========================================================== ========================================================== Resume of Valentin A. Levashov -------------------------------------------- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 Tel: (517) 355-9200 ext. 2346 Email: levashov@pa.msu.edu Web site: http://www.pa.msu.edu/~levashov/ Citizenship: Russian. Should become US citizen this spring. Languages: Russian – native, English-fluent, French – moderate. -------------------------------------------- Education ------------------------------------------------ Ph.D. in Physics, Jan. 1998 - present Physics and Astronomy Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI Research under supervision of Prof. M.F. Thorpe ------------------------------------------------ M.S. in Physics, Sep. 1995 - June.1997 (Diploma with Honors), Section of Low Temperature Physics, Physics Department, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia Thesis: Calculation of electronic properties of linear chain of fullerenes. Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Novosibirsk, Russia. Reseach under supervision of A.A. Remova and V.R. Belosludov. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B.S. in Physics, Sep. 1991-June 1995 Section of Physics of Elementary Particles, Physics Department, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia Institute of Nuclear Physics, Novosibirsk, Russia. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HONORS 1. First place for the best Masters thesis work, June 1997 Section of Low Temperature Physics, Physics Department, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia 2. Diploma of the third degree on the Siberian Physical Olympiad, 1989 Novosibirsk, Russia, e.t.c. in a school years. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Publications 1. V.A. Levashov, M.F.Thorpe, S.J.L Billinge, Developing a technique for accurate calculation of Pair Distribution Function for flexible molecules. (In preparation) 2. V.A. Levashov, M.F.Thorpe, S.J.L Billinge, Observable microscopic density fluctuations and the Gauss Circle Problem (In preparation to PRL). 3. V.A. Levashov, M.F.Thorpe, S.J.L Billinge, The origin of decay of Pair Distribution Function at large distances (In preparation for Phys. Rev. B). 4. V.A. Levashov, M.F.Thorpe, B.W.Soutern, Charged lattice gas with a neutralizing background. Phys. Rev. B 67 224109 (2003) 5. M.F. Thorpe, V.A. Levashov, M. Lei and S.J.L. Billinge, Notes on the analysis of data for Pair Distribution Function, in From Semiconductors to Proteins: Beyond the Average Structure, S.J.L. Billinge and M.F. Thorpe (Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publisher, 2002), pp. 105-128. 6. V.A. Levashov, A.A. Remova, V.R. Belosludov, Linear chains of fullerenes under pressure, Molecular crystals and liquid crystals. 10 (1-4): 197-200 (1998) 7. V.A. Levashov, A.A. Remova, V.R. Belosludov, Electronic structure of linear chains of fullerenes, Jetp Letters 65 (8): 683-686 (1997) 8. Remova AA, Levashov VA, Shpakov VP, Paek UH, Belosludov VR, Cooperative Jahn-Teller effect and the band structures of KxC60 crystals, Synthetic Metals, 86 (1-3): 2391-2392 (1997) 9. V.A. Levashov, A.A. Remova, V.R. Belosludov, Polarons in linear chains of fullerenes, Jetp Letters 64 (8): 567-572 (1996) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REFERENCES ----------------- Ph. D. Thesis Adviser: Michael. F. Thorpe Professor of Physics, Chemistry & Biochemistry Arizona State University E-mail: mfthorpe@asu.edu Phone: (480) 965-3085 Bateman Physical Sciences PSF 359 Tempe, AZ 85287-1504 ----------------- Research collaborator: Simon J. L. Billinge Associate Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy Michigan State University E-mail: billinge@pa.msu.edu Phone: (517) 355-9200 ext. 2202 Room 4268 Biomedical and Physical Science Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1116. ----------------- Research collaborator Byron W. Southern Professor, Statistical Physics (Theory) Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Manitoba E-mail: souther@cc.umanitoba.ca Phone: (204) 474-6179Room: 320 Allen Building Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Manitoba Winnipeg, ManitobaR3T 2N2 Canada ----------------- Professor that taught class on superconductivity that I took and the member of my guidance committee Phillip M. Duxbury Professor, Condensed Matter Theory Department of Physics and Astronomy Michigan State University. E-mail: duxbury@pa.msu.edu Phone: (517) 355-9200 ext. 2301 Room 4260 Biomedical and Physical Science Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1116. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conferences 1. V.A. Levashov, M.F.Thorpe, S.J.L Billinge, Absence of decay in the amplitude of Pair Distribution Function at large distances, APS March meeting 2003, Austin TX, USA. 10 minutes talk. 2. V.A. Levashov and M.F. Thorpe, The Shape of the Pair Distribution Function, Center for Fundamental Materials Research meeting 2001, Michigan Sate University, East Lansing, MI, USA. Poster. 3. V.A. Levashov, M.F. Thorpe and M. Lei, The Peak Shape of the Pair Distribution Function, at From Semiconductors to Proteins: Beyond the Average Structure, Travers City (2000), MI, USA Poster 4. V. Levashov and M.F. Thorpe, Lattice - Gas Model for Intercalation Compounds: Voltage-Discharge Behavior. 47th Annual Midwest Solid State Conference and Solid State Theory Symposium, Ohio University, 1999. Poster 5. V.A. Levashov, A.A. Remova, V.R.Belosludov, Properties of linear chains of fullerenes, June30-July 4,1997, St.Petersburg, Russia. Poster 6. A.A. Remova, V.A. Levashov. V.P.Shpakov, I-N.Pack, V.R. Belosludov, The cooperative Jahn-Teller effect and band structure of KxC60 crystals, International Conference on Science and Technology of Synthetic Metals, 1996, Snowbird, Utah, USA, 1996. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ph. D. Research experience (Since January 1998 –present) I have worked with Prof. Michael F. Thorpe (Condensed matter physics theory group at Michigan State University) in the period of time since January 1999 until December 2003 on several different projects. In particularly we studied possible orderings and phase transitions in a model system of two types on ions (long-range Coulomb interaction) on 2D triangular lattice. This work is related to the charge ordering that occur in systems of Ni, Al double hydroxides. This work included analytical calculations as well as numerical simulations. Keywords: Ising model, long range interaction, devils staircase, transfer matrix technique, MC simulations Analyzing X-ray and neutron scattering data. Other works related to the properties of atomic Pair Distribution Function (PDF) that can be obtained by Fourier transform of the scattering intensity in X-ray or neutron diffraction experiments. In particularly, in calculation of PDF it is usually assumed that peaks that occur in PDF at average interatomic distances in solid materials have gaussian lineshape. We studied the validity of this approximation and possible deviations from this gaussian lineshape. We also studied the role of finite experimental resolution and possible ways (improvements) of how it cold be taken into account in order to achieve better agreement between measures and calculated PDFs. Keywords: lineshape of the peaks in pair distribution function, role of the finite instrumental resolution Another project was about behavior of PDF at large distances. PDF traditionally was used to study atomic correlations in amorphous materials or liquids at small distances. In such materials as distance increases amplitude of peaks in PDF quickly decrease and thus experimental PDF at large distances is featureless. The same behavior with a slower rate of decay of PDF with distance was commonly assumed (but not studied) for the crystalline structures. Puzzled by observation that PDF calculated for the face centered cubic (fcc) structure of Ni does not exhibit decay with increase of the distance we studied behavior of PDF at large distances. Some rather surprising results were obtained. My final project concerns accurate calculation of PDF function for flexible molecules. Previously in the group of Prof. M.F. Thorpe was developed technique for a very accurate calculation of PDF for crystalline and amorphous materials. This technique allows to achieve extremely good agreement between experimental and modeled PDF up to the distance 20-30 Å. The idea was to develop a technique that would allow to calculate PDF for flexible molecules (read proteins) as accurately as for amorphous and crystalline materials. In traditional calculation of PDF for relatively complex molecules Monte Carlo (MC) or Molecular Dynamics (MD) techniques are used. Quantum calculations, like Car-Parinello techniques, are too slow to model the properties of complex molecules. Thus quantum effects are usually ignored in calculations of PDF for complex molecules. We found a way and developed a technique that allows to incorporate QM effects into results of classical MD simulations. This can potentially significantly improve agreement between modeled and experimental PDF especially at small distances. Keywords: Molecular dynamics simulations, role of zero point motion, pair distribution function, flexibility in molecules During my first year at MSU I worked with Prof. D. Tomanek on Molecular Dynamics modeling of ferrofluid behavior. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- M. S. Research experience (Since September 1995 until June 1997) During my M.S. program at Novosibirsk State University I was modeling electronic properties of linear chain of fullerenes. It is known that if in fullerite crystal (crystal structure formed by fullerene molecules) introduced a metal atom (donor) that donates electrons to the structure, then under some conditions fullerene molecules can polymerize. Such structures exhibit pressure dependent conductivity. We tried to model this behavior by solving Shroedinger equation for electrons in Bohr-Oppengeimer (nuclei move much slower than electrons so that in calculation of electronic structure it can be assumed that nuclei are motionless) approximation. On the other hand, if electronic structure is known, the forces that act on nuclei could be found. By solving this two problems self-consistently we were able to find how electronic charge distribution (polarons) and carbon-carbon bond lengths depend on the distance between the centers of fullerene molecules (pressure). We found that at some distance (pressure) there occurs sharp redistribution of electronic charge on the surface of the molecule. This is in agreement with experimental evidence of metal to week insulator transition that was observed. Keywords: Electronic structure, electron-phonon interaction, fullerenes, charge distribution, numerical calculations --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B.S. Research experience (Since October 1993 until July 1995) In order to detect products of electron-positron collisions that occur in KMD-2 detector (at the Budker’s Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP), Novosibirsk, Russia) in particularly it is necessary to measure the energies of photons that occur as the products of decay of the different secondary particles. For this purposes BGO (Bismuth-Gallium) scincillator crystals (grown in Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Novosibirsk, Russia) and phototriodes developed in INP are used. In order to use them it is necessary to study their properties. Keywords:properties of phototriods (phototubes) and scincillator crystals ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Computer experience Fortran (primary programming language with 7 years of experience) . C++ 2 years of experience. LaTeX PostScript HTML Used Programs Gaussian98, Tinker, Mathematica, Maple ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some graduate courses that I took: Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry II (Computational chemistry 988) Selected Topics in Artificial Intelligence 941 (Genetic Algorithms) Condensed matter Physics, Phys. 853 Condensed matter magnetism, Phys 972 Superconductivity, Phys 871 Advanced Quantum Mechanics, Phys 853 Topics in Nuclear Physics: Nuclear Structure 982 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Teaching experince Grader for the graduate course: Condensed Matter Physics taught by S.J.L. Billinge, Fall Semester 1999. Taught introductory physics labs (mechanics, electricity, optics). Fall semester 1998. Grader for the graduate course: Electricity and Magnetism part 2, taught by V.G. Zelevinsky. Spring 1998 Answering students question and grading their works for CBI courses. Spring 1998. Teaching physics in High School and teaching special course “Terrible problems of Elementary Physics” devoted to solving Olympiads problems. Fall 1996 and Spring 1997. Special English School #10. Novosibirsk, Russia. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------