Alexey B. Kuzmenko - Optics @ Unige - Université de Genève

Address:
Département de Physique de la Matière Condensée
Université de Genève,
Quai Ernest-Ansermet 24,
CH1211 Genève 4, Switzerland
Present employment
Alexey B. Kuzmenko
Curriculum Vitae
(updated 3 Sept.2010)
Phone: +41 22 379 31 05
Fax: +41 22 379 68 69
E-mail: Alexey.Kuzmenko@ unige.ch
Web: http://optics.unige.ch/alexey/home_alexey.html
Since 2005: Maître d’Ensegneiment et de Recherche with a permanent contract,
University of Geneva, Switzerland;
This job involves about 60% of time spent for research (which includes guiding graduate students
and postdocs) and about 40% for teaching undergraduate students.
Presently, I supervise one PhD student and one postdoctorate researcher working on my projects,
supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation. In addition, I am a principal researcher in
several international collaborative projects as specified below.
Education and previous employments
2003 - 2005: postdoctoral researcher, University of Geneva, Switzerland
2000 - 2003: postdoctoral researcher, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
1996 - 1999: PhD student, P.L. Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems, Moscow, Russia
1994 -1995: trainee researcher, P.L.Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems, Moscow, Russia
1994: MS with cum laude, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), Russia
1988: graduated from a high school, specialized in physics and mathematics, Moscow, Russia
Scientific interests
Studying novel materials and nanostructures with unusual and useful electronic and optical
properties using an extensive set of optical spectroscopic techniques
Currently, I am focused on:
physical properties of atomically thin single crystals as compared to their bulk form
electrostatic control of the optical properties of 2D materials and interfaces
physics and applications of graphene and related materials
optical properties of topological insulators
high-temperature superconductivity
advanced techniques of optical spectroscopy (in the Terahertz-Infrared-Visible-UV ranges)
infrared and Raman microscopy
magnetooptics and infrared Hall effect (Faraday/Kerr rotation)
The physical issues that attract me the most:
Electronic correlations in metals and semiconductors

Couplings between charge, spin, orbital and lattice degrees of freedom in solids
Superconductivity
Most significant scientific results
Discovery of a giant Faraday rotation (up to 6 degrees) in single atomic graphene layer on SiC and its
explanation as due to the cyclotron resonance [I. Crassee et al. arxiv: 1007:5286, submitted to Nature
Physics].
First observation of a strong doping dependence of the intensity and the Fano asymmetry of the
infrared phonon G-peak in electrostatically gated bilayer graphene. An explanation of this effect
using the theories of Fano and Rice.This can be used for a contact-free characterization of graphene
[A.B.Kuzmenko et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 116804 (2009); E.Cappelluti et al., Phys. Rev. B 82
041402(R) (2010)].
Optical measurement of the electric-field induced bandgap in gated bilayer graphene [A.B.
Kuzmenko et al., Phys. Rev. B 80 165406 (2009)]. The existence of this gap is extremely important
for applications of graphene in electronics. Our paper appeared simultaneously with two other
independent papers reporting similar results [K.F. Mak et al. Rev. Lett. 102, 256405 (2009) and Y.
Zhang et al.Nature 459, 820 (2009)]. However, in contrast to other papers, we extracted selfconsistently
all tight-binding (SWMcC) parameters from the same set of optical data.
2
Experimental demonstration that the optical conductivity of graphite is equal to e / 4h
[A.B.
Kuzmenko et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 117401 (2008)], which is the universal value expected for
monolayer graphene. In the same paper we predicted that the optical transmission of monolayer
graphene should be dependent only on the fine-structure constant: T = 1−
πα . This was indeed
experimentally found in the group of A.K. Geim [R.R: Nair et al., Science 320, 1308 (2008)]. This
universal behaviour is of fundamental importance for the optical applications of graphene.
Establishing the two-band nature of the superconductivity in MgB2 using optical measurements [A.B.
Kuzmenko et al., Solid State Commun.121, 479 (2002)] and theoretical input [I.I. Mazin et al., Phys.
Rev. Lett. 89, 107002 (2002)].
