31 May 2023 Wed 4 pm

Rare-earth crystals offer a rich variety of fascinating phenomena, such as emergent gauge theories, topological phases, magnetoelasticity, multiferroicity, and unconventional ordering. Our understanding of the mechanisms regulating such phenomena relies on accurate theoretical models of the complex interactions inside these materials, and on reproducible experimental results to challenge our interpretations.

Motivated by the detailed information that crystal-fields allow for the description of the magnetostatics of individual rare-earth (RE) ions and for the spin-dynamics of their effective models, this talk shall emphasise on the role of magneto-crystalline anisotropies in complex systems with strong spin-orbit coupling. Focussing on the low temperature physics of RE pyrochlores and RE garnets, we shall discuss the relevance of local crystalline symmetries for the f-electrons of the rare-earth ions, from which the RE  magnetism originate. 

This ‘atomistic and yet emergent’ theoretical framework ought to contribute to advancements in spintronic research, especially for information processing and storage, and for energy-conversion prototypes.

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