Description du sujet de thèse

Superconductivity is a fascinating phenomenon. Not only can superconductors conduct electricity without resistance, they also host emergent phenomena at the macroscopic scale. While there exist a theory for conventional superconductors that work at very low temperatures, a theory for high-temperature superconductors is crucially missing.
This project aims at reinforcing the development of an ab initio method able to predict, from the basic principles of quantum mechanics, the properties of high-temperature superconductors. The main tasks of the PhD student will be:
- Implementing the computation of the superfluid stiffness, which informs on the capacity of the Cooper pairs to form a coherent macroscopic state
- Studying the effects of explicit dopants in the copper-based superconductors (cuprates)
- Unveiling the nickel-based superconductors (nickelates) phase diagram, in collaboration with experimentalists
- Long-term avenue: developing the computation of the dynamic spin
excitation spectrum
The PhD student will thus play a key role in the development of a numerical framework enabling: (i) the search for superconductors with enhanced properties; (ii) a better understanding of high-temperature superconductivity.

Contexte de travail

The PhD student (M/F) will be attached to the Ecole Doctorale de
Physique et Chimie Physique (ED182).
This project is funded by the Institut Thématique Interdisciplinaire Science Quantique et Nanomatériaux (ITI QMat). This funding covers :
- the salary of the PhD student
- Equipment costs (computer, small equipment, etc.)
- participation in conferences, seminars, thematic schools, etc
The PhD student will join the Department of Magnetism of Nanostructured Objects (DMONS) at the Institute of Physics and Chemistry of Materials in Strasbourg. The work will be carried out in close collaboration with the project coordinators and will involve the use of supercomputers: that of the University of Strasbourg and the national Irene infrastructure of the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA).
The project benefits from a strong international outlook via the “Frontières Quantiques” international laboratory, which establishes a close link between CNRS and the University of Sherbrooke. The project is the result of close collaboration with the teams of Prof. Tremblay and Prof. Sénéchal
(Université de Sherbrooke). The PhD student will have the opportunity to spend a few months in Canada as part of this collaboration.
In this collaborativ context, C1 level in English (referring to the common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is required

Le poste se situe dans un secteur relevant de la protection du potentiel scientifique et technique (PPST), et nécessite donc, conformément à la réglementation, que votre arrivée soit autorisée par l'autorité compétente du MESR.

Contraintes et risques

The PhD student will be involved in international travels as part of collaborations, or participation in conferences, seminars and thematic schools.