CAREER: New Materials in Condensed Matter Physics - The Case of Quasicrystals

新材料的探索和合成在凝聚态物理中起着至关重要的作用。准晶是一种令人感兴趣的特殊情况，因为它们具有长程原子有序，但没有传统晶体的平移对称性。因此，可以探索有序但非周期结构对材料的物理、磁学和电学性质的影响。该学院早期职业发展奖将资助一个项目，该项目将通过合成和测量高质量的单颗粒样品来解决准晶领域的突出问题。特别是，这项工作将探索和阐明有序性、周期性和结构完备性对电子输运以及准晶中磁性基态和相变的复杂作用。这些材料在很大程度上是不一致的熔化，而自熔剂技术是一种很好的合成路线。用于探测热力学和输运性质的实验技术包括磁化率、热容、电阻率和霍尔效应测量。参与这项研究的学生将学习合成、表征和分析技能，这些技能将使他们能够在未来的学术、工业或政府实验室找到工作。此外，PI的研究工作将被整合到一门新的讲座课程中，该课程通过对正则材料的详细讨论来介绍凝聚态物理领域的当代挑战。具体的例子和实验技术从国际和平研究所自己的实验室将被用来激励和说明本课程的各个方面。PI还将继续他对儿童科学出版物的兴趣。凝聚态物理领域的进步经常与新材料的发展齐头并进。这些进展可能预示着新的理论挑战，对众所周知的现象或高级应用有更清晰的理解。在所有情况下，寻找和合成新材料都起着至关重要的作用，这也是斯坦福大学PI实验室的重点。准晶就是一个具体的例子。这些奇异的材料具有长程原子有序，但没有传统晶体的平移对称性。因此，可以探索有序但非周期结构对材料的物理、磁学和电学性质的影响。该学院早期职业发展奖将资助一个项目，该项目将通过合成和测量高质量的单颗粒样品来解决准晶领域的突出问题。特别是，这项工作将探索和阐明有序性、周期性和结构完备性对电子输运以及准晶中磁性基态和相变的复杂作用。参与这项研究的学生将学习合成、表征和分析技能，这些技能将使他们能够在未来的学术、工业或政府实验室找到工作。此外，PI的研究工作将被整合到一门新的讲座课程中，该课程通过对正则材料的详细讨论来介绍凝聚态物理领域的当代挑战。具体的例子和实验技术从国际和平研究所自己的实验室将被用来激励和说明本课程的各个方面。PI还将继续对儿童科学出版物感兴趣。

The search for, and synthesis of, new materials plays a crucial role in Condensed Matter Physics. Quasicrystals are a specific case of interest because they possess long-range atomic order but without the translational symmetry of conventional crystals. It is therefore possible to explore the consequences of an ordered but non-periodic structure on physical, magnetic and electronic properties of a material. This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award will fund a project that will address outstanding questions in the field of quasicrystals via the synthesis and measurement of high-quality, single-grain samples. In particular, this work will explore and clarify the complex roles of order, periodicity and structural perfection on electronic transport, and magnetic ground states and phase transitions in quasicrystals. The materials are for the most part incongruently melting, and the self-flux technique is a well-suited synthesis route. Experimental techniques used to probe the thermodynamic and transport properties include susceptibility, heat capacity, resistivity and Hall effect measurements. The students involved with this research will learn synthesis, characterization, and analysis skills that will enable them to find future employment in academe, industry, or government laboratories. In addition the PI's research efforts will be integrated into a new lecture course that introduces contemporary challenges in the field of condensed matter physics via the detailed discussion of canonical materials. Specific examples and experimental techniques from the PI's own laboratory will be used to motivate and illustrate various aspects of this course. The PI will also continue his interest in scientific publication for children.Advances in the field of Condensed Matter Physics often go hand-in-hand with the development of new materials. These advances may herald new theoretical challenges, a clearer understanding of well-known phenomena or advanced applications. In all cases, the search for, and synthesis of, new materials plays a crucial role, and this is the focus of the PI's laboratory at Stanford University. Quasicrystals are a specific case in point. These exotic materials possess long-range atomic order but without the translational symmetry of conventional crystals. It is therefore possible to explore the consequences of an ordered but non-periodic structure on physical, magnetic and electronic properties of a material. This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award will fund a project that will address outstanding questions in the field of quasicrystals via the synthesis and measurement of high-quality, single-grain samples. In particular, this work will explore and clarify the complex roles of order, periodicity and structural perfection on electronic transport, and magnetic ground states and phase transitions in quasicrystals. The students involved with this research will learn synthesis, characterization, and analysis skills that will enable them to find future employment in academe, industry, or government laboratories. In addition the PI's research efforts will be integrated into a new lecture course that introduces contemporary challenges in the field of condensed matter physics via the detailed discussion of canonical materials. Specific examples and experimental techniques from the PI's own laboratory will be used to motivate and illustrate various aspects of this course. The PI will also continue his interest in scientific publication for children.