Systematic study of the optical sum rules in a high-temperature superconductor Bi2212 as function of
doping [A.B. Kuzmenko et al. Phys. Rev. B. 72, 144503 (2005), F, Carbone et al., Phys. Rev. B. 74,
064510 (2006)]. It was shown that in the optimally and underdoped regime the total Drude weight
increases when entering the superconducting state, which implies a possible lowering of the
electronic kinetic energy below the SC transition, contrary to the predictions of the BCS theory.
However, in the overdoped regime, the BCS-like behaviour is observed. These finding have
important implications for the mechanism of superconductivity in the high-Tc cuprates, which is not
yet understood.
Development of a novel Kramers-Kronig constrained variational method of the analysis of optical
spectra [A.B. Kuzmenko, Rev. Sci. Instrum.76, 083108 (2005)], allowing the analysis of a great
variety of spectroscopic data. This method I implemented in a freely available program RefFIT
[http://optics.unige.ch/alexey/reffit.html], used at present by more the 50 optics groups in the world.
Observation of a strong spin-phonon coupling and an anomalous phonon softening in cupric oxide
CuO [Phys. Rev. B 63, 094303 (2001)], which was found later to be multiferroic. This material is a
parent compound of high-Tc cuprates. It is also widely used in the production of various
nanostructures.
References

Prof. D. van der Marel,
Département de Physique de la Matière Condensée, University of Geneva
Quai Ernest-Ansermet 24, 1211 Genève 2, Switzerland
Phone: +41 22 3796234
Prof. A.K. Geim,
Schuster Building-2.14, The School of Physics and Astronomy
The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL
Phone: +44 161 2754120
Prof. D.N. Basov,
Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, California
Phone: +1 858 822-1211
Guidance of PhD and Master students
I. Crassee: 2008-present, PhD student, Univ. of Geneva, Title “Optical spectroscopy of graphene”
S. Teitelbaum: 2009, Undergraduate research project, Univ. of Geneva, Title: “Exfoliation of Very
thin Films of BSCCO-2212”
M. Gueye: 2008-2009, MS student, Univ. of Geneva, Title: “Spectroscopie optique de couches
minces d’or pour une large bande de fréquences”
D. van Mechelen: 2004-2010, PhD student*, Univ. of Geneva, Title: “Charge and spin
electrodynamics of SrTiO3 and EuTiO3 studied by optical spectroscopy”
E. van Heumen: 2003-2009, PhD student*, Univ. of Geneva, Title: “Towards a quantitative
understanding of the high.Tc phenomenon”
V. Guritanu: 2003-2009, PhD student*, Univ. of Geneva, Title: “Optical study of strongly correlated
electrons in metals”
F. Carbone: 2003-2008, PhD student*, Univ. of Geneva, Title: “Spectroscopic signatures of
electronic correlations in superconductors and magnets”
I. Santoso: 2003, MS student*, Univ. of Geneva, Title: “Kinetic Energy Pairing in Cuprates”
N. Tombros: 2002-2003, MS student, Univ. of Groningen, Title: “Optical transmission of La2xSrxCuO4:
a new insight into the interplane conductivity”
A. S. Krechetov: 1997-1998, MS student**, P.L. Kapitza Institute: Title: “Optical properties of Basubstituted
YBa2Cu3O7-x“
* The main supervisor Prof. D. van der Marel
** The main supervisor Prof. E.A. Tishchenko
PhD Thesis
Title: “Infrared spectroscopy of CuO and Bi2O3”, Moscow, Russia (2000)
Publication statistics (according to Web of Science on 03.09.2010)

Number of publications: about 40
(the full list is given below)
1 review paper
6 conference proceedings
h-index : 14
Total number of citations: 768
Average citations per paper: 19.7
Grants and honors
Principal researcher in the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) grant #200020-130093
(2010-2012)
Principal researcher, SNSF grant #200021-120347/2 (2008-2010)
Hosting Scientist, Russian-Swiss collaborative project (STCP-CH-RU) of the Rectorate of the
University of Geneva (2009)
Participant and Organizer, SNSF SCOPES grant #IZ73Z0_128026/1 (Swiss-Russian-Ukranian
collaboration)
Participant, several Swiss project grants MaNEP/SNSF (2003-now)
Participant, several Dutch project grants FOM/NWO (1998-2003)
Participan, Grants of Russian Foundation for Basic Research (1998,1999)
Landau Fellowship, Forschungszentrum Julich (1996,1997)
George Soros Fellowship (1995, 1998, 1999)
Teaching
2005 - now: A course of Experimental Physics for undergraduate physics students of 2 nd year,
University of Geneva; teaching + administration (10 assistants / 25 experimental setups)
Specialized course “Infrared spectroscopy of Solids” for PhD students, MaNEP Doctoral School.
