consequences in functional materials Electron-spin/orbit coupling and its consequences in functional materials Structure/property relationships in strongly-correlated materials | ||||
| Content | In this course we study how the properties of solids are determined from the chemistry and arrangement of the constituent atoms, with a focus on materials that are not well described by conventional band theories because their behavior is governed by strong quantum-mechanical interactions. We begin with a review of the successes of band theory in describing many properties of metals, semiconductors and insulators, and we practise building up band structures from atoms and describing the resulting properties. Then we explore classes of systems in which the coupling between the electrons and the lattice is so strong that it drives structural distortions such as Peierls instabilities, Jahn-Teller distortions, and ferroelectric transitions. Next, we move on to strong couplings between electronic charge and spin- and/or orbital- angular momentum, yielding materials with novel magnetic properties. We end with examples of the complete breakdown of single-particle band theory in so-called strongly correlated materials, which comprise for example heavy-fermion materials, frustrated magnets, materials with unusual metal-insulator transitions and the high-temperature superconductors. | ||||
| Lecture notes | An electronic script for the course is provided in Moodle. | ||||
| Literature | Hand-outs with additional reading will be made available during the course and posted on the moodle page accessible through MyStudies | ||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | all of: Statistical Thermodynamics (327-0315-00) Quantenmechanik für Materialwissenschaftler/innen (327-0316-00) Festkörpertheorie für Materialwissenschaftler/innen (327-0416-00) Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Properties of Materials (327-0512-00) or equivalent classes from another institution | ||||
| 327-1300-00L | Joint Group Seminar  Only for D-MATL doctoral students | 0 credits | 1S | M. Fiebig, N. Spaldin | |
| Abstract | Seminar for PhD students and researchers in condensed-matter physics. | ||||
| Learning objective | Improving the interaction of researchers in the participating groups. | ||||
| Content | Presentation and discussion of contemporary research. | ||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Own scientific contributions. | ||||