People

Dr Nikolaos Fytas

Reader (R)
School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science (SMSAS)
Dr Nikolaos Fytas

Profile

Biography

I joined the Department of Mathematical Sciences of the University of Essex, UK, in September 2023 as a Reader in Applied Mathematics. Before arriving to Essex, I was working as an Associate Professor at Coventry University and before that I held several postdoctoral research positions including the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain, the Research Centre Demokritos in Athens, Greece, and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, where I also completed my undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Physics. The motivation of my research is the accomplishment of a deeper and unified understanding of complexity in physical systems but also beyond physics as well. My main activity during the last few years falls into the area of phase transitions in disordered systems. In this respect, I have developed powerful numerical and theoretical approaches at different scales, from Monte Carlo methods to optimisation and from renormalisation group to supersymmetric theories in condensed matter physics. Other recent research achievements include the resolution of disorder effects on systems undergoing first-order phase transitions, the clarification of universality principles in dynamic critical phenomena, a scaling description of interfacial phenomena between coexisting phases, the analysis of metastable behaviour in ferromagnetism, as well the conditions under which phase separation takes place in hybrid soft-matter systems. My research interests are summarised below: - Statistical Mechanics - Condensed Matter Physics - Disordered Systems - Soft Matter Physics - Physical Chemistry - Applied Mathematics - Computational Methods

Qualifications

  • PhD Theoretical Physics National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, (2009)

  • MSc Condensed Matter Physics National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, (2005)

  • BSc Physics National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, (2003)

Appointments

University of Essex

  • Reader in Applied Mathematics, University of Essex (18/9/2023 - present)

Other academic

  • Associate Professor in Statistical Physics, Coventry (United Kingdom) (1/4/2023 - 15/9/2023)

  • Assistant Professor in Statistical Physics, Coventry University (1/1/2019 - 31/3/2023)

  • Senior Lecturer in Computational Statistical Physics, Coventry University (1/5/2014 - 31/12/2018)

  • Lecturer in Applied Mathematics, Coventry University (1/6/2013 - 30/4/2014)

Research and professional activities

Research interests

Statistical Mechanics

Disordered Systems

Theoretical Physics

Applied Mathematics

Condensed Matter Physics

Soft Matter Physics

Computational Physics

Physical Chemistry

Teaching and supervision

Current teaching responsibilities

  • Analytical Mechanics (MA222)

Publications

Journal articles (88)

Demir Vatansever, Z., Vatansever, E., Berger, A., Vasilopoulos, A. and Fytas, NG., Monte Carlo study of the two-dimensional kinetic Ising model under a nonantisymmetric magnetic field. Physical Review E: Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics

Moueddene, L., Fytas, N. and Berche, B., Critical and tricritical behavior of the d = 3 Blume-Capel model: Results from small-scale Monte Carlo simulations. Physical Review E: Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics

Mataragkas, D., Vasilopoulos, A., Fytas, NG. and Kim, D-H., Tricriticality and finite-size scaling in the triangular Blume-Capel ferromagnet. Physical Review Research

Moueddene, L., Fytas, NG., Holovatch, Y., Kenna, R. and Berche, B., (2024). Critical and tricritical singularities from small-scale Monte Carlo simulations: The Blume-Capel model in two dimensions. Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment. 2024 (2), 023206-023206

Vatansever, E., Barkema, G. and Fytas, NG., (2024). Dynamical critical behavior of the two-dimensional three-state Potts model. Physical Review E: Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics. 110 (1), 014135-014135

Macêdo, ARS., Plascak, JA., Vasilopoulos, A., Fytas, NG., Akritidis, M. and Weigel, M., (2024). Universal energy and magnetisation distributions in the Blume-Capel and Baxter-Wu models. Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment. 2024 (10), 103204-103204

Macêdo, ARS., Vasilopoulos, A., Akritidis, M., Plascak, JA., Fytas, NG. and Weigel, M., (2023). Two-dimensional dilute Baxter-Wu model: Transition order and universality. Physical Review E. 108 (2), 024140-

Naskar, M., Acharyya, M., Vatansever, E. and Fytas, NG., (2023). Disorder effects on the metastability of classical Heisenberg ferromagnets. Physical Review E. 108 (1), 014121-

Akritidis, M., Fytas, NG. and Weigel, M., (2023). Geometric clusters in the overlap of the Ising model. Physical Review E: Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics. 108 (4), 044145-

