10-12 January 2018, Paris, Institut Henri Poincaré
Conference organizers
Francois Bottin (CEA-DIF, France)
Johann Bouchet (CEA-DIF, France)
Matthieu Verstraete (University of Liege, Belgium)
Olle Hellman (California Institute of Technology (Caltech, US)
The quantitative prediction of harmonic phonon frequencies and thermodynamical quantities is one of the great successes of atomistic electronic structure in the past 30 years. Reality is however more complex, and vibrations are never purely harmonic. The systematic calculation of all possible anharmonic processes is a daunting task. Anharmonicity influences many important phenomena such as thermal expansion and Fourier’s law or coherent phonon generation. Heat transport is a central pillar of solid state physics and engineering, and influences many devices and properties. Both low and high conductivity materials have their uses, but historically its control has proved elusive. Simple mechanistic (grind it up) or back of the envelope (make it heavy) models reached their limits years ago. But only in the past 10-15 years a full chemically specific and atomistic prediction of lattice thermal properties has become possible. The field has blossomed at the crossroads of Chemistry, Physics, Engineerings (Energy, Mechanical, Electronic etc…), and benefi tted from a positive feedback loop
through re fined experiments and novel theories.
The aim of this workshop is to bring together cutting edge researchers in the numerical simulation and experimental determination of anharmonic phonon dynamics, and related properties (transport, ultrafast, electrons), to foster new approaches, new ideas, and give the field a decisive kick forward. We anticipate intense discussions and hotly contested debate about
where to go from here, as the terrain is wide open.