Job Summary:

The winning candidate will work as a ¾ full time research assistant at the International

Centre for Interfacing Magnetism and Superconductivity with Topological Matter -

MagTop of the Institute of Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences and prepare a

doctoral thesis in the extramural mode, attending lectures at the Warsaw-4-PhD

Doctoral School. The job is related to the study of the interplay between band structure

topology and altermagnets via computational methods (theory).

Job Description:

Background: Considering an antiferromagnet with the spin-up and spin-down

sublattices connected only by roto-translational symmetry, the band structure of the

antiferromagnet will present a lifting of the Kramers degeneracy keeping zero net

magnetic moment in absence of spin-orbit. This magnetic property of some compounds

that show zero magnetization with the breaking of the Kramers degeneracy was named

altermagnetism [Šmejkal et al. Phys. Rev. X 12, 040501 (2022); Autieri Nature 626, 482

(2024)]. Despite being widely studied in bulk compounds, very few studies have been

presented on the surface of the altermagnetic compound [Sattigeri et al. Nanoscale 15,

16998 (2023)]. Additionally, very few systems have been proposed to host the interplay

between band structure topology and altermagnetism.

Aim: The aim of the project is to study the interplay between band structure topology

and altermagnetism exploiting artificial intelligent tools for ab initio studies and

materials development. The selected candidate will perform relativistic ab-initio

calculations within the density functional theory (DFT) for altermagnetic systems using

slabs with different orientations and calculating topological invariant using wanniertools

or similar codes. The candidate Ph.D. student will work on the properties of the

altermagnets surfaces including the study of trivial and topological surface states.

Furthermore, it is expected a connection with experimental teams and other theory

groups.

Requirements:

- A Master’s degree in Physics or in related fields, such as e.g. materials engineering and

electronics, is required (or an equivalent that qualifies one for PhD studies in physics in

the country of issue),

- Prior experience of working with density functional theory codes is highly desirable

but not required,

- Very good knowledge of English is required

Main research field: Physics

Sub Research Field: Solid state physics, Chemical physics

Career Stage: Early stage researcher or 0-4 yrs. (Post-graduate)

Research Profile (details): First Stage Researcher (R1)

Type of Contract: Initial employment for a fixed term of 24 months, including a 3-month

probationary period. Prolongation of employment for a further 24 months will be based on

performance and successful completion of a mid-term evaluation performed at a level

analogous to that in the PhD school.

Status: Part -time employee hired at ¾ of full-time contract

Salary: The person will be employed as a research assistant in a ¾ full time position for a

period of maximum 4 years (with all employee benefits and an additional medical

insurance package) with a gross salary of PLN 7 275 per month, which is approximately

PLN 5 500 net/month. The MagTop project (FENG.02.01-IP.05-0028/23) is implemented

as part of the MAB FENG action of the Foundation for Polish Science co-financed by the

European Union from the 2nd Priority funds of the Programme European Funds for Smart

Economy 2021-2027 (FENG).

Contact

More information can be obtained from

prof. dr hab. Tomasz Dietl (e-mail: dietl@MagTop.ifpan.edu.pl); dr hab. Carmine

Autieri (e-mail: autieri@MagTop.ifpan.edu.pl) and dr. hab. Marcin M. Wysokinski (e-

mail: wysokinski@MagTop.ifpan.edu.pl)

https://magtop.ifpan.edu.pl/

Please make contact.