Gallery of works
Condensed Matter Physics is a fascinating subject that studies the interplay between light and matter. In particular, the many-body interactions between nuclei and electrons give rise to quantum materials with emergent properties such as magnetism, ferroelectricity, or superconductivity.
My research focuses on the fundamental understanding and design of quantum materials based on layered van der Waals compounds. This class of materials offers unique degrees of freedom due to the weak bonding between layers. These can be exploited to engineer novel emergent phenomena. In my current project entitled MultiVan, I investigate how to design new multiferroics using layered van der Waals materials. Multiferroics are materials displaying more than one ferroic order. The presence of several symmetry-broken phases in the same material, for instance, ferroelectric and magnetic orders, allows to establish strong magnetoelectric couplings, which have a huge potential for technological applications. In the project, layered van der Waals materials are exploited to design new multiferroics.
The methodology in my research entails ab initio techniques and low-energy models in combination with experiments. This approach allows the theoretical description of new quantum materials and many-body phenomena, as well as direct collaboration with experimental groups.
Moreover, I participate in teaching and mentoring activities in which my research work is disseminated at different academic levels.
I started my research career at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), where I did my Ph.D. between 2017-2021. During this period, I studied the interplay between electronic, magnetic, and structural degrees of freedom in crystalline transition metal compounds under the supervision of Prof. Víctor Pardo and Prof. Francisco Rivadulla. I developed expertise in ab initio techniques and collaborating in experiments.
I have been a visiting researcher in the group of David Singh at the University of Missouri (USA) in 2019, in the group of Ion Errea at the Materials Physics Center of San Sebastián-Donostia (Spain) in 2021, and in the group of Johannes Lischner at the Imperial College London (UK) in 2023. During these visits, I gained expertise in the theoretical description of transport properties, nuclear dynamics, and machine learning techniques. I established new experimental collaborations.
Currently, I am an Academy of Finland postdoctoral fellow at Aalto University (Finland). My research activity is carried out in the theory group led by Prof. Jose Lado and the experimental group led by Prof. Peter Liljeroth, where I have obtained new expertise in the use of low-energy models, materials synthesis with Molecular Beam Epitaxy, and Scanning Probe Microscopy. In my project entitled MultiVan, I investigate how to design new multiferroics using layered van der Waals materials.
PhD in Material Science (2021)
Title: Interplay between Electronic, Magnetic, and Structural Degrees of Freedom in Crystalline Transition Metal Compounds
University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
European MSc in Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling (2017)
University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
BSc in Physics (2015)
University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
University Teaching Diploma (2020)
Completing more than 100 hours in pedagogical courses at the University level
University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
E-mail: adolfo.oterofumega@aalto.fi
Google Scholar: Adolfo O. Fumega
Research Gate: Adolfo O. Fumega
Twitter: @AdolfoOFumega
