SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY

Dr. A. N. A N D R I O T I S
Associate Professor in Research (EREVNITIS B')

A.2 SCIENTIFIC WORK AND ACTIVITY

FIELD OF INTEREST : Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Research

A.2.1 Synopsis

Objectives and Constraints :
I have been exclusively employed by Research Institutes continuously since 1979. My work is extended to both metals and semiconductors. Despite the fact that the frontier research in Materials becomes strongly system dependent day after day, my work had to cover a wide range of topics in the highly competing fields of the Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Research. Most of my research work has always had specific input constraints and specific output deliverables due to contract or/and grant obligations. I am in the position to claim that, my work, on the one hand has shown remarkable flexibility in covering different highly specialized topics, while, on the other hand, it has been always highly consistent with the undertaken obligations; my successful grant proposals have been always terminated succesfully.

My major contributions include the following new theoretical methods (in chronological order) :

The Periodic Planar Jellium Approximation to the free, chemisorbed or defected metal surface.
The Coupled Hartree-Fock (CHF) approximation to the embedding of atoms in metal surfaces and bulk (at various levels of approximation).
Applications of the Coherent Potential Approximation to the problem of alloys and the Hubbard problem (at various levels of approximation).
The implementation of the Quadratic KKR approach to the embedding of single impurities in metals.
An Embedding theory based on the CHF theory and that of the Green's function matching approach (to be referred to as ICP-CHF-A and SSH methods in the following). This method is proposed for studies of excited states of embedded atoms and clusters as well as in applications in Molecular Electronics.
A Molecular Dynamics method, based on the Tight-Binding and the Hubbard approximations, which is applicable to clusters, surfaces and bulk of both metals and semiconductors.
A study for improving the local exchange energy funcional.
A Green's function matching method for calculating Transport properties of Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes and Molecular Electronics.

For a detailed description of my scientific work please see : Detailed Description of Work

Achievments in scientific work :
Our proposed model approximations have led us to develop new computational techniques and/or ameliorate existing techniques for studying complex systems of the condensed matter physics. I have made a systematic development of computational methods expanding my work to mutually supported computational techniques and methods which are applicable to both metals and semiconductors including bulk and surface properties. State of the art computer codes and methods have been developed for treating a wide range of problems of materials science. Also, existing computer codes have been modified/adapted according to the requirements of my work. My vast experience with the various calculational techniques and methods helped me in proposing and developing new calculational schemes based either on new ideas or on the combination of highly sophisticated methods of Condensed Matter Physics including cases where the proposed combinations are extended to methods which had been used in the past independently either only by physicists or only by chemists. I have employed equally well ab initio and semi-empirical methods which I have applied succesfully in justifying current experimental data. (See Table for computational methods used in the following figure.

I have published more than sixty (60) scientific papers in refereed journals, (see : List of Publications ), I have delivered more than 90 work-presentations in international and local conferences/workshops (see : List of Presentations ), and I have written two books in Computational Physics, both of which have been already published (see : Computational Physics I, II ), to be used as textbooks in my university lectures.

Organizational, Educational and Administartive Work :
At the same time, a great amount of my work has been invested for the development of the required background enviroment ( development of an efficient computer center, training of senior students, teaching etc.) which is necessary for running an efficient and proffesional research in materials physics. This requirement becomes more and more demanding as the materials research gets system specific and requires highly trained personnel. I can claim that, during my last twelve years at IESL/FORTH and as an adjunct ( or law 407) professor at the University of Crete, (UC),

I have succeeded in creating an efficient teaching and training program for undergraduate and graduate students by developing and teaching three (3), completely new, university courses in Computational Physics and their corresponding laboratories.
I have heavily and succesfully participated in the establishment of an efficient Computer Center ( common to both the FORTH and the UC ) which has been running very effectively supporting most of the computer needs of FORTH and UC.
I have attracted very good students who had and have been working with me on Ph.D (4 students) and Diploma (5 students) thesis works succesfully.
I have got substantial financial support from my successful grant applications. My successful applications (either as a coordinator or as a member of a grant-consortium ) can be found in the List of Successful grants . From these grants I supported partially my undergraduate (diploma ) and graduate (Ph. D. ) students.

All the above have been achieved at a minimal cost with no extra support, either financial or in personnel, and on the basis of my personal work and contribution. A synoptic view of the methods I have been developing and using, as well as their inter-relation and mutual support is indicated in Diagram I.

Back to Home page