Adrian Constantin Pena

Adrian Constantin Pena serves as a Scientific Researcher at the National Institute of Materials Physics in Romania, affiliated with the Laboratory of Surface and Interface Science. His primary research domain involves theoretical condensed matter physics, with a focus on topological phases in quantum materials, particularly graphene-based systems under external perturbations such as light and magnetic fields.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Physics, University of Bucharest (2018)
• M.Sc. in Theoretical Physics, University of Bucharest (2016-2018)
• B.Sc. in Theoretical Physics, University of Bucharest (2012-2016)

Pena's research program centers on the theoretical investigation of topological insulators, especially Floquet-engineered systems where time-periodic driving (e.g., circularly polarized light) breaks time-reversal symmetry. His work explores the resulting topological phase transitions, edge and corner states, and their implications for quantum transport. Specific areas include graphene quantum dots, spin filtering, and the interplay of spin-orbit coupling with external fields. He employs analytical and numerical methods to study spectral properties and transport phenomena in nanoscale devices.

Analysis of Pena's 8 publications from 2022-2025 reveals a concentrated effort in Floquet topological insulators. The majority of his work (6 out of 8) addresses topological phase transitions in graphene and related lattices under light irradiation. Key contributions include the discovery of second-order topological phases with corner states, spin-filtering mechanisms, and control of electron trapping in quantum dots. His research bridges fundamental topology with potential applications in quantum electronics.

Pena conducts his research within the Laboratory of Surface and Interface Science at the National Institute of Materials Physics. This laboratory focuses on the theoretical and experimental study of material surfaces and interfaces, with particular emphasis on electronic structure and quantum phenomena. His theoretical work complements experimental efforts in the lab aimed at characterizing topological materials.