Dear Colleagues,

PhD positions are available in the Quantum Materials Theory group led by Sergey Artyukhin at the Italian Institute of Technology, Genova. We use model Hamiltonians and first-principles methods to study magnets with non-collinear spins, ferroelectrics, multiferroics and other materials with complex orders. Particular emphasis for these positions is on:

- Magnetoelectric coupling from first principles
Interactions between spins and ionic displacements play an important role in response of magnetic materials to light and electric fields. Ionic displacements modify spin interactions, thus potentially аltering the magnetic structure. The project aims to compute such spin-lattice interactions from first principles-derived electron-phonon coupling.

- Modelling (slow and ultrafast) dynamics in materials with complex orders
Recent advances enabled experiments on materials at the natural timescale of their excitations.
Significant efforts are focused on manipulating orders in magnetic and ferroelectric materials by light. Non-collinearity of spins leads to the anharmonic terms in the magnon Hamiltonian. Additionally, non-collinear spin textures have soft collective modes that may be manipulated in experiments. We will use methods of condensed matter theory to study ordered materials and address outstanding puzzles in experimental data on ultrafast phase transitions.

Keen interest in realistic modelling of condensed matter systems, good knowledge of solid state theory and QM, good command of English are required. The position is open within the collaboration with the University of Genova.

The deadline for formal applications is July, 6th, 2022 at noon. Email sergey.artyukhin[at]iit.it for additional info. More info about positions & application form: https://unige.it/en/usg/en/phd-programmes

https://www.iit.it/it/web/d3-validation/our-staff-details/-/people/sergey-artyukhin