The group moved in January 2011 to ETH Zurich. You can find our new web-site at http://www.theory.mat.ethz.ch

Research Interests

Research in the Spaldin group uses a combination of first-principles and semi-empirical techniques to study the fundamental physics of novel materials which have potential technological importance. Projects combine development of new theoretical methods, application of the methods to existing materials, then design of new materials based on the insights gained from the research. The group's particular focus is the design of contra-indicated multifunctional materials, which combine multiple, technologically desirable functionalities that tend not to co-exist. Specific systems of interest include "multiferroic" materials (which are simultaneously ferromagnetic, ferroelectric and ferroelastic), and multiple functionalities at oxide interfaces.

International Center for Materials Research

Nicola is the director of the International Center for Materials Research (ICMR), a National Science Foundation program providing an international forum that convenes scientists and engineers with common interests in the future of materials science. The Center supports a series of international programs ranging from thematic Summer Schools to Overseas Workshops.

The location of ICMR at the University of California, Santa Barbara, takes advantage of UCSB's outstanding tradition in materials research as well as the campus's excellent location overlooking the Pacific Ocean. ICMR partners at UCSB include the Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) and the Materials Department.

Blatant self-promotion

You can buy my magnetism text book "Magnetic Materials: Fundamentals and Device Applications" from the Cambridge University Press web site: http://books.cambridge.org.

It's pretty good reading! (photo from Anna-Karin Axelsson's vacation in Sweden.)

Contact me

Materials Department
University of California, Santa Barbara
CA 93106-5050

Tel: (805) 893-7920
Fax: (805) 893-8797

Email: nicola at mrl.ucsb.edu