Peter Michael Derlet

Peter Michael Derlet is a senior staff scientist at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) in Switzerland and serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Materials at ETH Zurich. He also holds a position as Visiting Scientist at the Department of Materials Engineering, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) in Berlin, Germany. His research spans multiple areas of condensed matter physics and materials science, with a focus on computational modeling of complex material systems.

Derlet's research interests encompass the mechanical properties of materials with complex defect structures, dynamical properties of local and extended defects, development of simulation tools for experimental measurements using neutrons, photons and electrons, classical magnetization dynamics in micro- and meso-scopic magnetic systems, vibrational and configurational dynamics of structural glasses, avalanche statistics using simplified dislocation dynamics, and potential energy landscape exploration algorithms. His work bridges theoretical modeling with experimental validation across diverse material systems.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on metallic glasses, magnetic systems, and radiation-damaged materials. His research shows increasing integration of computational modeling with experimental techniques like neutron scattering, with particular attention to topological defects in spin ice systems, structural dynamics in amorphous materials, and magnetic phase transitions. The interdisciplinary nature of his work connects condensed matter physics, materials science, and computational methods.

• Gilbert Hausmann prize (2021) for Hugo Bocquet's Masters Thesis

Derlet actively supervises students at multiple levels, including PhD candidates Hugo Bocquet (2021-), Dominik Schildknecht (2016-2019), Soumya Swayamjyoti (2012-2016), and Araceli Valles Sales (2010-2013), as well as Masters and Bachelor students. He collaborates on SNF-funded PhD projects in Physics/Materials science on 'Magnetism in Correlated Disorder' with Tom Fennell at PSI. His teaching includes Thermodynamics and Phase Transformations and Computational multi-scale modeling of solids at ETHZ.

Derlet's work with the Condensed Matter Theory group at PSI involves developing advanced simulation tools to model complex material behaviors, with particular emphasis on connecting microscopic mechanisms to macroscopic properties in disordered and frustrated systems.