Research

Our research is broadly focused on using first-principles calculations and model approaches to predict novel electronic, magnetic, ferroelectric, and transport properties of materials and structures that are interesting from the point of view of new functionalities. We are collaborating with a number of experimental groups at the University of Nebraska and other institutions to correlate our predictions with experimental studies and explore new systems in practice.

Current research areas include:

(i) antiferromangetic spintronics
(ii) quantum and topological materials
(iii) 2D van der Waals materials
(iv) interface magnetoelectric effects
(v) ferroelectric and multiferroic tunnel junctions
(vi) 2DEGs at oxide interfaces
(vii) spin-dependent tunneling
(viii) magnetic nanocontacts and nanowires
(ix) interlayer exchange and magnetostatic coupling

Research Areas

Antiferromagnetic Spintronics

Antiferromagnetic spintronics is an emerging field of research, which exploits the Néel vector to control spin- and orbital-dependent transport properties. Due to being robust against magnetic perturbations, producing no stray fields, and exhibiting ultrafast dynamics, antiferromagnets can serve as promising functional materials for spintronic applications... More ...

Interface Magnetoelectric Effects

Control of magnetic properties of materials by an applied electric field, known as magnetoelectric coupling, is interesting for low-power spintronics. There are several known mechanisms responsible for magnetoelectric coupling ... More ...

Spin-Dependent Tunneling

Spin-dependent tunneling is an imbalance in the electric current carried by up- and down-spin electrons tunneling from a ferromagnet through an insulating barrier. A related phenomenon is tunneling magneto-resistance (TMR) that is a change in the resistance of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) when the magnetization of the two ferromagnetic layers changes its alignment. More ...

Quantum & Topological Materials

Recently, there has been increasing interest in quantum materials, such as topological insulators, Dirac and Weyl semimetals, and beyond. These materials are characterized by non-trivial fermionic excitations and topologically protected electronic states, resulting in novel transport properties. More ...