The ILL theory group was for many years guided by Ph.Nozieres. It has a world-recognized reputation as one of the best research and training groups for young postdoc scientists in theorical condensed-matter physics. A few names of former postdocs of the theory group (who are now leading scientists in dozens of Universities and government or private laboratories) illustrate this point: F.D.M. Haldane, P. Young, M. Fabrizio, A. Gogolin, H-J Schulz A. Wurger, F. Gebhard, Ch. Misbah, N. Cooper, M. Rozenberg, D. Grempel.

The primary research themes in the group are many-body and statistical physics in condensed matter. However the range of the group activities has smoothly expanded, covering soft-matter physics (liquid crystals, vesicles, membranes, and polymers), chemical dynamics and nanophysics (aiming to study molecular elements for quantum computations).

Since the beginning, the ILL theory group has worked in contact with experimentalists and theoreticians of the ILL, ESRF, and of the broader Grenoble scientific community. Together with our ESRF counterpart we form a joint ILL-ESRF theory group. Our excellent relations and close collaborations have led to a number of joint papers (and even larger number of acknowledgments for useful discussions). We also hold regular joint theory-seminars.

Numerical methods and simulations are an inseparable part of theoretical research. Most of our group members and visitors use their own codes, but when specific expertise is needed, support and collaboration with the Computing for Science group are also an important component.

The primary role of the ILL theory group is to serve as center for the exchange of scientific ideas and the promotion of contact not only between its member and the ILL/ESRF, CNRS and UJF experimentalists, but also with users and visitors to the Grenoble area from around the world.

See The ILL Theory Group Website