Fyzikální ústav Akademie věd ČR

Research subjects at department 24

Dynamical mean-field theory for strongly correlated materials

We develop and apply the novel computational scheme LDA+DMFT to study materials with correlated electrons from first principles. LDA+DMFT is based on a combination of conventional band-structure methods, e.g., the local density approximation (LDA), with the dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) for correlated electron systems. This allows us to capture quantum-mechanical and thermal spin, charge and orbital fluctuations and describe correlation driven metal-insulator transitions or formation of various types of long-range order, e.g.  The full text >>

Hybride magnetic nanoparticles for applications in medicine and biology

The study is aimed to the development of new hybride nanoparticles for the use for magnetic resonance imaging as contrast materials, local destruction of cancers by the magnetic fluid hyperthermia and DNA diagnostics of microorganisms. It includes the synthesis of magnetic cores, their stabilization in a form of suspensions, ensuing preparation of biocompatible shells suitably modified and a complex characterization employing a number of physical, chemical and biological methods with respect to the expected application.  The full text >>

Magnetic polarons in cobaltites

The cobaltites derived from LaCoO3 are prospective materials for their electronic and catalytic properties and represent also fundamental interest because of the temperature and pressure driven transitions between Co(III) ionic states of different spin numbers. The aim of the project is to investigate novel phenomenon where itinerant charge carriers convert the surrounding diamagnetic Co(III) states into magnetic ones, forming large spin polarons.  The full text >>

Thermoelectric cobaltites

The project deals with a fundamental research on novel oxide thermoelectric materials of p-type considered for the electric power generation using waste heat. As concerns the conversion efficiency of such thermoelectric generators, the materials should operate in wide temperature range and keep at the same time a high figure of merit, ZT =(S2R)T, where S is the Seebeck coefficient, R is the ratio of electric resistivity and thermal conductivity and T is the actual temperature of the thermoelectric segment.  The full text >>

ZnO-based magnetic semiconductors

The semiconductors based on ZnO doped by magnetic impurities belong to a new class of advanced materials, dilute magnetic semiconductors, which have recently received much experimental and theoretical attention as a suitable spin source for spintronic applications. Some of the highly doped wide band gap materials like (Zn,Mn)O reveal a ferromagnetic like behavior near and above room temperature, which is considered as a major criterium for spintronic applications.  The full text >>

Copyright © 2008-2014, Fyzikální ústav AV ČR, v. v. i.