Sylvain Bréchet
EPFL SB SPH-GE
PH D1 324 (Bâtiment PH)
Station 3
1015 Lausanne
+41 21 693 44 12
Office:
PH D1 324
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Website: https://sph.epfl.ch/
+41 21 693 44 12
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Website: https://sph.epfl.ch/
+41 21 693 44 12
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Current work
His research activities in the group of Prof. Jean-Philippe Ansermet focuses on theoretical modeling in condensed matter physics and more particularly in spintronics.
Merging the fields of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, continuum mechanics and electromagnetism, he brought new insight to spintronics and spincaloritronics and also to nematics and fluid mechanics.
In particular, he predicted the existence of a fundamental irreversible thermodynamic effect now known as the Magnetic Seebeck effect. This effect was verified experimentally in the group of Prof. Jean-Philippe Ansermet.
Currently, he is developing a rigorous theoretical approach for the algebraic formulation of non-relativistic quantum molecular dynamics where the vibrational, rotational and magnetic degrees of freedom are treated in a purely quantum framework. The dynamics of the quantum molecular system is described by quantum statistical master equations.
Sylvain Bréchet was born on October 13th, 1981 in Moudon (legal origin Epesses, VD, Switzerland).
He obtained a Master of Science in physics at EPFL in 2005. He went on to Cambridge for his PhD studies in theoretical cosmology from 2005 to 2009 under the supervision of Prof. Lasenby (FRS) and Prof. Michael Hobson at the Cavendish Laboratory of the University of Cambridge.
He went back to EPFL where he is since 2010 university lecturer and research scientist in the Institute of Condensed Matter Physics. He taught classical mechanics, special relativity and thermodynamics to mechanical, electrical engineering students and physics students.
He is currently writing a textbook in thermodynamics.
Articles
Onsager-Casimir reciprocal relations as a consequence of the equivalence between irreversibility and dissipation
Journal Of Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics. 2023. DOI : 10.1515/jnet-2023-0069.Magnetic Contribution to the Seebeck Effect
Entropy. 2018. DOI : 10.3390/e20120912.Heat-driven spin torques in antiferromagnets
Journal of Physics D : Applied Physics. 2018. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6463/aab2f7.Spin Caloritronics, origin and outlook
Physics Letters A. 2017. DOI : 10.1016/j.physleta.2016.12.038.Thermal spin torques in magnetic insulators
Physical Review B. 2017. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevB.95.104432.Quantum molecular master equations
Physical Review A. 2016. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevA.94.042505.Magnetic Nernst effect
Modern Physics Letters B. 2015. DOI : 10.1142/S0217984915502462.Variational principle for magnetisation dynamics in a temperature gradient
Europhysics Letters - European Physical Society Letters (EPL). 2015. DOI : 10.1209/0295-5075/112/17006.Quantum description of a rotating and vibrating molecule
European Physical Journal d Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics. 2015. DOI : 10.1140/epjd/e2015-60019-6.Magnetoelectric effect in a hydrogen molecule
Modern Physics Letters B. 2014. DOI : 10.1142/S0217984914500705.Kinetic initial conditions for inflation
Physical Review D [1970-2015]. 2014. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevD.89.063505.Evidence for a Magnetic Seebeck Effect
Physical Review Letters. 2013. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.087205.Thermodynamics of continuous media with intrinsic rotation and magnetoelectric coupling
Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics. 2013. DOI : 10.1007/s00161-013-0294-9.Thermodynamics of a continuous medium with electric and magnetic dipoles
The European Physical Journal B. 2013. DOI : 10.1140/epjb/e2013-40069-4.Magnetoelectric Ponderomotive Force
Modern Physics Letters B. 2013. DOI : 10.1142/S0217984913501509.Thermodynamics of continuous media with electromagnetic fields
The European Physical Journal B. 2012. DOI : 10.1140/epjb/e2012-30719-4.Lagrange Equations Coupled to a Thermal Equation: Mechanics as Consequence of Thermodynamics
Entropy. 2011. DOI : 10.3390/e13020367.Heat-driven spin currents on large scales
Physica Status Solidi (Rrl) Rapid Research Letters. 2011. DOI : 10.1002/pssr.201105180.Classical big-bounce cosmology: dynamical analysis of a homogeneous and irrotational Weyssenhoff fluid
