US-India Cooperative Research: Density Functional Theory of the Mixed State in Layered Superconductors with Pinning

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

0352598 Valls, Oriol Description: This award supports the US-India collaborative research entitled Density Functional Theory of the Mixed State in Layered Superconductors with Pinning. Professors Oriol Valls, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Chandan Dasgupta, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore will carry out numerical simulations to study the mixed phases of high-temperature superconductors in the presence of various types of random pins. This project is important for understanding the vortex properties in superconductors. The test system is the archetype for studying the effects of quenched disorder on the structure and melting of solids. The density functional approach, which is an original method for studying melting of ordered and disordered vortex systems, has been used successfully by these investigators and is likely to succeed in the present context. This research is very important for applications of superconductivity and could have far-reaching technological and fundamental impacts. Scope: Additionally, it will develop a partnership between a leading US institution and the foremost center for theoretical condensed matter research in South Asia. The PIs are prominent, well-recognized physicists and leaders of the density functional technique. Professor Valls has made important contributions to superconductivity. Students, postdocs and the research groups at both institutions will benefit from this collaboration, which is jointly funded by the Government of India's Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the NSF/DST program.