Brief Vita

• Elizabeth M. Bains and James A. Bains Professor of Physics and Astronomy, February 2024 – Present
• Professor, University of Tennessee, August 2023 – January 2024
• Associate Professor, University of Tennessee, August 2014 – August 2023
• Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee, January 2014 – July 2019
• Max-Planck/UBC Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia, August 2012 – December 2013
• Post Doctoral Researcher, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, July 2010 – June 2012
• Visiting Researcher, SLAC National Accelerator laboratory, September 2007 – June 2010
• PhD, University of Waterloo, October 2006 – June 2010
• Ms.c., University of Waterloo, September 2003 – October 2006
• B. Eng. Physics, McMaster University, September 1998 – April 2003

Research

My research interests lie in condensed matter physics with a focus on applying numerical methods to strongly correlated electrons, multi-orbital systems, and electron-boson interactions. I have a specific interest in studying high-temperature superconductivity in both the iron-pnictides and cuprates and developing new computational methods. My research often makes direct contact with spectroscopies (including angle-resolved photoemission, scanning tunneling microscopy, and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering) to unravel the meaning of results obtained using these complicated techniques. For further details, please visit my group’s web page.

Honors

• UT Graduate Physics Society Teacher of the Year (2023)

Links

• Johnston Research Group
• UT Condensed Matter Physics

Highlights

• X-rays Reveal Electronic Details of Nickel-based Superconductors
• Stealing Electrons and Reversing Time
• Designing Quantum Materials for Transformational Technologies
• The Only Game in Town

For Prospective Students

I currently have positions available for highly motivated undergraduate and graduate students who are interested pursuing research in theoretical condensed matter physics and computational methods. If you are interested, please e-mail or call me.

Selected Recent Publications

1. S. Li and S. Johnston, Quantum Monte Carlo study of lattice polarons in the two-dimensional multi-orbital Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model. arXiv:1901.07614 (2020).
2. T. Keen, T. Maier, S. Johnston, and P. Lougovski, Quantum-classical simulation of two-site dynamical mean-field theory on noisy quantum hardware. Quantum Science and Technology 5, 035001 (2020).
3. S. Li, P. M. Dee, E. Khatami, and S. Johnston, Accelerating lattice quantum Monte Carlo simulations using artificial neural networks: Application to the Holstein model. Physical Review B 100, 020302(R) (2019).
4. A. Nocera, U. Kumar, N. Kaushal, G. Alvarez, E. Dagotto, and S. Johnston, Computing Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering Spectra Using The Density Matrix Renormalization Group Method. Scientific Reports 8, 11080 (2018).
5. J. Shamblin, M. Heres, H. Zhou, J. Sangoro, M. Lang, J. Neuefeind, J. A. Alonso, and Steven Johnston, Experimental evidence for bipolaron condensation as a mechanism for the metal-insulator transition in rare-earth nickelates. Nature Communication 9, 86 (2018).
6. J. Schlappa, U. Kumar, K. J. Zhou, S. Singh, M. Mourigal, V. N. Strocov, A. Revcolevschi, L. Patthey, H.M. Rønnow, S. Johnston, and T. Schmitt, Probing multi-spinon excitations outside of the two-spinon continuum in the antiferromagnetic spin chain cuprate Sr₂CuO₃. Nature Communications 9, 5394 (2018).
7. N. C. Plumb, D. J. Gawryluk, Y. Wang, Z. Ristić, J. Park, B. Q. Lv, Z. Wang, C. E. Matt, N. Xu, T. Shang, K. Conder, J. Mesot, S. Johnston, M. Shi, and M. Radović, Momentum-resolved electronic structure of the high-T_c superconductor parent compound BaBiO₃. Physical Review Letters 117, 037002 (2016).
8. Louk Rademaker, Yan Wang, Tom Berlijn, and Steve Johnston, Enhanced superconductivity due to forward scattering in FeSe thin films on SrTiO₃ substrates. New Journal of Physics 18, 022001 (2016). Fast Track Communication.
9. Shaozhi Li and S. Johnston, The effects of non-linear electron-phonon interactions on superconductivity and charge-density-wave correlations. Europhysics Letters 109, 27007 (2015).
10. J. J. Lee, F. T. Schmitt, R. G. Moore, S. Johnston, Y. T. Cui, W. Li, M. Yi, Z. K. Liu, M. Hashimoto, Y. Zhang, D. H. Lu, T. P. Devereaux, D. H. Lee, and Z. X. Shen, Interfacial mode coupling as the origin of the enhancement of Tc in FeSe films on SrTiO3. Nature 515 245 (2014).

Please see my Google scholar profile for a complete list of publications.