Synthesis and Crystal Growth of Quantum Materials

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Anna Isaeva

Room: REC/C018

Tel.: 463-36050

Email:  

The chair for Synthesis and Crystal Growth of Quantum Materials“ was founded in 2019 as a joint appointment between the Technische Universität Dresden and the Leibniz IFW Dresden and belongs both to the Institute Institute of Solid State and Materials Physics, Faculty of Physics, and the Institute for Solid State Research (IFF IFW). This research group led by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Anna Isaeva focuses on the materials aspects of inorganic compounds, primarily, on the explorative synthesis and comprehensive characterization of topologically non-trivial materials.

The scope of the studied quantum materials ranges from bismuth halides and chalcogenides to mixed ternaries of transition metals and rare-earth elements. Besides topological insulators, we pursue new frustrated magnets among the halides of 3d-, 4d- and 5d-metals.

Main research directions

• design and synthesis of new topological materials
• crystal growth and characterization of intrinsically magnetic topological insulators
• crystal growth and characterization of bulk van der Waals materials with 2D intermetallic fragments
• frustrated magnets based on α-RuCl₃ and its doped derivatives

General approach

We design new candidate compounds based on crystallochemical principles, for instance, exploit modular design of layered structures, and then develop tailored synthetic routes using a broad palette of classic and innovative techniques. We proceed with a comprehensive structural, chemical and physical characterization of the obtained substances. Our studies encompass multinary compounds of heavy elements which exhibit physical phenomena attributed to strong spin-orbit coupling. We aim at fundamental understanding of structure–property relationships and controlled synthesis of materials with target properties. Experimental synthetic work is conducted in the long-standing close cooperation with the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry II in the framework of the research group “Topological Materials” at the TU Dresden. Our findings contribute largely to the running cooperative projects: the CRC 1143, the Excellence Cluster ct.qmat and the Research Training Group GRK 1621.

We pursue novel materials with a magnetically frustrated ground state or a non-trivial topology of the electronic spectrum. Such systems may host novel collective excitations and exhibit unprecedented physical phenomena as a result of an interplay between the strong spin-orbit coupling, pronounced crystalline anisotropy and complex bonding patterns. The current highlight is the discovery of the first intrinsic magnetic topological insulators MnBi₂Te₄ and MnBi₂Te₄. We have contributed to this research in a close cooperation with groups of theoreticians and experimentalists on the national and international level. We emphasize that well-understood and well-controlled crystal growth is the decisive step towards the correct determination of structural, magnetic and thermodynamic properties of a given material.

More information on MnBi₂Te₄

Highlight at the TU Dresden website

Highlight at the IFW Dresden website

Highlight at the Excellence cluster ct.qmat website

Highlight at the ALBA Synchrotron website

Main methods and techniques

• conventional high-temperature ceramic route, chemical transport reactions, crystal growth from melts, fluxes and solutions;
• powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy methods such as electron diffraction and high-resolution TEM;
• thermochemical analysis using differential scanning calorimetry;
• first-principles calculations of the bulk electronic spectra, molecular calculations and analysis of chemical bonding in the real space with bonding indicators.

Links to

Full publication list : Publications.pdf

Curriculum Vitae: CV-Isaeva.pdf

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anna_Isaeva2/