Jan Zaanen
Encyclopedia
Jan Zaanen is Professor of Theoretical Physics
at Leiden University
, The Netherlands. He is best known for his contributions to the understanding of the quantum physics of the electrons in strongly correlated material
, and in particular High temperature superconductivity. He introduced the Zaanen-Sawatzky-Allen diagram, the LDA+U band structure method and he became particular well known for his discovery of the stripe instability of the doped Mott insulator
. His present research is focussed on the Quantum Critical Point
and unconventional phases of quantum matter. He is also well known for his
many editorial contributions to Nature
and Science
. He is at present on the board of reviewing editors of the latter journal.
In 2004-2005 he spent a year at Stanford University
sponsored by the Fulbright Program
and in 2006 he received the Spinozapremie
, the "Dutch Nobel prize", for his scientific accomplishments.
Over this past year, Zaanen and his colleagues Cubrovic and Schalm, applied String theory for the first time to explain a physical phenomen.
Zaanen was able to explain the quantum-critical state of electrons, the state that occurs in materials just before they become super-conductive in high temperature. "It has always been assumed that once you understand this quantum-critical state, you can also understand high temperature super-conductivity. But, although the experiments produced a lot of information, we hadn't the faintest idea of how to describe this phenomenon," Zaanen stated. "We hadn't expected it to work so well, the maths was a perfect fit; it was superb. When we saw the calculations, at first we could hardly believe it, but it was right."
Theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, The Netherlands. He is best known for his contributions to the understanding of the quantum physics of the electrons in strongly correlated material
Strongly correlated material
Strongly correlated materials are a wide class of electronic materials that show unusual electronic and magnetic properties, such as metal-insulator transitions or half-metallicity...
, and in particular High temperature superconductivity. He introduced the Zaanen-Sawatzky-Allen diagram, the LDA+U band structure method and he became particular well known for his discovery of the stripe instability of the doped Mott insulator
Mott insulator
Mott insulators are a class of materials that should conduct electricity under conventional band theories, but are insulators when measured...
. His present research is focussed on the Quantum Critical Point
Quantum Critical Point
A quantum critical point is a special class of continuous phase transition that takes place at the absolute zero of temperature, typically in a material where the phase transition temperature has been driven to zero by the application of a pressure, field or through doping.Conventional phase...
and unconventional phases of quantum matter. He is also well known for his
many editorial contributions to Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
and Science
Science (journal)
Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals....
. He is at present on the board of reviewing editors of the latter journal.
In 2004-2005 he spent a year at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
sponsored by the Fulbright Program
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
and in 2006 he received the Spinozapremie
Spinozapremie
The Spinozapremie is an annual award by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research of 2.5 million Euro, to be spent on new research. The award is the highest scientific award in the Netherlands...
, the "Dutch Nobel prize", for his scientific accomplishments.
Over this past year, Zaanen and his colleagues Cubrovic and Schalm, applied String theory for the first time to explain a physical phenomen.
Zaanen was able to explain the quantum-critical state of electrons, the state that occurs in materials just before they become super-conductive in high temperature. "It has always been assumed that once you understand this quantum-critical state, you can also understand high temperature super-conductivity. But, although the experiments produced a lot of information, we hadn't the faintest idea of how to describe this phenomenon," Zaanen stated. "We hadn't expected it to work so well, the maths was a perfect fit; it was superb. When we saw the calculations, at first we could hardly believe it, but it was right."
External links
- Personal homepage
- Article from Startpagina Universiteit Leiden
- Article from Science magazineScience MagazineScience Magazine was a half-hour television show produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation from 1975 to 1979.The show was hosted by geneticist David Suzuki, who previously hosted the daytime youth programme Suzuki On Science...
- Article from Science Daily