Jan Zaanen | |
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| Born | 17 April 1957 Leiden, Netherlands |
| Died | 18 January 2024 (aged 66) |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Alma mater | University of Groningen |
| Known for | Zaanen-Sawatzky-Allen diagram LDA+U |
| Awards | Spinoza Prize Fellow of the KNAW |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Theoretical physics |
| Institutions | Leiden University |
| Website | Personal homepage |
Jan Zaanen (17 April 1957 – 18 January 2024) was a Dutch professor of theoretical physics at Leiden University. He is best known for his contributions to the understanding of the quantum physics of the electrons in strongly correlated material, and in particular high temperature superconductivity. Zaanen's areas of interest were in the search for novel forms of collective quantum phenomena realized in systems built from mundane constituents like electrons, spins, and atoms.
Zaanen introduced the so-called Zaanen-Sawatzky-Allen diagram, the LDA+U band structure method and he became particularly well known for his discovery of the stripe instability of the doped Mott insulator. His later research was focused on the quantum critical point and unconventional phases of quantum matter. He was a well-known proponent of the application of Holographic principle to condensed matter physics.[1] He was also well known for his many editorial contributions to the journals Nature and Science. He was on the board of reviewing editors of the latter journal and also editor of the Journal of High Energy Physics.