Research

The overarching goal of my research is to understand, predict, and design properties of materials based on the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics at the atomic scale. While I collaborate on diverse topics with the Computational Theory in Condensed Matter Physics group, my primary focus in on developing a comprehensive theory for emergent states that arise from the interactions between electrons and lattice vibrations in quantum materials.

A small polaron vortex in a perovskite (image credits: Jon Lafuente-Bartolome, Chao Lian, Feliciano Giustino)

Theory

A crystalline material is, in essence, a group of electrons and ions interacting with each other. One can then (correctly) imagine that the fundamental equation of solids is well-known and is nothing but the Schrödinger equation of quantum mechanics. The sheer amount of atoms in a piece of material, however, not only makes this equation unsolvable, but would also turn the solution useless in practice. One of the main goals of condensed matter physics is to come up with theoretical frameworks that find the right balance between generality and simplicity, in order to understand and predict emergent phenomena arising from many-body interactions in materials.

I work on developing theories that capture emergent aspects of many-body interactions in solids, and on identifying the right approximations to make the final equations general and accurate but still solvable in practice. 

Selected publications:

Computational methods

High-performance computing has revolutionized condensed matter physics by enabling unprecedented accuracy in simulations of complex materials systems. While significant progress has been made, the increasing complexity of materials and the need to accurately model a wider range of physical phenomena continue to push the limits of current computational methods. 

I hope to accelerate the discovery of novel materials by developing and sharing efficient algorithms and codes that can run on the fastest supercomputers. 

Selected publications:

Materials

Quantum materials are characterized by an intricate interplay between their electronic, orbital, spin and lattice degrees of freedom. They can exhibit unconventional properties such as topologically protected transport or high-temperature superconductivity.

I explore the possibilities of leveraging many-body interactions, electron-phonon coupling and polaronic quasiparticles in a broad range of materials, including emerging materials for photovoltaics, low-dimensional systems and superconductors.

Selected publications: