Personal information

theoretical modelling, ferroic phase transformations, twin boundary engineering
United Kingdom

Biography

My research focuses on a mathematically correct and physically meaningful description of microstructures in minerals. Elastic Forces generate 'universal' microstructures such as twins, needle and trumpet domains, wiggled domain walls, comb structures and tweed. The internal structures, e.g. of a twin wall, and elastic forces are atomic in origin. Atomic forces determine transport properties along twin walls, the thickness of such walls, and lead sometimes to extreme electronic properties of such microstructures. My research has lead to a new understanding of how atomic and electronic transport occurs in minerals with structural phase transition. It is also important for the understanding of premelting phenomena and the softening of elastic constants and surface structure. Recent work includes research on the encapsulation of actinites in ceramic matrices. Using computer simulation of many interacting particles (>1 million atoms) together with results from diffuse X-ray scattering, NMR and IR spectroscopy the polymerisation of minerals such as zircon during shock events and the percolation behaviour of their dissolution was identified. I was chairman of the Steering Committee of the National Institute for Environmental e-Sciences and use GRID technology for my own research, e.g for numerical studies in systems using compacification of discrete model Hamiltonians.
Highlights are the discovery of:
•superconducting twin boundaries in WO3-x, I discovered together with my collaborators,
•fast transport of Na and K along twin walls in feldspar and perovskite structures,
•heterogeneous deoxygenation along mesoscopic structures in dense packed structures,
•percolation behaviour of radiation damaged minerals and their dehydration mechanisms,
•surface softening in bones, elastic instabilities related to the movement of strain boundaries and interfaces, effective medium theories
avalanche formation in ferroelectrics (Ferroelectric Barkhausen noise) and ferroelastic/martensitic materials

Activities

Employment (1)

University of Cambridge: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, GB

em. Professor, former Head of Department
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Salje

Education and qualifications (3)

University of Hannover: Hannover, DE

PhD (Physics)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Salje

University of Hannover: Hannover, DE

Habilitation
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Salje

University of Cambridge: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, GB

MA (Earth Sciences)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Salje

Funding (2)

Domain Boundary in Multiferroic Materials

2013-03 to 2015-03 | Grant
EPSRC (Swindon, GB)
GRANT_NUMBER:

EP/K009702/1

Source: Self-asserted source
Salje

Domain Boundaries as active Elements in Multiferroic Materials

2012-10 to 2015-01 | Grant
Leverhulme Trust (London, GB)
GRANT_NUMBER:

RPH-2012-564

Source: Self-asserted source
Salje

Peer review (14 reviews for 11 publications/grants)

Review activity for Advanced functional materials. (1)
Review activity for Advanced materials. (2)
Review activity for Applied physics letters. (2)
Review activity for Applied sciences. (1)
Review activity for Chaos. (1)
Review activity for Energies. (2)
Review activity for Journal of materials chemistry. (1)
Review activity for Nano letters. (1)
Review activity for npj 2D materials and applications. (1)
Review activity for Royal Society open science. (1)
Review activity for The journal of physical chemistry letters. (1)