Assistant Professor
Paris-Saclay University

My research

My research centers on the field of experimental solid-state physics, with a specific emphasis on quantum materials exhibiting remarkable properties due to the presence of strongly correlated electrons. I am intrigued by the simultaneous existence or competition of various orders within these systems, encompassing phenomena such as metal-insulator transitions (Mott physics), unconventional superconductivity, frustrated magnetism, and multiferroics.

I am based at the Solid State Physics Laboratory, where I have developed an X-ray diffraction setup under high pressure and low temperature conditions. This setup allows for the measurement of both powders or single crystals. Concurrently, I am an affiliated scientist at the SOLEIL synchrotron, working on the GALAXIES beamline dedicated to X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy (XAS, XES, and RIXS). I am also affiliated with the Léon Brillouin Laboratory at CEA Saclay, focusing on themes related to neutron diffraction and inelastic neutron scattering.

Experimental techniques

  • X-ray Scattering (XRD, XAS, XES and RIXS)
  • Neutron Scattering (Diffraction, INS)
  • Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy

Sample Environment

  • Low Temperature
  • High Pressure
  • High Magnetic Field (static and pulsed)
  • Electric Field

2023

  • [52] Electronic ground-state hysteresis under magnetic field in GdMn2O5
    V. Balédent, A. Vaunat, S. Petit, L. Nataf, S. Chattopadhyay, S. Raymond, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Physical Review B 108, 104419 (2023)
  • [51] Purely antiferromagnetic frustrated Heisenberg model in spin ladder compound BaFe2Se3
    A. Roll, S. Petit, A. Forget, D. Colson, A. Banerjee, P. Foury-Leylekian, V. Balédent
    Physical Review B 108, 014416 (2023)
  • [50] High-pressure behavior of hydrophobically coated gold nanoparticle supercrystals : role of the structure
    Victor Balédent, Claire Goldmann, Helen Ibrahim and Brigitte Pansu
    Soft Matter 19, 3113 (2023)
  • [49] Pressure evolution of electronic and crystal structure of non-centrosymmetric EuCoGe3
    N. S. Dhami, V. Balédent, O. Bednarchuk, D. Kaczorowski, S. R. Shieh, J. M. Ablett, J.-P. Rueff, J. P. Itié, C. M. N. Kumar, and Y. Utsumi
    Physical Review B 107, 155119 (2023)
  • [48] Heat conduction in herbertsmithite: Field dependence at the onset of the quantum spin liquid regime
    Q. Barthélemy, É. Lefrançois, J. Baglo, P. Bourgeois-Hope, D. Chatterjee, P. Lefloïc, M. Velázquez, V. Balédent, B. Bernu, N. Doiron-Leyraud, F. Bert, P. Mendels, and L. Taillefer
    Physical Review B 107, 054434 (2023) (Editor’s suggestion)
  • [47] Origin of the Spin-glass-like Magnetic Anomaly in the Superconducting and Multiferroic Spin-ladder BaFe2Se3
    W. G. Zheng, V. Balédent, L. Bocher, A. Forget, D. Colson, and P. Foury-Leylekian 
    Physical Review B 107, 024423 (2023)
  • [46] Compressibility and Structural Transformations of Aluminogermanate Imogolite Nanotubes under Hydrostatic Pressure
    S. Rouzière, V. Balédent, E. Paineau, E. Elkaim, T. Bizien, L. Nataf, Y. Pan, and P. Launois
    Inorganic Chemistry 62, 957 (2023)

2022

  • [45] Hidden Magnetic Texture in the Pseudogap Phase of High-Tc YBa2Cu3O6.6
    D. Bounoua, Y. Sidis, T. Loew, F. Bourdarot, M. Boehm, P. Steffens, L. Mangin-Thro, V. Balédent, P. Bourges
    Nature Communication Physics 5, 268 (2022)

2021

  • [39] X-ray spectroscopic and first-principles investigation of lead tungstate under pressure
    J. M. Ablett, S. Shieh, V. Balédent, J.C. Woicik, E. Cockayne, and E.L. Shirley
    Physical Review B 104, 054119 (2021)
  • [38] Pressure evolution of the electronic structure of non-centrosymmetric EuRhGe3
    Y. Utsumi, I. Batistic, V. Balédent, S. R. Shieh, N. S. Dhami, O. Bednarchuk, D. Kaczorowski, J. M. Ablett, and J.-P. Rueff
    Electronic Structure 3, 034002 (2021)
  • [37] Evidence for an electromagnon in GdMn2O5 : a multiferroic with a huge electric polarization
    A. Vaunat, V. Balédent, S. Petit, P. Roy, J.B. Brubach, G. Giri, E. Rebolini, P. Steffens, S. Raymond, Q. Berrod, M.B. Lepetit, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Physical Review 103, 174434 (2021)
  • [36] Order-disorder type of Peierls instability in BaVS3
    V. Ilakovac, A. Girard, V. Balédent, P. Foury-Leylekian, B. Winkler, I. Kupčíc H. Berger, A. Bosak, and J.-P. Pouget
    Physical Review B 103, 014306 (2021)

2020

  • [35] Kitaev interactions in Co honeycomb antiferromagnets Na3Co2SbO6 and Na2Co2TeO6
    M. Songvilay, J. Robert, J. A. Rodriguez-Rivera, W. D. Ratcliff, F. Damay, V. Balédent, M. Jiménez-Ruiz, P. Lejay, E. Pachoud, A. Hadj-Azzem, V. Simonet, and C. Stock
    Physical Review B 102, 224429(2020)
  • [34] Spin transition in SrFeO2 under Pressure by X-ray spectroscopy
    J.-P. Rueff, V. Balédent, K. Higashi, and H. Kageyama
    Physical Review B 102, 235138 (2020)
  • [33] 4f spin driven ferroelectric-ferromagnetic multiferroicity in PrMn2O5 under magnetic field
    S. Chattopadhyay, V. Balédent, S. K. Panda, Sh. Yamamoto, F. Duc, T. Herrmannsdörfer, M. Uhlarz, T. Gottschall, O. Mathon, Z. Wang, C. Strohm, M. Greenblatt, P. Foury-Leylekian, and J. Wosnitza
    Physical Review B 102, 094408 (2020)
  • [32] New insights about the structural properties of kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2X2(CN)3 (X=Cu and Ag) Spin Liquids
    P. Foury-Leylekian, V. Ilakovac, P. Fertey, V. Balédent, O. Milat, K. Miyagawa, K. Kanoda, T. Hiramatsu, Y. Yoshida, G. Saito, P. Alemany, E. Canadell, S. Tomic and Jean-Paul Pouget
    Acta Crystallographica B 76, (2020)
  • [31] Room temperature polar structure and multiferroicity in BaFe2Se3
    W. Zheng, V. Balédent, M.B. Lepetit, P. Retailleau, E. V. Elslande, C. Pasquier, P. Senzier, A. Forget, D. Colson, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Rapid Communication Physical Review B 101, 020101(R) (2020)

2019

  • [30] Pressure Dependent X-ray diffraction of Multiferroic RMn2O5
    W. Peng, V. Balédent, M.-B. Lepetit, A. Vaunat, E. Rebolini, M. Greenblatt, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Acta Crystallographica B 75, 687-696 (2019)
  • [29] Tuning competing magnetic interactions with pressure in RMn2O5 multiferroics
    W. Peng, V. Balédent, C. V. Colin, T. C. Hansen, M. Greenblatt, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Physical Review B 99, 245109 (2019)
  • [28] The GALAXIES Inelastic Hard X-ray Scattering End-Station at the SOLEIL Synchrotron
    J.M. Ablett, D. Céolin, B. Lassalle, B. Lebert, D.Prieur, M. Sauvage, Th. Moreno, S. Bac, V. Balédent, A. Ovono, M. Morand, F. Gélebart, A. Shukla and J.-P. Rueff
    Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 26, 263-271 (2019)

