I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at Universiteit Antwerpen. My research focuses on micromagnetic simulations and molecular dynamics modeling of colloidal and superconducting systems.
I am interested in writing and adapting computer simulations to different physical systems. I am familiar with using existing codes (OOMMF, NMAG, Lammps) but I also develop my own simulation code (C/C++), depending on the problem at hand. I am interested in visualization (OpenGl) and in multi-processor programming (MPI). I am also very interested in learning at some point in the future how to write an MD code for GPUs.
I investigated the non-equilibrium dynamics of a colloidal system on a flashing optical substrate of holographic optical tweezers. Using this substrate, I suggested a new and robust ratchet for colloids and a potential use of this ratchet for species separation (Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 188301 (2006)). I studied the possibility of making a colloidal model system for spin ice. This model system allows for greater flexibility in investigating the system behavior at a wider range of more easily tunable parameters than the previously suggested models (Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 228302 (2006)). I studied the dislocation dynamics of a point defect in a two-dimensional colloidal crystal, comparing the vacancy and the interstitial defect diffusion dynamics (Phys. Rev. E 75, 011403 (2007)). This study is valuable for technological applications, such as the nanoscale or mesoscale engineering of new two-dimensional materials. I also studied how a random pinning potential can enhance the mixing of two different colloidal species (Phys. Rev. E 78, 031401 (2008)).
I am also interested in modeling vortices in type-II superconductors with patterned pinning sites. I have investigated what vortex patterns occur on a substrate of elongated pinning sites (Phys. Rev. B. 73, 184519 (2006)), and I also investigated the possibility of creating a spin ice model using these elongated pining sites (submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008).
I have done magnetic simulation studies on interesting shapes of magnetic elements. I studied the possibility of using an asymmetric square ring-shaped element for magnetic memory (J.Appl.Phys. 98, 083904 (2005)). I have also done a study on optimal clusterization in a Potts-glass type model using Monte Carlo simulation and simulated annealing (Physica A 362,357 (2006)).