Disorder-Driven Structure-Property Functionality in Materials: From Material Discovery to Device Development

Dear Colleagues,

Material discoveries are an integral part of advancing technological applications of interest. Investigations that relate structure and bonding with specific physical properties of materials are key to technological advancements, in addition to adding to our fundamental knowledge base of the novel properties of materials. To this end, defects and disorder can play a key role in governing the transport, magnetic, and even mechanical properties of materials. Defects may provide tunability beyond more typical property modifications such as doping and stoichiometric variations. Moreover, by applying multiple modifications simultaneously, the physical properties of materials can result in maximum tunability. Advanced models for simulating defects and disorders are an integral part of this materials research. First-principle simulations broaden our understanding of electronic, phonon, magnetic, and other properties of materials, and the impact is greatest when combined with and corroborated by experimental results. In this Special Issue, we solicit original research that addresses the ability to modify the physical properties of materials as well as fundamental research on new and novel materials. We invite experimental and theoretical contributions from researchers involved in photovoltaic, thermoelectric, phase change, spintronics, magnetic, ceramic materials, and other related areas.

Prof. Dr. George S. Nolas
Prof. Dr. Lilia Woods
Guest Editors

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