Benjamin White

Educational Background

B.S., Physics, Pacific Lutheran University, 2004
B.A., Norwegian, Pacific Lutheran University, 2004
M.S., Physics, Montana State University, 2006
Ph.D., Physics, Montana State University, 2010

Teaching

The classes that I tend to teach include:

• PHYS 181-183: General Physics
• PHYS 342: Thermodynamics
• PHYS 363: Optics
• PHYS 441: Solid State Physics
• PHYS 474-475: Quantum Mechanics

Research Interests

My research interests, broadly speaking, are concerned with understanding the many manifestations of strongly correlated electron phenomena and ground states in novel oxide and intermetallic condensed matter systems.  These phenomena include, but are not limited to, unconventional superconductivity, magnetic order, spin- and charge-density waves, heavy fermion physics, non-Fermi liquid behavior, and classical and quantum critical behavior.

The often delicate interplay between these correlated electron phenomena can be studied and exploited in the laboratory by tuning a system away from its natural ground state towards distinct ground states using a non-thermal control parameter such as applied pressure, applied magnetic field, or chemical composition.  There are numerous examples of new and often unanticipated physics that have emerged near the boundary between two correlated electron ground states, and there is every indication that more surprises await discovery.  Among the systems in which such rich phase diagrams can be explored, my recent interests have included CeCoIn5 and its alloys, LaFeAsO, platinum germanide-based filled skutterudites, and BiS2-based superconductors.

When the dimensionality of a compound is reduced from three to one, Fermi liquid theory rapidly breaks down and is replaced by Luttinger liquid theory.  The excitations of a Luttinger liquid are charge- and spin-density waves, indicating a separation of spin and charge degrees of freedom; this contrasts with the familiar quasiparticles of Fermi liquid theory, which carry both charge and spin.  The compound Li0.9Mo6O17 is an exciting possible manifestation of a Luttinger liquid state, and I maintain an interest in this and other possible Luttinger liquids.

The interesting correlated electron phenomena and ground states discussed above can be studied by performing relatively simple measurements of physical properties such as electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat as functions of temperature, magnetic field, and/or applied pressure. While these standard probes of correlated electron physics are incredibly useful, I am also particularly interested in investigating these phenomena using other complimentary, but underutilized probes such as measurements of thermoelectric power and thermal expansion.

