People at the Max Planck Graduate Center for Quantum Materials

Research groups

Prof. Ali Alavi
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • development of ab initio methods for treating correlated electronic systems, including quantum chemical and quantum Monte Carlo methods
  • many-body perturbation theories
  • superexchange antiferromagnetic coupling in cuprates
  • spin chemistry of Fe-porphyrns
  • development of time-dependent methods, i.e. time-propagation of correlated electronic systems using a stochastic propagation technique, inspired by the ground-state FCIQMC method
Prof. Claudio Castelnovo
University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Research topics:
  • effects of hard constraints in classical and quantum systems (dimer, vertex, and colouring models)
  • kinematic constraints, out of equilibrium phenomena, freezing and glassiness
  • frustrated magnetism, classical and quantum spin liquids
  • entanglement, topological order, quantum information and quantum computing
  • photoinduced phases of matter
Prof. Andrea Cavalleri
Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg

Research Topics:
  • physics of strongly correlated electron systems
  • light induced superconductivity
  • control of magnetism and of correlated-electron (Mott) insulators
  • nonlinear THz spectroscopy of Quantum Materials
  • Dirac Carrier dynamics
Dr. Laura Classen
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • Theory of correlated quantum materials
  • Collective electronic behaviour 
  • Unconventional superconductivity
  • Quantum criticality
  • Field theory methods and emergent phenomena
Prof. Andrea Damascelli
Quantum Matter Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Research Topics:
  • non-equilibrium dynamics of quantum materials
  • coherent control and spectroscopy of quantum materials
  • spin-orbit coupling and unconventional superconductivity
  • new avenues in charge and spin manipulation at surfaces
  • 2D van der Waals materials and oxide heterostructures
Prof. J.C. Séamus Davis
University of Oxford, UK; University College Cork, Ireland; Cornell University, USA

Davis Group research concentrates upon the fundamental physics of exotic states of electronic, magnetic and atomic quantum matter. A specialty is development of innovative instrumentation to allow direct atomic-scale visualization or perception of the quantum many-body phenomena that are characteristic of these states.

Research Topics:
  • electronic liquid crystals
  • Cooper-pair density wave states
  • monopole and spin liquids
  • magnetic topological insulators
  • Cu/Fe high-Tc superconductors
  • viscous electron fluids
  • macroscopic quantum mechanics
  • quantum microscope development
Dr. Claire Donnelly
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden

Research topics:
  • Nanomagnetism
  • Magnetic topological textures and their dynamics
  • Three-dimensional magnetic nanostructures
  • Synchrotron X-ray magnetic microscopy
  • Method development for vector imaging techniques
Prof. Claudia Draxl
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin

Research topics:
  • artificial intelligence methods for materials science
  • molecular switches on surfaces
  • optoelectronic excitations at inorganic/organic interfaces
  • organic semiconductors
Prof. Claudia Felser
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden

Research topics:
  • Heusler compounds with X2YZ with L21 and XYZ with C1b structure type
  • topological insulators, Weyl semimetals, new Fermions
  • thermoelectric materials, topological catalysis
  • non-centrosymmetric superconductivity
Prof. Anna Fontcuberta i Morral
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

Research topics:
  • materials science and nanotechnology for quantum science and renewable energy harvesting
  • epitaxial synthesis of novel materials
  • synthesis and properties of free standing and interconnected 1D structures
  • nanophotonics for efficient photon harvesting
Dr. Elena Gati
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden

Research topics:
  • Correlated quantum materials: unconventional superconductors, Mott insulators, frustrated magnets, low-dimensional magnets
  • Strain and pressure tuning
  • Thermodynamic and transport measurements
  • Elastic properties of quantum materials in the non-linear regime
more
Prof. Bernhard Keimer
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • structure and dynamics of quantum materials
  • unconventional superconductivity
  • metal-oxide interfaces and heterostructures
  • interplay of spin-orbit coupling and correlations
  • development of new spectroscopic methods
Prof. Klaus Kern
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • nanoscale science and technology with a focus on the bottom-up paradigm
  • atomic scale phenomena
  • molecular engineering & photonics
  • quantum materials & devices
  • quantum sensing
  • quantum dynamics
  • nano-bio interfaces
Dr. Simon Krause
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • metal-organic and covalent organic frameworks (MOFs and COFs)
  • topological materials
  • molecular machines
  • chemistry and catalysis with light
more
Prof. Bettina V. Lotsch
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • discovery of new functional solids by combining solid-state chemistry, molecular chemistry, and nanochemistry
  • 2D materials and heterostructures
  • photo(electro)catalysis
  • topological materials
  • electrochemical energy storage
  • stimuli-responsive photonic nanostructures
Prof. Andrew P. Mackenzie
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden

Research topics:
  • low temperature ordered states
  • interacting electron mesoscopics
  • thermodynamic and transport measurements on interacting electron systems
Prof. Jochen Mannhart
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • exploring interfaces in complex electronic materials to create and understand new electronic systems, materials, and novel physical phenomena; investigating them for applications
  • synthesizing complex oxide heterostructures on the atomic scale, studying the effects of lateral confinement on the nanometer scale to create lower dimensional, complex electronic systems
  • understanding, designing, and using electronic properties of correlated electron systems
  • exploring basic properties of matter on the atomic scale by using scanning probe techniques
Dr. James McIver
Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg

Research topics:
  • 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures 
  • Floquet topological insulators
  • ultrafast optoelectronics and opto-spintronics
  • on-chip THz spectroscopy
  • coherent light-matter interaction
Prof. Walter Metzner
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • quantum many-body theory
  • strongly correlated electrons
  • unconventional superconductivity
  • topological quantum matter
Prof. Roderich Moessner
Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden

Research topics:
  • theory of quantum materials:
  • collective phenomena
  • new kinds of order 
  • quantum dynamics
  • active matter, non-reciprocal and non-Hermitian physics
Prof. Philip J. W. Moll
Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg

Research topics:
  • Correlated and topological systems including heavy fermions, high-Tc and Dirac/Weyl/multifold materials
  • 3D structural deformation in crystalline structures and its impact on quantum transport
  • Size effects and shapin microstructured crystals
  • Physical properties in high magnetic fields;
  • Focused Ion Beam fabrication of quantum materials
  • Prototyping of novel materials in applications
Prof. Stuart Parkin
Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, Halle

Research topics:
  • spintronics
  • nano-photonics
  • topological materials
  • neuromorphic devices
Dr. Mariana Rossi
Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg 

Research Topics:
  • Nuclear quantum effects in molecules, solids, liquids and interfaces
  • Electron-phonon coupling in organic and inorganic systems
  • Advanced simulations of vibrational spectroscopy techniques in liquid and solid state
  • Structure search techniques aided by machine learning
Prof. Angel Rubio
Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg

Research topics:
  • new exotic states of matter out of equilibrium: Topological materials
  • QED-Chemistry and Materials
  • fundamental aspects of Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory and Many-Body Perturbation Theory
  • strong light-matter interactions and Optimal control Theory
  • electronic and Thermal transport
  • nanostructures: 2D materials, nanotubes
  • code development: development of the first principles open-sorce project octopus
Prof. Vahid Sandoghdar
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen

Research topics:
  • photon-phonon interactions in organic materials
  • plasmonics
  • single-molecule quantum optics
  • bio-photonics
Dr. Thomas Schäfer
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Materials with strong electronic correlations are amongst the most intriguing topics at the forefront of research in condensed matter physics. On the one hand, they exhibit fascinating phenomena like quantum criticality and high-temperature superconductivity, bearing a high potential for applications. On the other hand, they are theoretically very appealing due to their limited understanding, even on the very fundamental level.

Research topics:
  • cutting-edge numerical quantum field theoretical methods
  • quantum critical systems
  • high-temperature superconductors
  • Mott insulators
  • magnetically frustrated systems, both in the purely model (Hubbard model, periodic Anderson model) as well as material oriented (heavy fermions, cuprates, organics) context
Prof. Matthias Scheffler
Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Berlin

Research Topics:
  • ab initio thermodynamics and statistical mechanics
  • many-body electronic-structure theory and electron-phonon coupling
  • electronic and thermal transport
  • nuclear quantum effects in materials
  • artificial intelligence methods for materials science
Dr. Niels Schröter
Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, Halle

Research topics:
Spectroscopy of quantum materials:
  • New fermionic quasiparticles in chiral crystals
  • Topological materials and interfaces
  • Heterostructures for quantum devices
Dr. Aparajita Singha
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research:
  • Quantum sensing at the atomic scale beyond 4 K
  • Non-invasive magnetic imaging and coherent quantum control of single spin-qubits
  • Exploring novel surface-supported spin systems
Libor Smejkal
Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden

Research topics:
  • Functional quantum, relativistic and topological matter
  • Symmetry and first principle theory of electronic structure 
  • Unconventional magnetic materials: altermagnets and beyond
  • Spintronics and nanoelectronics
more
Jurgen H. Smet, PhD
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • Physics of correlated electrons in two-dimensional charge carrier systems
  • Interfacial interactions in van der Waals heterostructures
  • Electrochemically driven intercalation and ion transport in 2D materials and interfaces
  • Topological phenomena in 2D electron systems
  • Nuclear spin – electron spin interactions in low dimensional systems
Prof. Hidenori Takagi
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • novel superconductors - discovery and mechanisms
  • exploration of quantum spin liquids
  • charge liquids on geometrically frustrated lattices
  • pioneering novel electronic phases induced by spin-orbit interaction
  • high performance thermoelectric materials
Prof. Liu Hao Tjeng
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden

Research topics:
  • electronic structure of strongly correlated systems
  • metal-insulator and spin-state transitions, orbital physics
  • transition metal oxides and rare-earth/uranium intermetallics
  • MBE-grown oxide thin films and topological insulator interfaces
  • development of new synchrotron-based x-ray spectroscopies
Dr. Uri Vool
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden

Research topics:
  • quantum sensing techniques for material exploration
  • nanoscale scanning magnetometry using nitrogen-vacancy centers
  • superconducting quantum circuits
  • hybrid quantum circuits with van der Waals heterostructures
Dr. Alexander Wietek
Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden

Research topics:
  • Exotic states of matter for strongly correlated superconductors
  • Frustrated magnetism and quantum spin liquids
  • Computational physics, high-performance computing
  • Tensor Networks, Exact Diagonalization, Quantum Monte Carlo
more
Prof. Jörg Wrachtrup
University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart

Research topics:
  • quantum spintronics
  • nanoscale quantum sensing
  • quantum information processing
  • solid state quantum optics
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