Licentiate seminar: Spin-Dependent Electron-Phonon Interactions in Materials Physics

In the realm of materials science, the interplay between electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom is a captivating area of study. The hallmark of these interactions is the generation of non-trivial temperature-dependencies. The widely employed codes, such as the Electron-Phonon Wannier (EPW) code or Quantum Espresso (QE), have been integral in the investigation of electron-phonon interactions. However, these codes rely on the simplifying assumption of spin-independent couplings, neglecting the nuanced effects that arise either from the spin-orbit interaction in the non-relativistic limit of the Dirac-equation or (inclusive) from interactions with a reservoir.

This licentiate thesis is centered around spin-dependent electron-phonon-couplings, addressing a crucial facet that is often overlooked or neglected in studies. By providing a bridge between experimental observations and theoretical predictions, we aim to shine light on the measurable influence of these spin-dependent couplings in electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments and in experiments that are related to the effect of chirality induced spin selectivity (CISS-effect) and in systems in which the interaction with a reservoir is non-negligible.

The incorporation of spin-dependencies is therefore not merely an academic exercise, but goes beyond the established norms and represents an essential step towards a more comprehensive understanding of electron-phonon-dynamics.