Prof. Dr. Christian Rüegg
Head of LNSPaul Scherrer Institute
WHGA/149
5232 Villigen – PSI
Switzerland
Telephone: +41 56 310 4778
E-mail: christian.rueegg@psi.ch
CV
| Since 2012 | Professor, Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Geneva |
| Since 2011 | Head of Laboratory, Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, Paul Scherrer Institute |
| Since 2011 | Honorary Professor, London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN), University College London (UCL) |
| 2009-2011 | Reader in Physics (associate professor, tenured), LCN and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy , UCL |
| 2008-2011 | Royal Society University Research Fellow, LCN and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, UCL |
| 2008-2009 | Lecturer in Physics (assistant Professor, tenured), LCN and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, UCL |
| 2005-2008 | Postdoctoral Research Associate, LCN and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, UCL |
| 2001-2005 | Ph.D. studies, Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, ETH Zurich and Paul Scherrer Institute |
| 1996-2001 | Undergraduate studies (physics) at ETH Zurich |
Research Interests
My research projects focus on the systematic study of strongly correlated quantum phenomena in low-dimensional spin systems, single-molecule and frustrated magnets, and novel emergent materials. In addition to my primary research tool of neutron spectroscopy and diffraction, my expertise extends to complementary techniques including X-ray scattering, specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, magnetocalorimetry and thermal transport measurements. All of my studies involve extreme conditions, as high magnetic fields and pressures in combination with ultra-low temperatures are required to investigate e.g. spin correlations in quantum materials. The results from a number of my projects are of interest to people working particularly in the fields of phase transitions, quantum condensates and other forms of collective quantum behaviour, as well as in several related areas where mesoscopic quantum states are under active exploration for future technological applications.
• Quantum phase transitions in strongly correlated systems
• Spin dynamics in low-dimensional and frustrated quantum magnets
• Bose condensation in magnetic materials and hardcore-boson models
• Novel metal-organic quantum spin systems
• Interplay of frustration with heavy-electron physics
• Spin and lattice dynamics in novel iron-based superconductors
• Development of new neutron scattering methods and instrumentation
Experimental Techniques:
• Neutron inelastic and elastic scattering
• Inelastic and elastic X-ray scattering (synchrotron- and laboratory-based)
• Bulk measurements (specific heat, magnetization, magnetic susceptibility, and basic NMR)
• Extreme conditions (low-temperatures, high magnetic fields, and high pressure)
Phase diagram of (Hpip)2CuBr4
Selected Publications
Field-induced quantum soliton lattice in a frustrated two-leg spin-1/2 ladder
F. Casola, T. Shiroka, A. Feiguin, S. Wang. M.S. Grbic, M. Horvatic, S. Krämer, S. Mukhopadhyay, K. Conder, C. Berthier, H.-R. Ott, H.M. Ronnow, Ch. Rüegg, and J. Mesot
Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 187201 (2013).
Robustness of basal-plane antiferromagnetic order and the Jeff=1/2 state in single-layer iridate spin-orbital Mott insulators
S. Boseggia, R. Springell, H.C. Walker, H.M. Ronnow, Ch. Rüegg, H. Okabe, M. Isobe, R.S. Perry, S.P. Collins, and D.F. McMorrow
Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 117207 (2013).
Anisotropic cascade of field-induced phase transitions in the frustrated spin-ladder system BiCu2PO6
Y. Kohama, S. Wang, A. Uchida, K. Prsa, S. Zvyagin, Y. Skourski, R.D. McDonald, L. Balicas, H.M. Ronnow, Ch. Rüegg, and M. Jaime
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 167204 (2012).
Direct observation of magnon fractionalization in the quantum spin ladder
B. Thielemann, Ch. Rüegg, H.M. Ronnow, A.M. Läuchli, J.-S. Caux, B. Normand, D. Biner, K.W. Krämer, H.-U. Güdel, J. Stahn, K. Habicht, K. Kiefer, M. Boehm, D.F. McMorrow, and J. Mesot
Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 107204 (2009).
Thermodynamics of the spin Luttinger-liquid in a model ladder material
Ch. Rüegg, K. Kiefer, B. Thielemann, D.F. McMorrow, V.S. Zapf, B. Normand, M.B. Zvonarev, P. Bouillot, C. Kollath, T. Giamarchi, S. Capponi, D. Poilblanc, D. Biner, and K.W. Krämer
Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 247202 (2008).
