Stefan G. Frauendorf

Professor,
Theoretical Physics

Research Interests
Prof. Frauendorf's research interests involve the physical properties of atomic nuclei and non-nuclear mesoscopic systems, as clusters of atoms and quantum dots. Mesoscopic systems have in common that they are composed of an intermediate number of protons, neutrons, electrons and ions, which implies that macroscopic features, such as shape, density or friction, are seen coexisting with prominent microscopic features, such as charge and energy quantization or quantum interference phenomena. The theoretical methods of quantum many body theory of finite systems are used in order to understand the different mesoscopic systems from a common perspective. His current research is focused on the new symmetries in rotating atomic nuclei and metallic clusters and semiconductor quantum dots exposed to a magnetic field. The discoveries of magnetic and chiral rotation of nuclei are recent results of the theoretical work. He studies the transition from the superfluid-conducting to the normal state in nuclei and nano-scale metal clusters, nuclear multi phonon excitations, and the properties of very neutron- or proton-rich nuclei, which play an important role in astrophysical processes. The theoretical work is carried out in close international cooperation with both theoreticians and experimental groups. It consists of the development of the theoretical methods as well as computer programming, calculations and the discussion of the results with the experimentalists.

Selected Publications:

“Fission of Metal Clusters,” U. Näher et al., Phys. Rep. 285 (1997) 245.

“Spontaneous symmetry breaking in rotating nuclei,” Rev. Mod Phys. 680 (2001) 463.

“Shapes of Na Clusters,” S. Frauendorf and V.V. Pashkevich, Z. Phys. D 26 (1993) S 98.

“Tilted Cranking,” S. Frauendorf, Nucl. Phys. A 557 (1993) 259c.

“Evidence for ‘Magnetic Rotation’ in Nuclei: Lifetimes of states in the M1Bands of ^198,199Pb,” R.M. Clark et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 78 (1997) 1868.

“Chirality of nuclear rotation,” V.I. Dimitrov, S. Frauendorf, F.D. Dönau, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84 (2000) 5732.

“Temperature-induced pair correlations in clusters and nuclei,” S. Frauendorf et al., Phys. Rev. B 68 (2003) 024518.

“Evidence for isovector neutron-proton pairing,” C.D. O’Leary et al., Phys. Rev. C 67 (2003) 021301.

Honors and Activities

Fellow of American Physical Society since 2003

National Award for Scientific Achievements of the German Democratic Republic (1983)

Visiting Professor at the University of Tennessee (1981-82)

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