Jobs

08/30/2022

Multiple openings for postdocs and phd students at quantum magnetism and devices research group in University of Tennessee

Quantum Magnetism and Devices Research Group in University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) is offering multiple openings for postdocs and graduate students with academic background in Physics, Materials Science, or Electrical Engineering.

About UTK and Quantum Science in Knoxville area

As the flagship campus of Tennessee’s public university system, UTK has always maintained R1-level research activities and experienced significant growth over the last decade along with the rapid development of economy in Knoxville Metropolitan area.

In particular, if you are exploring academic opportunities in the field of quantum science and engineering, you will find a lot of fun at our spot in east Tennessee where UTK and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are located close-by. With ORNL selected as one of the three national Quantum Information Science Centers in 2020 and UTK’s success in concluding the Quantum Cluster Hiring Initiative in 2022, ORNL-UTK now becomes a science hub that attracts leading researchers, supports vibrant discussions, and delivers high-quality research, education, and career training.

About the PI

Dr. Yishu Wang is an experimental physicist working on emergent phenomena in correlated electron systems, with a particular focus on quantum magnetism and its liaison with modern device technology. She was brought to UTK in Aug 2022 as part of the quantum cluster hiring initiative, serving as an assistant professor in Department of Materials and Engineering, and Department of Physics and Astronomy. Before moving to Knoxville, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow of Institute for Quantum Matter in Johns Hopkins University, after she obtained Ph.D. in physics from Caltech (2018), M.S. in physics from University of Chicago (2014), and B.S. in Engineering Physics from Tsinghua University (2013).

Research areas

Our research focuses on experimental development and verification of emergent phenomena in quantum spin systems. The topics we are interested in are broadly defined, including but not limited to spin fluctuations across electronic phase transitions (such as superconductivity and metal-insulator transitions), quantum criticality in the strong-coupling regime, emergent quasiparticles in frustrated magnets and strongly correlated metals. Experimental techniques being employed or under development include time-resolved neutron scattering, inelastic neutron spectroscopy, x-ray magnetic diffraction and optical Raman spectroscopy under high pressure, audio-frequency electrical and magnetic transport down to mK-range, and spintronic devices tailored for one-dimensional spin-chain systems. We perform experiments both in our own lab and on large-scale facilities in national labs such as Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Argonne National Lab (ANL).

Selected Publications

Yishu Wang, T. Reeder, Y. Karaki, J. Kindervater, T. Halloran, N. Maliszewskyj, Y. Qiu, J. A. Rodriguez, S. Gladchenko, S. M. Koohpayeh, S. Nakatsuji, C. Broholm, Monopolar and dipolar relaxation in spin ice Ho2Ti2O7, Sci. Adv. 7, ea0908 (2021).

Y. Feng, Yishu Wang, D. M. Silevitch, S. E. Cooper, D. Mandrus, P. A. Lee, T. F. Rosenbaum, A continuous metal-insulator transition driven by spin correlations, Nat. Commun. 12, 2779 (2021).

Yishu Wang, T. F. Rosenbaum, D. Prabhakaran, A. T. Boothroyd, Y. Feng, Approaching the quantum critical point in a highly-correlated all-in-all-out antiferromagnet, Phys. Rev. B 101, 220404(R) (2020) (Editors' Suggestion).

Yishu Wang, P. A. Lee, D. M. Silevitch, F. Gomez, S. E. Cooper, Y. Ren, J.-Q. Yan, D. Mandrus, T. F. Rosenbaum, Y. Feng, Antisymmetric linear magnetoresistance and the planar Hall effect, Nat. Commun. 11, 216 (2020).

Yishu Wang, T. F. Rosenbaum, Y. Feng, X-ray magnetic diffraction under high pressure, IUCrJ 6, 507-520 (2019).

Y. Feng, Yishu Wang, D. M. Silevitch, J.-Q. Yan, R. Kobayashi, M. Hedo, T. Nakama, Y. Ōnuki, A. V. Suslov, B. Mihaila, P. B. Littlewood, T. F. Rosenbaum, Linear magnetoresistance in the

low-field limit in density-wave materials, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 116, 11201-11206 (2019).

Yishu Wang, T. F. Rosenbaum, A. Palmer, Y. Ren, J.-W. Kim, D. Mandrus, Y. Feng, Strongly-coupled quantum critical point in an all-in-all-out antiferromagnet, Nat. Commun. 9, 2953 (2018).

Yishu Wang, Y. Feng, J.-G. Cheng, W. Wu, J. L. Luo, T. F. Rosenbaum, Spiral magnetic order and pressure-induced superconductivity in transition metal compounds, Nat. Commun. 7, 13037 (2016).

Description of Openings:

We are looking for postdocs and graduate students to join in Spring/Fall of 2023. Positions will be hosted either by Materials Science or Physics, depending on the candidates’ preference. As a new research group that seeks to establish a diverse and creative working environment, we set no strict requirements for background training. Skills and knowledge that are particularly helpful for research in our group include:

1. Cryogenic techniques;

2. Optics;

3. Basic-level design of mechanical parts and electrical circuits;

4. AC-frequency electronics;

5. Micro- and nano-fabrication skills;

6. Scientific programming for large-scale data analysis;

7. (Postdocs only) Research experience in correlated electron systems, or spintronics.

If none of the above fits your background but you are interested in research of quantum materials and devices in general, please still do not hesitate to reach out. We welcome new ideas and design projects that serve common interests for the group and individual members.

Contact

If you are interested in more information, please contact Yishu directly through emails to wangyishu@utk.edu to further discuss research opportunities. For postdoc candidates, please include your up-to-date CV in the initial correspondence.