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The Stanford R. Ovshinsky Prize for Excellence in Amorphous Chalcogenides
for the Year 2009

was conferred in Constanta (Romania)

During The forth International Conference on Amorphous and Nanostructured Chalcogenides,
June 29 - July 3, 2010

to

Prof. Matthieu Micoulaut 
Universite Pierre et Marie Curie


Main results in the field of Chalcogenide Materials


1) Topological based theories for compositional trends of the glass transition temperature. Demonstration that connectivity aspects play a key role. There is substantial experimental evidence for his predictions of Tg variation with mean coordination number based on Stochastic Agglomeration Theory. This work for the first time connects " Aspects of Molecular Structure to the Glass Transition Temperature". The prevailing view that Tg is controlled strictly or only by dynamics, has in my opinion caused much misunderstanding in the field. 

2) First phenomenological models for non-mean field effects in glasses. Interpretation of Intermediate phases and rigidity transitions. He wrote a paper with Jim Phillips on Rings and Rigidity- well cited, and an important contribution in the field in understanding at a qualitative level Intermediate Phases in Chalcogenides. He is now editing a book on the subject. 

3) He established a crucial link between elastic nature of networks and fast-ion transport or ionic conduction. The central idea is that network flexibility promotes conduction in solid electrolytes. 

4)Improvement of ab intitio modelling of chalcogenides. Gaining an increased accuracy of electronic models, applied to GeSe2. Recently they have published a paper with Carlo Massobrio on the structure of GeSe4 glass that will appear in PRB. 

5) More recently, Matthieu has been active in developing models of rigidity to phase change materials leading to the rigidity phase diagram in GST materials. This work should open a new perspective enabling to study phase change materials in much the same fashion as network glasses. 

 

 

 

Matthieu Micoulaut, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, France





Curriculum Vitae