Advent calendar - December 17th - Karma Tenzin

In the Zernike Institute Advent Calendar, we are presenting 24 short spotlights in December. In these specials, we highlight PhD students, postdocs, support staff and technicians of our research groups and team - providing a glimpse in their typical day at work. In Episode 17 meet Karma Tenzin, PhD student in the Computational Materials Science group of Dr. Jagoda Slawinska.

I am a PhD student in the Theory of Condensed Matter group in Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials. My typical day starts with a cup of coffee and by going through my google calendar to check things that I need to do for the day. The coffee time is also a good time for me to talk with colleagues, collaborators, and supervisors about what we have achieved thus far and things that still require our attention.

As for my research, I work on computational aspects of material science with specific focus on low-dimensional materials with novel properties for application in spintronic devices. I perform very accurate simulations of materials that not only reproduce experimental observations but also reveal new and intriguing properties. Over the last two years, I have been simulating materials that have the potential to generate spin/magnetic signals by applying pure electrical signals. The phenomenon of charge-to-spin conversion plays a pivotal role in the development of future spin-based devices. It enables the creation and manipulation of information, stored in a magnetic state, through the application of electrical signals. This method is recognized for its heightened energy efficiency, signifying a crucial advancement of modern technology. With the collaborative efforts of my colleagues and collaborators, I have been quite successful in my attempt to perform a realistic simulation of this novel idea, thereby adding value to an already rich and diverse field.

In the pursuit of my research, I not only actively seek input from experts but also engage in extensive literature review related to my work. This ensures that my calculations are informed and guided by well-established results, encompassing both theoretical insights and experimental findings. Additionally, my research entails mastering the utilization of existing computational packages, including first-principle computational tools for electronic-structure calculations. Furthermore, I undertake the development of a tailored computational package designed to compute specific material properties aligned with my research interests. This dual approach enhances the precision and versatility of my computational analyses.

As for my future plans, I wish to not only continue and extend my current research works but I also aspire to broaden my research horizon towards the field of green energy such as development of advanced solar cells and catalysis for water-splitting.