Selected Publications

• B. D. White, D. Yazici, P.-C. Ho, N. Kanchanavatee, N. Pouse, Y. Fang, A. Breindel, A. J. Friedman, and M. B. Maple, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 27, 315602 (2015).  Weak hybridization and isolated localized magnetic moments in the compounds CeT2Cd20 (T = Ni, Pd). (doi:10.1088/0953-8984/27/31/315602)
• B. D. White, J. D. Thompson, and M. B. Maple, invited review article included as part of special issue on superconducting materials, Physica C 514, 246 (2015).  Unconventional superconductivity in heavy-fermion compounds. (doi:10.1016/j.physc.2015.02.044)
• C. T. Wolowiec, B. D. White, and M. B. Maple, invited review article included as part of special issue on superconducting materials, Physica C 514, 113 (2015).  Conventional magnetic superconductors. (doi:10.1016/j.physc.2015.02.050)
• D. Yazici, I. Jeon, B. D. White, and M. B. Maple, invited review article included as part of special issue on superconducting materials, Physica C 514, 218 (2015).  Superconductivity in Layered BiS2-Based Compounds. (doi:10.1016/j.physc.2015.02.025)
• E. Svanidze, L. Liu, B. Frandsen, B. D. White, T. Besara, T. Goko, T. Medina, T. S. J. Munsie, G. M. Luke, D. Zheng, C. Q. Jin, T. Siegrist, M. B. Maple, Y. J. Uemura, and E. Morosan, Phys. Rev. X 5, 011026 (2015).  Non-Fermi liquid behavior close to a quantum critical point in a ferromagnetic state without local moments. (doi:10.1103/PhysRevX.5.011026)
• Hyunsoo Kim, M. A. Tanatar, R. Flint, C. Petrovic, Rongwei Hu, B. D. White, I. K. Lum, M. B. Maple, and R. Prozorov, Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 027003 (2015).  Nodal to Nodeless Superconducting Energy-Gap Structure Change Concomitant with Fermi-Surface Reconstruction in the Heavy-Fermion Compound CeCoIn5. (doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.027003)
• B. D. White, R. K. Bollinger, and J. J. Neumeier, Phys. Stat. Solidi B 252, 198 (2015).  Thermal expansion and thermodynamic characterization of antiferromagnetic phase transition in elemental alpha-Mn.  (doi:10.1002/pssb.201451247)
• B. D. White, K. Huang, and M. B. Maple, Phys. Rev. B 90, 235104 (2014).  Probing strong Kondo disorder with measurements of thermoelectric power. (doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.90.235104)
• C. T. Wolowiec, B. D. White, I. Jeon, D. Yazici, K. Huang, and M. B. Maple, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter Fast Track Communication 25, 422201 (2013).  Enhancement of superconductivity near the pressure-induced semiconductor-metal transition in BiS2-based superconductors LnO0.5F0.5BiS2 (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd).  (doi:10.1088/0953-8984/25/42/422201)
• D. Yazici, K. Huang, B. D. White, I. Jeon, V. W. Burnett, A. J. Friedman, I. K. Lum, M. Nallaiyan, S. Spagna, and M. B. Maple, Phys. Rev. B 87, 174512 (2013).  Superconductivity induced by electron doping in the system La1-xMxOBiS2 (M = Ti, Zr, Hf, Th).  (doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.87.174512)
• D. Yazici, K. Huang, B. D. White, A. H. Chang, A. J. Friedman, and M. B. Maple, Phil. Mag. 93, 673 (2013).  Superconductivity of F-substituted LnOBiS2 (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Yb) compounds.  (doi:10.1080/14786435.2012.724185)
• B. D. White, J. J. Hamlin, K. Huang, L. Shu, I. K. Lum, R. E. Baumbach, M. Janoschek, and M. B. Maple, Phys. Rev. B Rapid Communications 86, 100502(R) (2012).  Insensitivity of the pressure dependence of characteristic energy scales in Ce1-xRxCoIn5 (R = Yb, Y, Gd) to rare earth ion electronic configuration.  (doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.86.100502)
• J. L. Cohn, B. D. White, C. A. M. dos Santos, and J. J. Neumeier, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 056604 (2012).  Giant Nernst Effect and Bipolarity in the Quasi-One-Dimensional Metal Li0.9Mo6O17.  (doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.056604)
• R. K. Bollinger, B. D. White, J. J. Neumeier, H. R. Z. Sandim, Y. Suzuki, C. A. M. dos Santos, R. Avci, A. Migliori, and J. B. Betts, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 075503 (2011).  Observation of a Martensitic Structural Distortion in the Elements V, Nb, and Ta.  (doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.075503)
• B. D. White, W. M. Pätzold, and J. J. Neumeier, Phys. Rev. B 82, 094439 (2010).  Three-dimensional Ising behavior of antiferromagnetic Bi2CuO4.  (doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.82.094439)
• B. D. White, J. A. Souza, C. Chiorescu, J. J. Neumeier, and J. L. Cohn, Phys. Rev. B 79, 104427 (2009).  Magnetic, transport, and thermodynamic properties of CaMn2O4 single crystals.  (doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.79.104427)
• B. D. White, C. A. M. dos Santos, J. A. Souza, K. J. McClellan, and J. J. Neumeier, J. Cryst. Growth 310, 3325 (2008).  Crystal growth and characterization of Marokite CaMn2O4+delta.  (doi:10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2008.04.005)
• C. A. M. dos Santos, M. S. da Luz, Yi-Kuo Yu, J. J. Neumeier, J. Moreno, and B. D. White, Phys. Rev. B 77, 193106 (2008).  Electrical transport in single crystalline Li0.9Mo6O17: A two-band Luttinger liquid exhibiting a Bose metal behavior.  (doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.77.193106)
• C. A. M. dos Santos, B. D. White, Yi-Kuo Yu, J. J. Neumeier, and J. A. Souza, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 266405 (2007).  Dimensional crossover in the purple bronze Li0.9Mo6O17. (doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.266405)