Session T2: Invited Session: PIRE in Condensed Matter

Terahertz Dynamics in Carbon Nanomaterials

This NSF Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) project supports a unique interdisciplinary and international partnership investigating terahertz (THz) dynamics in nanostructures. The 0.1 to 10 THz frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum is where electrical transport and optical transitions merge, offering exciting opportunities to study a variety of novel physical phenomena in condensed matter. By combining THz technology and nanotechnology, we can advance our understanding of THz physics while improving and developing THz devices. Specifically, this PIRE research explores THz dynamics of electrons in carbon nanomaterials, namely, nanotubes and graphene --- low-dimensional, $sp^2$-bonded carbon systems with unique finite-frequency properties. Japan and the U.S. are global leaders in both THz research and carbon research, and stimulating cooperation is critical to further advance THz science and to commercialize products developed in the lab. However, obstacles exist for international collaboration --- primarily linguistic and cultural barriers --- and this PIRE project aims to address these barriers through the integration of our research and education programs. Our strong educational portfolio endeavours to cultivate interest in nanotechnology amongst young U.S. undergraduate students and encourage them to pursue graduate study and academic research in the physical sciences, especially those from underrepresented groups. Our award-winning International Research Experience for Undergraduates Program, NanoJapan, provides structured research internships in Japanese university laboratories with Japanese mentors --- recognized as a model international education program for science and engineering students. The project builds the skill sets of nanoscience researchers and students by cultivating international and inter-cultural awareness, research expertise, and specific academic interests in nanotechnology. U.S. project partners include Rice University, the University of Florida, the University of Tulsa, the State University of New York at Buffalo, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and Texas A\&M University. Japanese partners include: Osaka University, Chiba University, Shinshu University, Tohoku University, the University of Tokyo, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, the National Institute of Materials Science, Hokkaido University, RIKEN, and the University of Aizu.   

Petascale Many Body Methods for Complex Correlated Systems

Correlated systems constitute an important class of materials in modern condensed matter physics. Correlation among electrons are at the heart of all ordering phenomena and many intriguing novel aspects, such as quantum phase transitions or topological insulators, observed in a variety of compounds. Yet, theoretically describing these phenomena is still a formidable task, even if one restricts the models used to the smallest possible set of degrees of freedom. Here, modern computer architectures play an essential role, and the joint effort to devise efficient algorithms and implement them on state-of-the art hardware has become an extremely active field in condensed-matter research. To tackle this task single-handed is quite obviously not possible. The NSF-OISE funded PIRE collaboration ``Graduate Education and Research in Petascale Many Body Methods for Complex Correlated Systems'' is a successful initiative to bring together leading experts around the world to form a virtual international organization for addressing these emerging challenges and educate the next generation of computational condensed matter physicists. The collaboration includes research groups developing novel theoretical tools to reliably and systematically study correlated solids, experts in efficient computational algorithms needed to solve the emerging equations, and those able to use modern heterogeneous computer architectures to make then working tools for the growing community.   

Polymers at Interfaces: US-Korea International Research and Education Partnership

Our NSF program of Partnership for International Research and Education (PIRE) is focused on the development and training of graduate, undergraduate students and faculty members in the field of polymer physics by promoting both domestic and international research collaborations with specific exchange opportunities for both US and Korean participants. This collaborative effort by a group of 5 US faculty members is motivated by the global partnership with Korean polymer physicists to promote novel opportunities in polymer science research and education. Our PIRE program involves a focused research plan at the forefront of polymer physics based on the synthesis, separation, characterization, and theory of synthetic polymers in bulk and at interfaces. The multifaceted research activities spanning the areas of polymer synthesis, characterization, property modifications and their modeling will be presented to advance our knowledge on polymer behaviors at interfaces.   

SPIRE, the ``Spin Triangle'': Athens, Hamburg, Buenos Aires: Advancing Nanospintronics and Nanomagnetism

Future technological advances at the frontier of `elec'tronics will increasingly rely on the use of the spin property of the electron at ever smaller length scales. As a result, it is critical to make substantial efforts towards understanding and ultimately controlling spin and magnetism at the nanoscale. In SPIRE, the goal is to achieve these important scientific advancements through a unique combination of experimental and theoretical techniques, as well as complementary expertise and coherent efforts across three continents. The key experimental tool of choice is spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy -- the premier method for accessing the spin structure of surfaces and nanostructures with resolution down to the atomic scale. At the same time, atom and molecule deposition and manipulation schemes are added in order to both atomically engineer, and precisely investigate, novel nanoscale spin structures. These efforts are being applied to an array of physical systems, including single magnetic atomic layers, self-assembled 2-D molecular arrays, single adatoms and molecules, and alloyed spintronic materials. Efforts are aimed at exploring complex spin structures and phenomena occurring in these systems. At the same time, the problems are approached, and in some cases guided, by the use of leading theoretical tools, including analytical approaches such as renormalization group theory, and computational approaches such as first principles density functional theory. The scientific goals of the project are achieved by a collaborative effort with the international partners, engaging students at all levels who, through their research experiences both at home and abroad, gain international research outlooks as well as understandings of cultural differences, by working on intriguing problems of mutual interest. A novel scientific journalism internship program based at Ohio University furthers the project's broader impacts.   

Super-PIRE: International Consortium for Proving Novel Superconducors

The Super-PIRE project aims to study high-Tc cuprates, FeAs, heavy-ferimon and other unconventional superconductors by using neutron scattering, muon spin relaxation, X-ray scattering, optical conductivity, ARPES and STM measurements in international collaboration. The project includes US PI's Billinge, Pasupathy, Uemura (Columbia), amd Dai (UTK/ORNL), Project Patner (PP) Balatsky (LANL), and foreign PI's Uchida, Tajima, Maekawa, Eisaki (Japan), Hayden (UK), Wang (China), Luke (Canada), and about 40 additional ``Local Experts'' from institutions of the PI/PP's. In this talk, we introduce the organization of the project, initial scientific products including 4 papers published in Nature group journals, and the out-reach effort centered in organizing special graduate and undergraduate courses at Columbia recorded as voice-synchronized ppt presentations, and then broadcasted in a class-room of Tokyo University. Homepage address: http://www.phys.utk.edu/superpire/members.html