Laboratoire de Physique Théorique
Toulouse - UMR 5152

Aim and objectives

Following the tradition of the previous successful meetings that have started in 2009, the Theory Days workshop aims at stimulating constructive discussions, collaborations, and knowledge exchange among a selected group of theoreticians. This year the workshop will be dedicated to various methods and numerical treatments of the irradiation of nanodevices.

Since the discovery of radioactivity and X rays in the late 19th century, understanding the interactions and effects of radiation (from photons, electrons or heavier particles such as protons and heavy ions) has been of tremendous importance in a large variety of scientific fields. The aim is either to minimize radiation damage for example in electronic devices, or, on the contrary, to use radiation effects, for instance for therapeutic purposes. Modeling of the effects of radiation on systems has been continuously evolving for decades in many domains as material science. We here focus on components and electronic devices in particular, either in academic research or in an industrial context. Indeed, the size reduction of electronic devices now invading our all day life makes a deep understanding and control of radiation effects a major pressing scientific and industrial issue.

However the effects of irradiation in nanosystems are extremely complex since the players (electrons and ions) respond on very different time scales (from fs up to ps, or even ns) and can imply very different length scales. During the past decades, various approaches dedicated to a specific length and/or time scale have been developed. The development of multiscale theoretical tools (sub-fs / 100 fs / 10 ps and 0.1 nm / 10 nm) addressing electronic excitation and ionization in nanodevices represents a key challenge in this context. The objective of this workshop is to review the existing methods at different scales, to question the consistency between them and to possibly address a methodology to establish a continuum from microscopic to macroscopic descriptions.

We plan to gather people from various groups working in this domain, mostly in western Europe. The workshop is intended to be a working forum, thus rather informal. The format will consist in a series of long detailed talks, typically 1 hour (40 mn talk + 15 mn for questions) focusing in particular on ongoing problems and open ends. We thus urge participants to prepare their talks in this spirit. Ultimately a most efficient organization would consist in having a limited number of talks per representative group in order to avoid doublings.

If a consensus is reached during the workshop it would be highly profitable to envision a sequel to this workshop in order to possibly establish, at best collaborative links between the various groups with possible exchange of researchers and students, at worst an ongoing follow up of progress in the field.

Scientific program

The preliminary scientific program can be found below.

Wed November 30th

Thu December 1st

Fri December 2nd

Practical aspects

Access to Toulouse

Airports

Toulouse airport is connected to major west European airports and hubs (Paris Orly and Roissy Charles de Gaulle, Munich, Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam) with regular connections by Air France/KLM, Lufthansa, British Airways for the major companies and also with connections by (Low Cost) Easy Jet. Plane provides by far the simplest access to Toulouse with reasonable fees for sufficiently early booking.

There is a shuttle to downtown (first stop at Compans Caffarelli, on line B of metro) every 20 mn (cost is 5 euros for a one-way combined shuttle/metro ticket, no special fare for a return trip).

As soon as one catches the shuttle, it takes about half an hour to get to the University, thanks to the connection with line B at Compans Caffarelli station (direction "Ramonville" to get to the university).

An alternative access is provided by Carcassone airport (about 45 minutes by car from Toulouse) which has a Low Cost access through Ryanair.

In case of major problem, we shall organize some transfer. It would be useful to know sufficiently in advance such details.

Train

Central station is Toulouse Matabiau connected to line A of the metro and is connected to major French cities.

Lodging and meals

We cover lodging, meals, and local transportation during the duration of the workshop (arrival Nov 30, departure Dec 2). The participants should then note that the travel costs will not be covered.

The hotel is the Hôtel Riquet (92 rue Riquet | 31000 Toulouse). It is located in between the metro stations Jean Jaurès and Marengo SCNF on line A.

Lunches will take place at the restaurant l’Esplanade on the campus of the university.

Dinner on Wed Nov 30 will take place at the restaurant Le Bibent on the Capitole square, and on Thu Dec 1st at the restaurant Le Carré Rouge near the Carmes metro station.

Directions to the meeting venue

• Take metro line B at Jean Jaurès station, direction Ramonville Saint-Agne
• Get off at "Universite Paul Sabatier"
• Exit towards the university
• Follow the indications of the map below.