Dr. Minhyea Lee
Colorado University, Boulder
Magnetism and heat conduction in rare-earth insulating magnets
Location: 1080 Physics Research Building
Faculty Host: Brian Skinner
Abstract: Advances in spintronics and quantum information processing are firmly rooted in understanding not only the properties of magnetically ordered states, unconventional ground states and corresponding excitations but also of the nature of the interaction between spin and lattice degrees of freedom. Rare-earth compounds are excellent model systems to study all these aspects of magnetic systems, thanks to strong spin-orbit coupling that dictates fundamental properties like magnetic anisotropy and crystal electric field effects and creates an energy hierarchy that can lead to unique magnetic frustration and unconventional ground states.
Leveraging intense magnetic fields and inherent magnetic anisotropies in rare-earth magnets, we investigate generic contributions from the underlying lattice (phonons) that are not specific to particular systems in a range of unconventional quantum magnets. In this talk, I will present a simple model of heat conduction via hybridized quasiparticles formed by acoustic phonons and Zeeman-split spin-flip excitations in rare-earth insulating magnets. Beyond highlighting a starring role for phonons, our results raise the prospect of universal magneto-thermal transport phenomena in magnetic insulators that originate from simple features shared across many other effective spin-1/2 magnetic systems.
Bio: Minhyea Lee completed her PhD at the University of Chicago, followed by postdoctoral training at Princeton University and NIST Boulder, before starting at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research program aims to understand how the competing energy scales and interactions within the crystalline solids lead to new fascinating material properties, particularly in magnetism, thermoelectricity, and enhanced responses under extreme conditions such as high magnetic field and high pressure.