Classical and Quantum Gravity. 2008. DOI : 10.1088/0264-9381/25/24/245016.Weyssenhoff fluid dynamics in general relativity using a 1 + 3 covariant approach
Classical and Quantum Gravity. 2007. DOI : 10.1088/0264-9381/24/24/011.Vacuum decay on a brane world
Physical Review D [1970-2015]. 2005. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevD.71.104023.Articles
Onsager-Casimir reciprocal relations as a consequence of the equivalence between irreversibility and dissipation
Journal Of Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics. 2023-12-15. DOI : 10.1515/jnet-2023-0069.Magnetic Contribution to the Seebeck Effect
Entropy. 2018-11-30. DOI : 10.3390/e20120912.Heat-driven spin torques in antiferromagnets
Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics. 2018. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6463/aab2f7.Quantum molecular master equations
Physical Review -Series a-. 2016. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevA.94.042505.Variational principle for magnetisation dynamics in a temperature gradient
Europhysics Letters. 2015. DOI : 10.1209/0295-5075/112/17006.Magnetic Nernst effect
Modern Physics Letters B. 2015. DOI : 10.1142/S0217984915502462.Quantum description of a rotating and vibrating molecule
European Physical Journal d Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics. 2015. DOI : 10.1140/epjd/e2015-60019-6.Rotational Heisenberg Inequalities
European Physical Journal d Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics. 2015.Magnetoelectric effect in a hydrogen molecule
Modern Physics Letters B. 2014. DOI : 10.1142/S0217984914500705.Kinetic initial conditions for inflation
Physical Review -Series d-. 2014. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevD.89.063505.Evidence for a Magnetic Seebeck Effect
Physical Review Letters. 2013. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.087205.Magnetoelectric Ponderomotive Force
Modern Physics Letters B. 2013. DOI : 10.1142/S0217984913501509.Thermodynamics of a continuous medium with electric and magnetic dipoles
European Physical Journal B Condensed Matter Physics. 2013. DOI : 10.1140/epjb/e2013-40069-4.Thermodynamics of continuous media with intrinsic rotation and magnetoelectric coupling
Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics. 2013. DOI : 10.1007/s00161-013-0294-9.Thermodynamics of continuous media with electromagnetic fields
European Physical Journal B Condensed Matter Physics. 2012. DOI : 10.1140/epjb/e2012-30719-4.Heat-driven spin currents on large scales
Physica Status Solidi (Rrl) Rapid Research Letters. 2011. DOI : 10.1002/pssr.201105180.Lagrange Equations Coupled to a Thermal Equation: Mechanics as Consequence of Thermodynamics
Entropy. 2011. DOI : 10.3390/e13020367.First-order adiabatic perturbations of a perfect fluid about a general FLRW background using the 1+3 covariant and gauge-invariant formalism
Physical Review D. 2009.Classical big-bounce cosmology: dynamical analysis of a homogeneous and irrotational Weyssenhoff fluid
Classical and Quantum Gravity. 2008. DOI : 10.1088/0264-9381/25/24/245016.Weyssenhoff fluid dynamics in general relativity using a 1 + 3 covariant approach
Classical and Quantum Gravity. 2007. DOI : 10.1088/0264-9381/24/24/011.Vacuum decay on a brane world
Physical Review -Series d-. 2005. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevD.71.104023.Livres
Thermodynamique
Lausanne: Presses Polytechniques et Universitaires Romandes (PPUR), 2016.Et la lumière fut
Romanel-sur-Lausanne: Ourania, 2012.Books
Thermodynamique
Lausanne: Presses Polytechniques et Universitaires Romandes (PPUR).Et la lumière fut
Romanel-sur-Lausanne: Ourania.Thèse de doctorat
Cosmological Perturbation Theory
University of Cambridge, 2009.PhD Thesis
Cosmological Perturbation Theory
University of Cambridge, 2009.Teaching & PhD
Courses
General physics : mechanics
PHYS-101(f)
Give the student the basic notions that will allow him or her to have a better understanding of physical phenomena, such as the mechanic of point masses. Acquire the capacity to analyse quantitatively the consequences of these effects with appropriate theoretical tools.
General physics : thermodynamics
PHYS-106(d)
The goal of General Physics is to give the student the basic notions to have a better understanding of physical phenomena. This objective is attained when the student can quantitatively analyse the consequences of these effects with the appropriate theoretical tools.
Mathematical methods (for SPH)
PHYS-216
This course complements the analysis and linear algebra courses by providing further mathematical methods and techniques required for 3rd year physics courses, in particular electrodynamics and quantum mechanics.