Abstract

It is usually taught that atoms are arranged in solids in periodic, repeating patterns – such is the picture of a (perfect) crystal. Yet thermodynamics demands that all materials are disordered at finite temperature. Sometimes disorder is random; more frequently it’s not. In our research group, we’re interested in cases where the deviations away from order, and away from randomness, are crucial for material function. This talk will describe some of the phenomenology of this so-called “correlated” disorder: when and why it occurs, how we study it, and the implications it has for various properties. It will also explore the conceptual link between disorder and flexibility, in turn highlighting the underlying importance of geometry and geometric frustration in materials design.

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