Discovering New Complex Materials and Phenomena

“At each level of complexity, entirely new properties appear and the understanding of the new behaviors require research which I think is as fundamental in its nature as any other” – P. Anderson

Materials research provides the foundation of our high-tech society. In the past three decades, we have experienced an explosion in the development of new
 materials, driven by the need for basic science and new technology. The term “complex materials” is used to describe materials characterized by strong coupling between the charge, spin, lattice and orbital degrees of freedom. Interest in complex materials stems from the richness of their physical properties and the matching complexity of underlying physics. The recent discovery of Fe-based superconductors is a beautiful illustration.

The research conducted in this joint program will focus on the developments of new complex materials. The availability of a new kind of material will enable the discovery of novel phenomena, novel physical concepts, and novel functionalities. The advanced synthetic and characterization techniques will keep us in the frontier of modern materials science. It is clear that whoever controls the materials controls the science and the technology.

 

This dual-degree program welcomes new graduate students to participate in this exciting research. Assistantships and scholarships are available. Students will have access to a spectrum of advanced research equipment and work with one of the leading groups in this field. For more information, please contact Prof. Rongying Jin (rjin@lsu.edu), or Prof. David Young (dyoung@lsu.edu).