2018

  • [27] Pressure-Induced Commensurate order in TbMn2O5 and DyMn2O5 : Influence of rare earth anisotropy and 3d-4f exchange
    M. Deutsch, W. Peng, P. Foury-Leylekian, V. Balédent, S. Chattopadhyay, M. T. Fernandez-Diaz, T. C. Hansen, A. Forget, D. Colson, M. Greenblatt, M.-B. Lepetit, S. Petit, and I. Mirebeau
    Physical Review B 98, 024408 (2018)
  • [26] Emergent high-spin state above 7 GPa in superconducting FeSe
    B. W. Lebert, V. Balédent, P. Toulemonde, J. M. Ablett, S. Klotz, T. Hansen, P. Rodière, M. Raba, and J.-P. Rueff
    Rapid Communication Physical Review B 97, 180503(R) (2018)
  • [25] (BEDT-TTF)2Cu2(CN)3 Spin Liquid: Beyond the Average Structure
    P. Foury-Leylekian, V. Ilakovac-Casses, V. Balédent, P. Fertey, A. Arakcheeva, O. Milat, D. Petermann, G. Guillier, K. Miyagawa, K. Kanoda, P. Alemany, E. Canadell, S. Tomic and J.-P. Pouget
    Crystals 8, 158 (2018)
  • [24] Experimental evidences of the microscopic mechanism for the unusual spin-induced electric polarization in GdMn2O5
    G. Yahia, F. Damay, S. Chattopadhyay, V. Balédent, W. Peng, M. Whitaker, M. Greenblatt, M.-B. Lepetit, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Physical Review B 97, 085128 (2018) (Editor’s suggestion)
  • [23] High Pressures phases of VO2 from the combination of high-pressure Raman scattering and ab initio structural search
    V. Balédent, T. T. F. Cerqueira, R. Sarmiento-Pérez, A. Shukla, Ch. Bellin, M. Marsi, J-P. Itié, M. Gatti, M. A. L. Marques, S. Botti and J.-P. Rueff
    Physical Review B 97, 024107 (2018)
  • [22] Investigation of ion aggregation in ionic liquids and their solutions with lithium salt under high pressure
    K. Pilar, V. Balédent, M. Zeghal, P. Judeinstein, S. Jeong, S. Passerini, and S. Greenbaum
    Journal of Chemical Physics 148, 031102 (2018)

2017

  • [21] 3d-4 f coupling and multiferroicity in frustrated Cairo Pentagonal oxide DyMn2O5
    S. Chattopadhyay, S. Petit, E. Ressouche, S. Raymond, V. Balédent, G. Yahia, W. Peng, J. Robert, M-B. Lepetit, M. Greenblatt, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Nature Scientific Report 7, 14506 (2017)
  • [20] Toward pressure-induced multiferroicity in PrMn2O5
    W. Peng, V. Balédent, S. Chattopadhyay, M.-B. Lepetit, G. Yahia, C. V. Colin, M. Greenblatt, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Physical Review B 96, 054418 (2017)
  • [19] Recognition of exchange striction as the origin of magnetoelectric coupling in multiferroics
    G. Yahia, F. Damay, S. Chattopadhyay, V. Balédent, W. Peng, E. Elkaim, M. Whitaker, M. Greenblatt, M.-B. Lepetit, and P. Foury-leylekian
    Physical Review B 95, 184112 (2017)

2016

  • [18] RIXS in correlated materials under extreme conditions
    V. Balédent and J.-P. Rueff
    High Pressure Research 36, 371 (2016)
  • [17] Evidence of multiferroicity in NdMn2O5
    S. Chattopadhyay, V. Balédent, F. Damay, A. Gukasov, E. Moshopoulou, P. Auban-Senzier, C. Pasquier, G. André, F. Porcher, E. Elkaim, C. Doubrovsky, M. Greenblatt, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Physical Review B 93, 104406 (2016)

2015

  • [16] Electronic properties of BaFe2As2 upon doping and pressure : The prominent role of the As p orbitals
    V. Balédent, F. Rullier-Albenque, D. Colson, J. Ablett, and J.-P. Rueff
    Physical Review Letters 114, 177001 (2015)
  • [15] Evidence for room temperature electric polarization in RMn2O5 multiferroics
    V. Balédent, S. Chattopadhyay, P. Fertey, M. Greenblatt, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Physical Review Letters 114, 117601 (2015)
  • [14] Thermodynamic and neutron diffraction studies on multiferroic NdMn2O5
    S. Chattopadhyay, V. Balédent, P. Auban-Senzier, C. Pasquier, C. Doubroysky, M. Greenblatt, and P. Foury-Leylekian
    Physica B 460, 214 (2015)
  • [13] The GALAXIES beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron: inelastic X-ray scattering and photoelectron spectroscopy in the hard X-ray range
    J.-P. Rueff, J. M. Ablett, D. Céolin, D. Prieur, T. Moreno, V. Balédent, B. Lassalle-Kaiser, J. E. Rault, M. Simon and A. Shukla
    Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 22 (2015)

2013

2012

  • [10] Stability of the Fe electronic structure through temperature-,doping-, and pressure-induced transitions in the BaFe2As2 superconductors
    V. Balédent, F. Rullier-Albenque, D. Colson, G. Monaco, and J.-P. Rueff
    Physical Review B 86, 235123 (2012)
  • [9] Valence instability of YbCu_2Si_2 through its magnetic quantum critical point
    A. Fernandez-Panella, V. Balédent, D. Braithwaite, L. Paolasini, R. Verbeni, G. Lapertot, and J.-P. Rueff
    Physical Review B 86, 125104 (2012)
  • [8] Evidence for intra-unit-cell magnetic order in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta
    S. De Almeida-Didry, Y. Sidis, V. Balédent, F. Giovannelli, I. Monot-Laffez, and P. Bourges
    Physical Review B 86, 020504 (2012)
  • [7] Two Ising-like collective magnetic excitations in a single-layer cuprate superconductor
    Yuan Li, G. Yu, M.K. Chan, V. Balédent, Yangmu Li, N. Barisic, X. Zhao, K. Hradil, R.A. Mole, Y. Sidis, P. Steffens, P. Bourges, M. Greven
    Nature Physics 8, 404 (2012)

2011

  • [6] Magnetic order in the pseudogap phase of HgBa2CuO4+x studied by spin-polarized neutron diffraction
    Yuan Li, V. Balédent, N. Barisic, Y.C. Cho, Y. Sidis, G. Yu, X. Zhao, P. Bourges, and M. Greven
    Physical Review B 84, 224508 (2011)
  • [5] Evidence for competing magnetic instabilities in underdoped YBa2Cu3O6+x
    V. Balédent, D. Haug, Y. Sidis, V. Hinkov, C. T. Lin, and P. Bourges
    Physical Review B 83, 104504 (2011)

2010

  • [4] Hidden magnetic excitation in the pseudogap phase of a model cuprate superconductor
    Y. Li, V. Balédent, G. Yu, N. Barisic, K. Hradil, R. A. Mole, Y. Sidis, P. Steffens, X. Zhao, P. Bourges, M. Greven
    Nature 468, 283 (2010)
  • [3] 2D orbital-like magnetic order in La2-xSrxCuO4
    V. Balédent, B. Fauqué, Y. Sidis, N.B. Christensen, S. Pailh\`es, K. Conder, E. Pomjakushina, J. Mesot, P. Bourges
    Physical Review Letters 105, 027004 (2010)

2008

  • [2] Nature of the enigmatic pseudogap state: novel magnetic order in superconducting HgBa_2CuO_{4+x}
    Y. Li, V. Balédent, N. Barisic, Y. Cho, B. Fauqué, Y. Sidis, G. Yu, X. Zhao, P. Bourges, M. Greven
    Nature 455, 372 (2008)
  • [1] Observation of Magnetic Order in a superconducting YBa2Cu3O6.6 single crystal using polarized nuetron scattering
    H.A. Mook, Y. Sidis, B. Fauqué, V. Balédent, P. Bourges
    Rapid Communication Physical Review B 78, 020506(R) (2008)

BaM2X3 : quasi 1d strongly correlated materials
(ANR COCOM)

BaM2X3 (M : Fe, Co, Ni, X : S, Se or Te) family, exemplified by BaFe2Se3, are 1d systems presenting mutliple coexisting and competing phases : ferroelectricity, block magnetism, metal-insulator transition, superconductivity and multiferroicity. I am focused on the multi-dimensional phase diagram : doping, substitution, pressure, temperature, magnetic and electric field.

References : [31,40,41,44,47,51]

Figure : Atomic and magnetic structure of BaFe2Se3, in the low temprature-ambiant pressure mutliferroic phase.


RMn2O5 multiferroics

RMn2O5 (R=Rare Earth) are multiferroic materials presenting a strong magneto-electric coupling. The multiple exchange interactions between Mn-Mn and Mn-R spins generate a large range of instabilities, with commensurate and incommensurate propagation vectors evolving as function of temperature, magnetic field, pressure and composition (R).

References : [11,14,15,17,19,20,21,24,27,29,30,33,37]

Figure : Temperature-Rare earth magnetic phase diagram of RMn2O5. Black bars represent the coexistence with electric polarization.


Gold Nanoparticules under High Pressure

Investigation of gold nanoparticules (NP) under pressure. I’m interested in the role of size in compressibility of gold core, and the role of ligand, structure and core diameter in the evolution of supracristals under high pressure.

References : [42,50]

Figure : Evolution of Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) of Gold NP supracrystal under pressure.

Current Teaching at University Paris-Saclay

Master 2 ICFP (International Center of Fundamental Physics Concept) : Condensed Matter Physics

Lectures on Structural and Electronic properties of Solids (STM, Quantum oscillations, Cristalography, Tight bindind model…)
Practicals : RIXS, ARPES, THz spectroscopy at synchrotron SOLEIL and STM, Quantum oscillations, diffraction, Raman and IR spectroscopy in laboratory

Master 1 Fundamental Physics and General Physics

Tutorials on Condensed Matter : from free electrons model to electrons in periodic potential

Bachelor in Fundamental Physics

Practicals for quantum mechanics : Light-Matter Interaction (X-ray generation, X-Ray absorption and emission, Thomson and Compton scattering).

Ingeneer School cursus Materials (Polytech Paris-Saclay)

Lectures and tutorials on symetries, cristalography and diffraction of solids.
Download lecture (french)

Bachelor Maths-Physics and Physics-Chemistry

Group project (4-6 students) on a physics/chemistry/maths notion or question. The objective is to present in a pedagogical manner a problematic on a given thematic, and tutored by researchers. The result is rendered in a short video of 4 minutes. Here are examples on the thematic ‘Physics of the 19th century’ :
https://www.youtube.com/embed/lFsqQ0AKUzM
https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Q02KiYOJgw

Other teaching

Neutron and Photon Spectroscopy (English)

Lecture given at GDR Meeticc school in february 2018, divided in two parts. The first part deals with generalities about inelastic physics and gives an introduction to several inelastic techniques (Raman, Infrared, Neutron and X-Ray scattering) with an overview of the physical processes involved. The second part is dedicated to magnetism, with a presentation of different kind of magnetic excitations and how to measure them with the different techniques described in the first part.
Résumé / Guide de Lecture
Part I : Introduction to Inelastic Techniques
Part II : Application to Magnetism

Introduction to Inelastic Scattering (English)

Lecture given to Hercules European School in 2019 on basic concepts of inelastic scattering and application to X-rays and Neutrons.
Slides

2021 – today : Associate scientist, Laboratoire Léon Brillouin, CEA-Saclay
2017 – today : Beamline associate (GALAXIES), Synchrotron SOLEIL
2013 – today : Assistant Professor, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Paris-Saclay University

I joined the MATRIX group at Laboratoire de Physique des Solides in Orsay. At this occasion, I launched new activities related to the multiferroics materials on RMn2O5, starting to investigate the interplay between order parameters under different conditions. I developped High Pressure X-Ray diffraction setup at the lab, for both powder and single cristal diffraction at high pressure and low temperature.