http://www.manep.ch/fr/education/phd/pdf/Kuzmenko_2008-11-20.pdf
1996 - now: the supervision of several MS and PhD projects in Moscow, Groningen and Geneva
2001-2002: Course “Quantum Physics”, exercises, University of Groningen
1991-1993: general physics and mathematics for college students, PhysTechCollege, Moscow
Referee work
Referee in the following journals: Nature, Science, Nano Letters, Physical Review Letters, Physical
Review B, Journal of Physics, Condensed Matter, Physica Status Solidi, Journal of Physics D:
Applied Physics, Journal of Vibrational Spectroscopy., New Journal of Physics, Review of Scientific
Instruments, European Physics Journal B
A panel referee in some national science foundations
Other scientific activities

Co-organizer of the International Conference on Low Energy Electrodynamics in Solids (LEES),
2010, Les Diablerets, Switzerland (www.lees2010.ch)
Author of RefFIT: versatile, user-friendly and free computer software to model optical spectra
(http://optics.unige.ch/alexey/reffit.html). Presently used by more than 50 optics groups in the world.
Languages
Russian – native language
English, French - fluent
Dutch, German – beginner level
Publications
43) Giant Faraday rotation in single and multilayer graphene
I. Crassee, J. Levallois, A. L. Walter, M. Ostler, A. Bostwick, E. Rotenberg, Th. Seyller, D. van der Marel,
and A. B. Kuzmenko
arXiv:1007:5286, submitted
42) Infrared study of lattice and magnetic dynamics in a spin-chain compound Gd2BaNiO5
S.A. Klimin, A.B. Kuzmenko, M.N. Popova, B.Z. Malkin, and I.V. Telegina
submitted to Phys. Rev. B (2010)
41) Phonon switching and combined Fano-Rice effect in optical spectra of bilayer graphene
E. Cappelluti, L. Benfatto, and A. B. Kuzmenko
Phys. Rev. B 82 041402(R) (2010)
40) Optical properties of BaFe2-xCoxAs2
E. van Heumen, Y. Huang, S. de Jong, A. B. Kuzmenko, M.S. Golden, and D. van der Marel
Eur. Phys. Lett. 90 37005 (2010)
39) Determination of the gate-tunable bandgap and tight-binding parameters in bilayer graphene using
infrared spectroscopy
A. B. Kuzmenko, I. Crassee, D. van der Marel, P. Blake, and K. S. Novoselov
Phys. Rev. B 80 165406 (2009), Editors’ Suggestion
38) Gate Tunable Infrared Phonon Anomalies in Bilayer Graphene
A. B. Kuzmenko, L. Benfatto, E. Cappelluti, I. Crassee, D. van der Marel, P. Blake, K. S. Novoselov, and
A. K. Geim
Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 116804 (2009)
37) Evidence for strongly coupled charge-density-wave ordering in three-dimensional
RE5Ir4Si10 compounds by optical measurements
E. van Heumen, W. Meevasana, A.B. Kuzmenko, H. Eisaki, and D. van der Marel
Phys. Rev. B 80 035107 (2009)
36) Doping dependent optical properties of Bi2201
E. van Heumen, W. Meevasana, A.B. Kuzmenko, H. Eisaki, and D. van der Marel
New J. Phys. 11 055067 (2009)
35) Infrared spectroscopy of electronic bands in bilayer graphene
A. B. Kuzmenko, E. van Heumen, D. van der Marel, P. Lerch, P. Blake, K.S. Novoselov, and A. Geim
Phys. Rev.B 79, 115441 (2009)
34) Optical determination of the relation between the electron-boson coupling function and the critical
temperature in high Tc cuprates
E. van Heumen, E. Muhlethaler, A.B. Kuzmenko, H. Eisaki, W. Meevasana, M. Greven, and D. van der

Marel
Phys Rev B, 79, 184512 (2009)
33) Optics clues to pairing glues in high Tc cuprates
E. van Heumen, A.B. Kuzmenko, and D. van der Marel
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 150, 05227 (2009)
32) Universal optical conductance of graphite
A.B. Kuzmenko, E. van Heumen, F. Carbone and D. van der Marel
Phys. Rev. Lett.100, 117401 (2008)
31) Electron-phonon interaction and charge carrier mass enhancement in SrTiO3
J.L.M. van Mechelen, D. van der Marel, C. Grimaldi, A.B. Kuzmenko, N.P. Armitage, N. Reyren, H.
