ERC Starting Grant for Nadine Hauptmann

Nadine Hauptmann, recently appointed as Assistant Professor in the Scanning Probe Microscopy group within the Institute for Molecules and Materials (IMM) of Radboud University, has been awarded an ERC Starting Grant. ERC Starting Grants are designed to support excellent researchers at the career stage at which they are starting their own independent research team or programme. Hauptmann’s project starts in January 2021. “I am extremely excited about receiving this grant. It gives me the opportunity to implement the ideas that have been in my mind for quite a while.”, Hauptmann says.

2D materials

Quantum phases of matter in novel 2D materials host fascinating correlated electron properties, e.g. unconventional superconductivity, novel insulating phases and exotic magnetic order. These phenomena are a hotbed of new forms of energy-efficient technologies, necessitating fundamental understanding and exploration of these material classes. “The role of electron correlations in phases that show unusual superconducting or magnetic behavior are puzzling us physicists at the moment”, Hauptmann explains.

Hauptmann, originally from Germany, will build her own research group that focus on quantifying electron correlations at the atomic scale in insulating quantum phases of novel 2D materials. Her group will investigate the role of electron correlations and their interplay with structural and spin degrees of freedom at the single-atom level by creating a new state-of-the-art characterization methodology. “Our approach is based on creating a new state of the art in atomic imaging and spectroscopy, we call it in short JAQ. What we need is a better understanding about the role of electron interactions in, for example, 2D ferromagnets and twisted layers”, Hauptmann states. Ultimately, the gain of fundamental knowledge may lead to innovating new ways in sustainable technological applications, such as future’s energy-efficient data storage and data processing.

Research collaborations

Hauptmann’s project involves collaborations with both experimental and theoretical experts on correlated materials in the High Field Magnetic Laboratory and with IMM groups, such as the Theory of Condensed Matter department and Scanning Probe Microscopy department. Moreover, she will work together will academic groups at the University of Twente, University of Groningen, University of Trieste and at the Aarhus University in Denmark within the Villum Centre of Excellence for Dirac Materials.

Hauptmann’s ERC Starting Grant includes the funding of two PhD employees, a Postdoc researcher for three years and funds for the purchase of large equipment to build a new scanning probe microscopy set-up. “It really feels amazing that we can now implement our new approach to better understand electron correlations in insulating 2D materials,”, Hauptmann concludes.

We warmly congratulate Nadine with her ERC Starting Grant!

More information

• Read the interview with Nadine Hauptmann Nadine Hauptman is open to big questions: what is the role of electron correlations in 2D materials?
• Official press release: link will follow