2010 – 2012 : Post-doc, Synchrotron SOLEIL

Absorption and emission spectroscopy (XAS, XES and RIXS) on materials with strong electronic correlations under extreme conditions (low temperature, intense magnetic field and high pressure)

2007 – 2010 : PhD, Paris-Sud University

Magnetic order parameter in the pseudogap phase of high temperature cuprate superconductors.

Contact

Current Teaching

Master 2 Condensed Matter Physics – International Center of Fundamental Physics Concept (ICFP)

Lectures and practicals : Structural and Electronic properties of Solids (Symmetry, Cristallography, X-ray and Neutron Diffraction…).
Tutorial 1 + Solution
Tutorial 2 + Solution
Tutorial 3 + Solution
Tutorial 4 + Solution

Master 1 Fundamental Physics

Tutorials on Basic Condensed Matter Physics
Tutorials Part 1 (french) and
Part 2 (french)

Practicals on Light Polarization and Fabry-Perot interferometer.

Licence 3 Fundamental Physics

Practicals for quantum mechanics : Light-Matter Interaction (X-ray generation, X-Ray absorption and emission, Thomson and Compton scattering).

Licence 3 Ingeneer School cursus Materials (Polytech Paris-Sud)

Lectures on structure of matter.

Licence 1 Maths-Physics and Physics-Chemistry

Group project (4-6 students) on a physics/chemistry/maths notion or question. The objective is to present in a pedagogical manner a problematic on a given thematic, and tutored by researchers. The result is rendered in a short video of 3/4 minutes. Here is an example on the thematic ‘physics of the 19th century’ :




Lecture Notes

Neutron and Photon Spectroscopy (English)

Lecture given at GDR Meeticc school in february 2018, divided in two parts. The first part deals with generalities about inelastic physics and gives an introduction to several inelastic techniques (Raman, Infrared, Neutron and X-Ray scattering) with an overview of the physical processes involved. The second part is dedicated to magnetism, with a presentation of different kind of magnetic excitations and how to measure them with the different techniques described in the first part.
Résumé / Guide de Lecture
Part I : Introduction to Inelastic Techniques
Part II : Application to Magnetism

Introduction to Inelastic Scattering (English)

Lecture given to Hercules European School in 2019 on basic concepts of inelastic scattering and application to X-rays and Neutrons.
Slides

Current Teaching

Master 2 Condensed Matter Physics – International Center of Fundamental Physics Concept (ICFP)

Lectures and practicals : Structural and Electronic properties of Solids (Symmetry, Cristallography, X-ray and Neutron Diffraction…).
Tutorial 1 + Solution
Tutorial 2 + Solution
Tutorial 3 + Solution
Tutorial 4 + Solution

Master 1 Fundamental Physics

Tutorials on Basic Condensed Matter Physics
Tutorials Part 1 (french) and
Part 2 (french)

Practicals on Light Polarization and Fabry-Perot interferometer.

Licence 3 Fundamental Physics

Practicals for quantum mechanics : Light-Matter Interaction (X-ray generation, X-Ray absorption and emission, Thomson and Compton scattering).

Licence 3 Ingeneer School cursus Materials (Polytech Paris-Sud)

Lectures on structure of matter.

Licence 1 Maths-Physics and Physics-Chemistry

Group project (4-6 students) on a physics/chemistry/maths notion or question. The objective is to present in a pedagogical manner a problematic on a given thematic, and tutored by researchers. The result is rendered in a short video of 3/4 minutes. Here is an example on the thematic ‘physics of the 19th century’ :




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Lecture Notes

Neutron and Photon Spectroscopy (English)

Lecture given at GDR Meeticc school in february 2018, divided in two parts. The first part deals with generalities about inelastic physics and gives an introduction to several inelastic techniques (Raman, Infrared, Neutron and X-Ray scattering) with an overview of the physical processes involved. The second part is dedicated to magnetism, with a presentation of different kind of magnetic excitations and how to measure them with the different techniques described in the first part.
Résumé / Guide de Lecture
Part I : Introduction to Inelastic Techniques
Part II : Application to Magnetism

Introduction to Inelastic Scattering (English)

Lecture given to Hercules European School in 2019 on basic concepts of inelastic scattering and application to X-rays and Neutrons.
Slides