Hagemann, and I.I. Mazin
Phys. Rev. Lett.100, 226403 (2008)
30) Impact of a finite cut-off for the optical sum rule in the superconducting state
F. Marsiglio, E. van Heumen, A.B. Kuzmenko
Phys. Rev. B 77, 144510 (2008)
29) Optical integral in the cuprates and the question of sum-rule violation
M.R. Norman, A.V. Chubukov, E. van Heumen, A.B. Kuzmenko and D. van der Marel
Phys. Rev. B 76, 220509 (2007)
28) Optical signatures of momentum-dependent hybridization of the local moments and conduction
electrons in Kondo lattices
K.S. Burch, S.V. Dordevic, F.P. Mena, A.B. Kuzmenko, D. van der Marel, J. L. Sarrao, J.R. Jeffries, E.D.
Bauer, M.B. Maple, and D.N. Basov
Phys. Rev. B 75, 054523 (2007)
27) Multiband and impurity effects in infrared and optical spectra of MgB2 (review)
A.B. Kuzmenko,
Physica C 456, 63 (2007)
26) Model-Independent Sum Rule Analysis Based on Limited-Range Spectral Data
A.B. Kuzmenko, D. van der Marel, F. Carbone, and F. Marsiglio,
New Journal of Physics, 9, 229 (2007)
25) Optical and thermodynamic properties of the high-temperature superconductor HgBa2CuO4+d
E. van Heumen, R. Lortz, A.B. Kuzmenko, F. Carbone, D. van der Marel, X. Zhao, G. Yu, Y. Cho, N.
Barisic, M. Greven, C.C. Homes, S.V. Dordevic
Phys. Rev. B 75, 054522 (2007)
24) Optical properties and electronic structure of ZrB12
J. Teyssier, A.B. Kuzmenko, D. van der Marel, F. Marsiglio, A.B. Liashchenko, N. Shitsevalova and V.
Filippov,
Phys. Rev. B 75, 134503 (2007)
23) Intraband optical spectral weight in the presence of a van Hove singularity: application to
Bi2S2CaCu2O8+d
F. Marsiglio, F. Carbone, A.B. Kuzmenko, and D. van der Marel
Phys. Rev. B 74 , 174516 (2006)
22) Electronic and optical properties of ZrB12 and YB6
J. Teyssier, A.B. Kuzmenko, D. van der Marel, R. Lortz, A. Junod, and N. Shitsevalova
Phys. Stat. Solidi C. 3, 3114 (2006)
21) Doping dependence of the redistribution of optical spectral weight in Bi2S2CaCu2O8+d
