21.06.2021 - 24.06.2021; Workshop
International Workshop on the Dual Nature of f-electrons 2021
Virtual International Workshop
21-24 June 2021
Exploring, understanding, and describing materials with strong electronic Coulomb correlations poses a big challenge for modern condensed-matter physics. Well-known examples of such systems include transition metal oxides, metals containing lanthanide or actinide atoms and organic conductors. At low temperatures, these materials exhibit novel phenomena, such as metal-to-insulator transitions, heavy fermion formation, unconventional long-range order as well as pronounced deviations from the typical universal metallic behavior.
This workshop is aimed to provide a venue to discuss discoveries and progress on the nature of f-electrons in many materials. The fascination with these materials results from the “Dual Nature” of the f-electrons that highlights the strong local correlations. The electrons of the partially filled 4f- or 5f- shells mainly preserve their localized atomic characters but strongly modify their properties that depend on long ranged coherence of wave functions. The Coulomb and spin-orbit interactions create a complex and highly correlated electronic state whose response is controlled collectively by the outer-shell electrons. This complexity generates a rich spectrum of physical states and exotic behaviors that pose the most challenging questions of today's condensed matter physics.
Complexity is generally regarded as a resource because it opens up possibilities for new functionalities and therefore novel technical applications. The central challenges in this area are to control material properties, to characterize them with a broad spectrum of measuring methods, and to develop a quantitative microscopic understanding the part of the theory.
This workshop explores emerging areas in strongly correlated quantum matter as exemplified by f-electron systems. Topics include but are not limited to:
- understanding the relationship between chemistry, crystal structure, and electronic and magnetic properties that could form the basis for materials design
- exploration of new quantum phases as well as their cooperation, co-existence, or competition in real end engineered materials
- interpretation of experimental data from depth- and time-resolved spectroscopies
- concepts and methods for theoretical approaches from combined first-principles and many-body perspectives
We invite you to contribute and participate in a workshop devoted to debating and discussing the future directions of research and collaborations in the field.
The workshop program will be complemented by tutorials aimed at younger researchers, providing an introduction to current issues and topics.