Brief Vita

• Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee (2021-Present)
• Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee (2013-2021)
• Assistant Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee (2007-2013)
• Research Associate, GLAM, Physics Department, Stanford University, (2006-2007)
• Beamline Scientist (Bl. 10.0.1), Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2006-2007)
• Visiting Scientist, Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2003-2006)
• Postdoctoral Fellow, GLAM, Physics Department, Stanford University, (2003-2006)
• PhD in Physics, University of California, Davis, Department of Physics (2003)
• Laurea in Fisica (Master in Physics), Universita’ degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy (1996)
  

Selected Honors

• Professional Promise in Research and Creative Achievement, University of Tennessee (2013)
• Society of Physics Students Outstanding Teacher Award (2013)
• National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2011)

Research

We work in the area of Experimental Condensed Matter Physics. Our group focuses on trying to understand how the macroscopic properties of complex materials originate from the microscopic interactions of electrons among themselves (electron correlations), and other degrees of freedoms such as lattice and spin. Our approach is based on spectroscopic techniques in the ultraviolet and soft x-ray regime available in our Laboratory at the Institute of Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (IAMM), or at Synchrotron Radiation Facilities. We most frequently use techniques such as angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), core level photoemission spectroscopy (PES), x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and soft x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES).

Some of the most recent projects include the study of Fe-based high temperature superconductors (pnictides and FeSe thin films), materials for energy storage (delafossites, N/Cr-doped TiO₂), and materials for spintronic applications

Teaching

Professor Mannella has taught the following courses:

• Physics 231 and Physics 232: Fundamentals of Physics: Waves, Optics and Modern Physics
• Physics 311: Classical Mechanics
• Physics 431: Electricity and Magnetism
• Physics 541: Electromagnetic Theory
• Physics 571: Mathematical Methods for Physics

Some Recent Publications

Google Scholar Profile

Disentangling electronic, lattice, and spin dynamics in the chiral helimagnet Cr_1/3NbS₂
N. Sirica, H. Hedayat, D. Bugini, M. R. Koehler, L. Li, D. S. Parker, D. G. Mandrus, C. Dallera, E. Carpene, and N. Mannella, Physical Review B 104, 174426 (2021).

The Nature of Ferromagnetism in the Chiral Helimagnet Cr_1/3NbS₂
N. Sirica, P. Vilmercati, F. Bondino, I. Pis, S. Nappini, S. –K. Mo, A. V. Federov, P. K. Das, I. Vobornik, J. Fujii,  L. Li, D. Sapkota, D. S. Parker, D. G. Mandrus, and N. Mannella, Nature Communications Physics 3, 65 (2020).

Doping dependence of the magnitude of fluctuating spin moments in the normal state of the pnictide superconductor Sr(Fe_1−xCo_x)₂As₂ inferred from photoemission spectroscopy
Paolo Vilmercati, Yeongkwan Kim, Sung-Kwan Mo, Michael McGuire, Brian Sales, David Mandrus, Wei Ku, Luigi Sangaletti, David J. Singh, and Norman Mannella, Physical Review B 99, 155132 (2019)

Non-rigid band shift and non-monotonic electronic structure changes upon doping in the normal state of the pnictide high-temperature superconductor Ba(Fe_1-xCo_x)₂As₂.
Paolo Vilmercati, Sung-Kwan Mo, Alexei Fedorov, Michael McGuire, Athena Sefat, Brian Sales, David Mandrus, David J. Singh, Wei Ku, Steve Johnston, and Norman Mannella, Physical Review B 94, 195147 (2016)

Electronic structure of the chiral helimagnet and 3d-intercalated transition metal dichalcogenide Cr_1/3NbS₂
N. Sirica, S.-K. Mo, F. Bondino, I. Pis, S. Nappini, P. Vilmercati, J. Yi, Z. Gai, P. C. Snijders, P. K. Das, I. Vobornik, N. Ghimire, M. R. Koehler, L. Li, D. Sapkota, D. S. Parker, D. G. Mandrus, and N. Mannella, Physical Review B 94, 075141 (2016)

Spectroscopic evidence for strong quantum spin fluctuations with itinerant character in YFe₂Ge₂
N. Sirica, F. Bondino, S. Nappini, I. Pis, L. Poudel, A. D. Christianson, D. Mandrus, D. J. Singh, and N. Mannella, Physical Review B – Rapid Communications, 91, 212102(R), (2015)

The magnetic moment enigma in Fe-based high temperature superconductors (Invited review article)
N. Mannella, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 26, 473202 (2014)

Origins of Electronic Band Gap Reduction in Cr/N Codoped TiO₂
C. Parks Cheney, P. Vilmercati, E.W. Martin, M. Chiodi, L. Gavioli, M. Regmi, G. Eres, T. A. Callcott, H. H. Weitering, and N. Mannella, Physical Review Letters 112, 036404 (2014)

Highlights in the Press

Catching Rays: UT Physicists Look at Turning Sunlight into Current
Web Feature on UT Physics Site, April 22 (2014)

Norman Mannella’s NSF CAREER Research Imposes Coherence on Complex Systems
Feature in UT Physics Newsletter (Spring/Summer 2012)

Three Researchers Win CAREER Awards
Highlighted in Tennessee Today, June 19 (2012)

UT Physics Honors Day 2012 (Norman Mannella Named UT Society of Physics Students Teacher of the Year)
Highlighted in UT Physics News, April 23 (2012)

A Class of Their Own – New Superconductors Defy Conventional Models
Highlighted in UT Physics News, July 13 (2009)

Polaron Coherence Condensation in Layered Colossal Resistive Manganites
Highlighted in ALSNews vol. 289, July 30 (2008)

Experiments debunk ‘pseudogap’ role in superconductivity, pave way to practical superconductors
Highlighted in Physorg.com/news10505, Feb. 2 (2006)

Experiments debunk ‘pseudogap’ role in superconductivity
Highlighted in Stanford Report, Feb. 1 (2006)

Pseudogaps Are Not The Answer
Highlighted in Science @ Berkeley Lab., Jan 30 (2006)

Pseudogaps, polarons, and the mystery of high-Tc superconductivity
Highlighted in ALSNews, vol. 264 (2006)

Condensed-matter physics: Focus on the Fermi surface
Highlighted in Nature 438, 435 (2005)

A Different Spin on Future Data Storage
Highlighted in Science @ Berkeley Lab., March 03 (2005)

Polaron Behavior in CMR Manganites
Highlighted in ALSNews, vol. 249 (2005)