F. Carbone, A.B. Kuzmenko, H.J.A. Molegraaf, E. van Heumen, F. Marsiglio, and D. van der Marel, K.

Haule, G. Kotliar, H. Berger, S. Courjault, P.H. Kes, and M. Li
Phys. Rev. B. 74, 064510 (2006)
20) Scaling properties of the optical conductivity of Bi-based cuprates
D. van der Marel, F. Carbone, A.B. Kuzmenko, and E. Giannini
Annals of Physics 321, 1716 (2006)
19) In-plane optical spectral weight transfer in optimally doped Bi2S2Ca2Cu3O10
F. Carbone, A.B. Kuzmenko, H.J.A. Molegraaf, E. van Heumen, E. Giannini, and D. van der Marel
Phys. Rev. B. 74, 024502 (2006)
18) Anisotropic optical conductivity and two colors of MgB2
V. Guritanu, A.B. Kuzmenko, D. van der Marel, S.M. Kazakov, N.D. Zhigadlo, and J. Karpinski
Phys. Rev. B. 73, 104509 (2006)
17) Temperature-modulation analysis of superconductivity-induced transfer of in-plane spectral weight in
Bi2S2CaCu2O8
A.B. Kuzmenko, H.J.A. Molegraaf, F. Carbone, and D. van der Marel
Phys. Rev. B. 72, 144503 (2005)
16) Kramers-Kronig constrained variational analysis of optical spectra
A. B. Kuzmenko
Rev. Sci. Instrum.76, 083108 (2005)
15) Oxygen isotope effect in the optical conductivity of (La0.5 Pr0.5)0.7Ca0.3MnO3 thin films
F. P. Mena, A.B. Kuzmenko, A. Hadipour , D. van der Marel, and N.A. Babushkina
Phys. Rev. B. 72 , 134422 (2005)
14) Redistribution of the c-axis spectral weight and conductivity sum rules in LSCO as revealed by optical
transmission
A.B. Kuzmenko, N. Tombros, F.P. Mena, A. Hadipour, H.J.A. Molegraaf, D.van der Marel, M.Grüninger,
and S.Uchida
Physica C 408, 330 (2004)
13) c-axis optical sum rule and possible new collective mode in La2-xSrxCuO4
A.B. Kuzmenko, N. Tombros, H.J.A. Molegraaf, M.Grüninger, D.van der Marel, and S.Uchida
Phys. Rev. Lett. 91 , 037004 (2003); color version
12) Two-gap superconductivity in MgB2: clean or dirty?
I.I. Mazin , O.K. Andersen, O. Jepsen , O.V. Dolgov , J. Kortus , A. A. Golubov , A. B. Kuzmenko, and
D. van der Marel
Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 107002 (2002)
11) Manifestation of multiband optical properties of MgB2
A.B. Kuzmenko, F.P. Mena , H.J.A. Molegraaf , D. van der Marel, B. Gorshunov, M. Dressel, I.I. Mazin ,
J. Kortus , O.V.Dolgov, T. Muranaka, and J.Akimitsu
Solid State Commun.121, 479 (2002)
10) Optical measurements of the superconducting gap in MgB2
B. Gorshunov, C.A. Kuntscher, P. Haas, M. Dressel, F.P. Mena , A.B. Kuzmenko, D. van der Marel, T.
Muranaka, and J. Akimitsu
Euro. Phys. J. B 21, 159 (2001)
9) Infrared and optical study of a - and g -phase of Ce
J.W. van der Eb, A.B. Kuzmenko, and D. van der Marel
Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 3407 (2001)

8) Growth and morphological study of cupric oxide crystals
A.A. Bush, V.Ya. Shkuratov , A.B. Kuzmenko, and E.A. Tishchenko
Crystallography Reports 47, 335 (2001)
7) Infrared spectroscopic study of CuO : signatures of strong spin-phonon interaction and structural
distortion
A.B. Kuzmenko, D. van der Marel, P.J.M. van Bentum, E.A. Tishchenko , C.C. Presura, and A.A. Bush
Phys. Rev. B 63, 094303 (2001)
6) Phonon anomalies versus magnetic ordering in CuO
A.B. Kuzmenko, D. van der Marel, P.J.M. van Bentum, E.A. Tishchenko, C. Presura, and A.A. Bush
Physica B 284-288, 1396 (2000).
