Walter Lambrecht

Walter Lambrecht is a Perkins Professor of Physics at Case Western Reserve University. His research focuses on first-principles computational methods in condensed matter theory, particularly density functional theory (DFT) and many-body perturbation theory (GW method), applied to novel materials such as semiconductor nitrides, halide perovskites, and layered ultra-thin materials.

Education:

• Lic. Sc., University of Gent (1977)
• Dr. Sc., University of Gent (1980)

Research Interests:

• Theoretical modeling of electronic and vibrational properties in complex materials.
• Defects and doping effects in semiconductors.
• Development of computational tools for band structure and optical property analysis.

Collaborations: Works closely with experimental groups, including a team at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, on rare-earth nitrides. Collaborates with Mark van Schilgaarde at Arizona State University on computational method development.

Key Projects:

• Investigation of II-IV-N2 semiconductors and their defect physics.
• Stability and electronic behavior of halide perovskites for solar cells.
• Spin-orbit effects in layered materials like MoS2 and V2O5.
• Magnetic exchange interactions in Mn-doped ScN and gadolinium pnictides.