Professor Luana Sucupira Pedroza and Collaborators Publish New Article in Physical Review Letters
The Department of Materials and Mechanics Physics congratulates Prof. Luana S. Pedroza on the publication of her article in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters (PRL).
Titled "First-Principles Nanocapacitor Simulations of the Optical Dielectric Constant in Water Ice", the work was published on January 16, 2026 in issue 136 (article 026202) and was selected as an editor’s suggestion.
The study presents an innovative approach based on density functional theory (DFT) and non-equilibrium Green's functions to simulate nanocapacitor capacitances and accurately determine the dielectric response of sub-nanometric dielectric materials under the influence of an external potential. The research investigates a fundamental problem related to charge separation at extremely small scales, bringing new perspectives for the rigorous interpretation of measurements in nanocapacitors and confined dielectric materials, particularly crystalline ice.
This work, carried out in collaboration with international researchers, represents an important contribution to the field of low-dimensional materials and confined dielectric systems.
Access the full article in PRL via the link: https://doi.org/10.1103/8sjg-ybfw