5) Extension of the Kramers-Kronig method for polarized infrared reflectance spectra from the face of
low-symmetry crystals
A.B. Kuzmenko, E.A. Tishchenko, and A.S. Krechetov
Opt. Spectrosc. 84, 402 (1997); cond-mat/9707106
4) Polarized infrared and neutron scattering studies of Bi2O3
A.B. Kuzmenko, E.A. Tishchenko, I.L. Sashin , M.N. Khlopkin, and V.G. Orlov
J. Low Temp. Phys. 105, 861 (1996)
3) Mechanisms for thermal degradation of YBaCu3O7-x
I.G. Gorichev, E.A. Tishchenko, V.I. Yashkichev, A.V. Khoroshilov and A.B. Kuzmenko
Inorganic Materials.32, 1213 (1996)
2) Polarized infrared reflectance spectra of single crystal Bi2O3
A.B. Kuzmenko, E.A.Tishchenko, A.N. Ivlev, and V.G. Orlov
Czech. J. Phys.46 , 2667 (1996)
1) Transverse optic modes in monoclinic a-Bi2O3
A.B. Kuzmenko, E.A. Tishchenko, and V.G. Orlov
J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 8, 6199 (1996)
Recent oral presentations (2008 – present, group seminars not included)
“Infrared conductance of graphite: implications for graphene physics”, seminar talk
University of Manchester, 23 January 2008, Manchester, UK
“Universal optical conductance of graphite”, contributed talk
Annual Meeting of the Swiss Physical Society, 26 March 2008, Geneva, Switzerland
“Infrared probe of superconductivity in SmO1-xFxFeAs”, invited talk
Workshop “Iron Pnictide Superconductors”, 16 May 2008, Fribourg, Switzerland
“Infrared spectroscopy of gated bilayer graphene”, contributed talk
International Conference “Low Energy Electrodynamics in Solids”, 1 July 2008, Whistler,
Vancouver, Canada
“Optics of graphene”, seminar talk
University of Alberta, 7 July 2008, Edmonton, Alberta.
“Infrared conductance of graphene: universality versus the c-axis hopping”, contributed talk
International Workshop "Graphene week", 28 August 2008, Trieste, Italy.
“Introduction to Solid State Spectroscopy”, two-lecture course
MaNEP doctoral school, November 2008, Geneva, Switzerland.
“Infrared view on graphene” business talk
MaNEP meeting, 20 January 2009, Neuchatel, Switzerland

“Infrared spectroscopy of graphene”, seminar talk
Institute of Spectroscopy, Russian Academy of Sciences, 5 February 2009, Troitsk, Russia.
“Bandgap measurement in bilayer graphene”, business talk
FP7 meeting “ROSALENE”, 26 May 2009, Rome, Italy
“Electric field-tunable bandgap and giant IR phonon resonance in bilayer graphene”, seminar talk
University of Geneva, 27 November 2009, Geneva, Switzerland.
“Bandgap and electron-phonon interaction in gated bilayer graphene” business talk
MaNEP meeting, 26 January 2010, Neuchatel, Switzerland
“Gate-tunable bandgap and giant Fano-Rice infrared resonance in bilayer graphene”, contributed
talk
APS March Meeting, 17 March 2010, Portland, Oregon, USA.
“Gate-tunable bandgap and giant Fano-Rice infrared resonance in bilayer graphene”, contributed
talk
International Workshop "Graphene week", 23 April 2010, Maryland, USA.
“Infrared study of gate-tunable bandgap and electron-phonon coupling in bilayer graphene”, invited
talk
Meeting of the European Material Research Society (EMRS) , 9 June 2010, Strasbourg, France.
“Gate-tunable bandgap and infrared phonon anomalies in bilayer graphene”, contributed talk
International Conference “Low Energy Electrodynamics in Solids”, 9 July 2010, Les Diablerets,
Vancouver, Switzerland
“Tunable bandgap and electron-phonon coupling in gated bilayer graphene: an optical study”,
invited talk
International Conference on Superlattices, Nanostructures and Nanodevices, 20 July 2010, Beijing,
China
“Faraday rotation and the cyclotron resonance in graphene on SiC”, invited talk
ECI Conference “Recent Advances in Graphene and Related Materials”, 3 August 2010, Singapore