Quantum magnets under pressure: controlling elementary excitations in TlCuCl3
Ch. Rüegg, B. Normand, M. Matsumoto, A. Furrer, D.F. McMorrow, K. Krämer, H.-U. Güdel, S. Gvasaliya, H. Mutka, and M. Boehm
Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 205701 (2008).
Bose-Einstein condensation in magnetic insulators
T. Giamarchi, Ch. Rüegg, and O. Tchernyshyov
Nature Physics 4, 198 (2008).
Diverging thermal expansion of the spin-ladder system (C5H12N)2CuBr4
T. Lorenz, O. Heyer, M. Garst, F. Anfuso, A. Rosch, Ch. Rüegg, and K. Krämer
Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 067208 (2008).
Multiple magnon modes and consequences for the Bose-Einstein condensed phase in BaCuSi2O6
Ch. Rüegg, D.F. McMorrow, B. Normand, H.M. Ronnow, S.E. Sebastian, I.R. Fisher, C.D. Batista, S.N. Gvasaliya, Ch. Niedermayer, and J. Stahn
Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 017202 (2007).
Quantum statistics of interacting dimer spin systems
Ch. Rüegg, B. Normand, M. Matsumoto, Ch. Niedermayer, A. Furrer, K. Krämer, H.-U. Güdel, Ph. Bourges, Y. Sidis, and H. Mutka
Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 267201 (2005).
Pressure-induced quantum phase transition in the spin-liquid TlCuCl3
Ch. Rüegg, A. Furrer, D. Sheptyakov, Th. Strässle, K. Krämer, H.-U. Güdel, and L. Mélési
Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 257201 (2004).
Neutron scattering study of the field-dependent ground state and the spin dynamics in S=1/2 NH4CuCl3
Ch. Rüegg, M. Oettli, J. Schefer, O. Zaharko, A. Furrer, H. Tanaka, H.-U. Güdel, K. Krämer, P. Vorderwisch, K. Habicht, T. Polinski, and M. Meissner
Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 037207 (2004).
Bose-Einstein condensation of the triplet states in the magnetic insulator TlCuCl3
Ch. Rüegg, N. Cavadini, A. Furrer, H.-U. Güdel, K. Krämer, H. Mutka, A. Wildes, K. Habicht, and P. Vorderwisch
Nature 423, 62-65 (2003).
Lord of the rings (news & views)
Ch. Rüegg
Nature Physics 8, 859 (2012).
A pinwheel without wind (news & views)
Ch. Rüegg
Nature Physics 6, 837 (2010).
Selected Presentations
Plenary, keynote, and invited talks at international conferences and workshops; invited seminars at universities and research institutes (>120).Awards
| 2011 | Erwin Felix Lewy-Bertaut Prize |
| 2010 | Nicholas Kurti European Science Prize |
| 2006 | Swiss Physical Society Award 2006 for General Physics |
| 2005 | Medal of the ETH Zurich for Ph.D. thesis |
| 2002 | Young Scientist Award, 1st PSI Summer School on Condensed Matter Research, Zuoz |
| 2001 | Young Scientist Award, Int. Conf. on Neutron Scattering, Munich |
| 2001 | Diploma with distinction, ETH Zurich |
Committees and Memberships
| Since 2009 | Program committees and international advisory boards for conferences (ICNS 2013, Edinburgh; QCNP 2012, Dresden; Topological Materials 2011, Grenoble; SWM13 and SWM11 MaNEP, Les Diablerets; JUM@P 2013, 2011, and 2009, Paul Scherrer Institute; PSI Summer School on Condensed Matter Research 2013, 2012, and 2011, Zuoz/Zug; QCNP 2009, ICM Satellite, Dresden) |
| Since 2009 | Scientific advisory boards (Sub-committee magnetic excitations (chairman 2011-2012), Scientific council, Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble; Instrument review panel, Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble; Scientific council, High magnetic field laboratory LNCMI, Grenoble and Toulouse; Recruiting, European Spallation Source ESS, Lund; Joint Users’ Association of PSI) |
| Since 2009 | Institute of Physics, UK |
| Since 2008 | Swiss Physical Society SPG/SPS, CH (member of the board, condensed matter, since 2012) |
| Since 2002 | Swiss Neutron Scattering Society SGN/SNSS, CH |