Personale docente

CURRICULUM VITAE

Paolo Santini is full professor of theoretical condensed matter physics at the University of Parma, Department of Mathematical, Physical and Information Sciences. He got his master degree in 1988 at the University of Milan, and a PhD in Physics in 1995 at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). From 1989 to 1999 he worked as teaching assistant, “First Assistant” and “Maître-Assistant” at the Institute of Theoretical Physics of the University of Lausanne. From 1999 to 2002 he was visiting scientist at the Clarendon Laboratory of the Oxford University. From 2002 to 2006 he worked as lecturer at the Physics Department, University of Parma. From 2006 to 2016 he was associate professor in condensed matter physics at the University of Parma. In 2012 he obtained the habilitation as full professor (02/B2, theoretical condensed matter physics). He is full professor at the University of Parma since January 2017.

The teaching activity of Paolo Santini has been considerable from the start of his career. In Lausanne he was regularly in charge of exercises for several courses, and he taught the full courses “Complements of Analytical Mechanics” for one term, and “Advanced Theoretical Physics” for three terms. At the University of Parma, he taught several basic and advanced physics courses for the Physics Bachelor and Master degrees, for Material Sciences bachelor degree, and for the Food Sciences bachelor degree, He is president of the Physics Degrees Council since march 2016.

The research activity of Paolo Santini has been in the field of theoretical condensed matter physics, and it covered a wide range of problems: strongly correlated electron systems, magnetism in rare-earth and actinide compounds, low-dimensional systems such as spin chains, semiconductor surfaces and molecular nanomagnets. The purpose of this activity has been twofold: on the one hand, understanding fundamental physical phenomena, and on the other hand to identify materials suitable for technological applications, in particular quantum-information processing. He has established many long-lasting collaborations with experimental physics and chemistry groups in Italy and abroad, and he has participated in many neutron-scattering experiments in international facilities.

Prominent results of his research activity include the theoretical interpretation of the vibrational properties of an elemental silicon surface. The proposal of an electric-multipole order parameter for the phase transition in URu₂Si₂. The identification of the first example of quadrupolar waves in the electron dynamics of uranium dioxide. The identification of a magnetic-multipole order parameter in the phase transition of neptunium dioxide, first proven example of an order parameter of this sort. The proposal to use molecular nanomagnets as qubits and the proposal to use molecular nanomagnets as quantum simulators. The theoretical explanation of the nature of the NMR signal in molecular nanomagnets. The use of inelastic neutron scattering (in the so-called 4D configuration) for the first direct measurement of the spin dynamics in molecular nanomagnets.