Computational studies of materials with magnetic order in 2D

Theory department members contributed to a complex DFT-based study of the van der Waals magnetic material VI₃, revealing how its specific easy axis direction is linked to lattice distortions and exceptionally high orbital momentum. The obtained solution has specific electronic level occupations that exhibit clear signatures observed in XMCD spectrum. XMCD and XAS measurements confirmed the predicted high-orbital-momentum electronic state in real samples.

Radical Molecules on Superconducting Surfaces

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.

FCC-Carbon: A Novel Quasivalent Solid

A collaborative effort featuring an international team including I. Konyashin from Element Six Group, A. Cammarata from CTU, and A. Koliogiorgos from our department, delivers a definitive description of FCC-carbon's structural and electronic properties. For decades, the characteristics of FCC-carbon remained poorly defined. This unique material has a large bandgap typical of insulators yet exhibits notable semiconductor-like conductance. Our findings introduce FCC-carbon as a novel class of quasivalent solids with unusual conductivity not previously documented.

Theory group plays lasergame

We can have some fun not only with theoretical physics

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We are a group of researchers with expertise in theoretical condensed matter physics. We apply the principles of quantum and statistical physics to a wide range of materials, molecules and nanostructures. Our effort is aimed at interpreting, understanding and designing experiments at our department, in the Czech Republic and in laboratories worldwide. Our day-to-day routine may include brainstorming ideas, working out the formulas with pencil and paper, coding them in state-of-the-art computational tools and even operating high-performance computers.

Students studying with us are quickly introduced to cutting-edge topics like machine learning, topological insulators and materials for quantum computing.

Upcoming seminars

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Listed student projects

Investigation of phase transitions with machine learning techniques
Hybrid quantum-classical systems
Neural network quantum states for strongly correlated electron systems
Spin dynamics in chiral molecules
Superconducting quantum dots out of equilibrium

Contact

Email us

Address:
Charles University
Department of Condensed Matter Physics
Ke Karlovu 5
121 16 Praha 2
Czech Republic

phone: +420 95155 1393
fax: +420 22491 1061