News
In last months we have succeeded in implementation of a new experimental method - measurement of structural parameters upon application of high pressure (at room temperature). This method uses the commercially bought diamond anvil pressure cell (DAC) from Almax easyLab bv company in combination with the Rigaku Rapid II diffractometer in our X-ray laboratory. The nominal pressure of the cell is 20 GPa. Nevertheless, the highest pressure reached so far with real sample and measured XRD pattern was 30 GPa. By using this cell we are able to obtain pressure dependence of the lattice constants and distinguish a pressure-induced structural transition or sign of the pressure-induced valence transition.
The Bernard Bolzano Endowment Fund Prize was awarded to Michal Vališka on March 12, 2025, for his outstanding contributions in research of unconventional superconductor UTe₂. This recognition follows the publication of key findings in PNAS, Nature Communications, and other high-impact journals, which resulted from a fruitful collaboration between our department and the University of Cambridge. The award was presented by doc. Mirko Rokyta, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics.
On Monday 27th January 2025, our PhD student Daniel Staško successfully defended his doctoral thesis, completing his study cascade at our department and faculty. His research path began in 2017 within the student faculty project and was followed by his bachelor thesis and his master work. In 2020, Daniel, together with his supervisor Milan Klicpera, delved into the study of frustrated pyrochlore oxides. This research culminated in the successful defence of his doctoral thesis "Crystallographic and electronic properties of rare-earth A2B2O7 oxides under extreme conditions".
A recent ACS Nano publication (featured on a cover) shows how assemblies of radical organic molecules on a superconducting surface can host distinct quantum states. The study demonstrates that varying molecular distance and orientation alters magnetic coupling, inducing transitions between singlet and doublet ground states. This discovery provides a novel strategy for controlling and engineering quantum materials—an essential step toward future applications in quantum electronics and spintronics.
Our recent paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), titled “Superconducting critical temperature elevated by intense magnetic fields,” explores how intense magnetic fields influence superconductivity in unconventional systems, shedding new light on the physics of superconductors.
Our department isn’t focused solely on basic research – we’re also dedicated to advanced automation that pushes the boundaries of science. The Charles Automata team has prepared an original Christmas video for you, in which a robot precisely arranges hundreds of crystals into the shape of a Christmas tree, all set to a melody inspired by Jingle Bells.
Our department in collaboration with Technical University of Munich organized the third edition of the Czech-Bavarian Mini-School on large research infrastructures and open data. Students acquired skills ranging from crystal growth to advanced neutron techniques and learned how to analyze data in accordance with F.A.I.R. principles.
Work of our valuable student and colleague Petr Král was awarded by the Charles University Grant Agency (GAUK) Board. His project “Pressure-driven structural and magnetic transformations in 221 intermetallics“ was evaluated as “Exceptionally good“ and moreover obtained a Honorable mention after his work has been evaluated as the third best solved project among the GAUK projects completed in 2023. The GAUK award was given to him within the festive ceremony on November 17 in Karolinum.
From September 26th to 28th, 2024, Prague hosted the Czech-Japanese Symposium on Advanced Multiscale Materials. This event took place as part of the AMULET project, funded by the OP JAK Excellent Research Program. The symposium played a crucial role in fulfilling one of the project's objectives—fostering international collaboration.
Our recent paper published in PNAS reveals a significantly revised high magnetic field superconducting phase diagram in the ultraclean limit of UTe2 single crystals. The study demonstrates a pronounced sensitivity of field-induced superconductivity to the presence of crystalline disorder.