Liu, Z., Vatansever, E., Barkema, GT. and Fytas, NG., (2023). Critical dynamical behavior of the Ising model.. Physical Review E. 108 (3-1), 034118-

Acharyya, AB., Acharyya, M., Vatansever, E. and Fytas, NG., (2023). Transient Behavior of Damage Spreading in the Two-Dimensional Blume–Capel Ferromagnet. Journal of Statistical Physics. 190 (1)

Fytas, NG., Martin-Mayor, M., Parisi, G., Picco, M. and Sourlas, N., (2023). Finite-size scaling of the random-field Ising model above the upper critical dimension. Physical Review E: Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics. 108 (4), 044146-

Vatansever, E., Grahovski, GG. and Fytas, NG., (2023). Thermodynamic properties of disordered quantum spin ladders. European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems. 97 (3), 34-

Barbero, G., Fytas, NG., Lelidis, I., da Silva Andrade, JV., Freire, FCM. and Santana, AJ., (2022). Determination of the recombination coefficient in electrolytic solutions from impedance spectroscopy measurements. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry. 907, 116070-116070

Vasilopoulos, A., Fytas, NG., Vatansever, E., Malakis, A. and Weigel, M., (2022). Universality in the two-dimensional dilute Baxter-Wu model.. Physical Review E. 105 (5-1), 054143-

Vasilopoulos, A., Vatansever, ZD., Vatansever, E. and Fytas, NG., (2021). Monte Carlo study of the two-dimensional kinetic Blume-Capel model in a quenched random crystal field. Physical Review E. 104 (2), 024108-

Naskar, M., Acharyya, M., Vatansever, E. and Fytas, NG., (2021). Metastable behavior of the spin-sIsing and Blume-Capel ferromagnets: A Monte Carlo study. Physical Review E. 104 (1), 014107-

Vatansever, E., Vatansever, ZD., Theodorakis, PE. and Fytas, NG., (2020). Ising universality in the two-dimensional Blume-Capel model with quenched random crystal field. Physical Review E. 102 (6), 062138-

Yatsyshin, P., Fytas, NG. and Theodorakis, PE., (2020). Mixing–demixing transition in polymer-grafted spherical nanoparticles. Soft Matter. 16 (3), 703-708

Fytas, NG., Martín-Mayor, V., Parisi, G., Picco, M. and Sourlas, N., (2019). Evidence for Supersymmetry in the Random-Field Ising Model at D=5. Physical Review Letters. 122 (24), 240603-

Fytas, NG., Mainou, A., Theodorakis, PE. and Malakis, A., (2019). Monte Carlo study of the interfacial adsorption of the Blume-Capel model. Physical Review E. 99 (1), 012111-

Fytas, NG., Martín-Mayor, V., Parisi, G., Picco, M. and Sourlas, N., (2019). On the critical exponent α of the 5D random-field Ising model. Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment. 2019 (9), 093203-093203

Vatansever, E. and Fytas, NG., (2018). Dynamic phase transitions in the presence of quenched randomness. Physical Review E. 97 (6), 062146-

Fytas, NG., Zierenberg, J., Theodorakis, PE., Weigel, M., Janke, W. and Malakis, A., (2018). Universality from disorder in the random-bond Blume-Capel model. Physical Review E. 97 (4), 040102-

Vatansever, E. and Fytas, NG., (2018). Dynamic phase transition of the Blume-Capel model in an oscillating magnetic field. Physical Review E. 97 (1), 012122-

Fytas, NG., Martín-Mayor, V., Picco, M. and Sourlas, N., (2018). Review of Recent Developments in the Random-Field Ising Model. Journal of Statistical Physics. 172 (2), 665-672

Zierenberg, J., Fytas, NG., Weigel, M., Janke, W. and Malakis, A., (2017). Scaling and universality in the phase diagram of the 2D Blume-Capel model. The European Physical Journal Special Topics. 226 (4), 789-804

Fytas, NG., Martín-Mayor, V., Picco, M. and Sourlas, N., (2017). Restoration of dimensional reduction in the random-field Ising model at five dimensions. Physical Review E. 95 (4), 042117-

Fytas, NG., Theodorakis, PE. and Malakis, A., (2017). Interfacial adsorption in two-dimensional pure and random-bond Potts models. Physical Review E. 95 (3), 032126-

Fytas, NG., Martín-Mayor, V., Picco, M. and Sourlas, N., (2017). Specific-heat exponent and modified hyperscaling in the 4D random-field Ising model. Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment. 2017 (3), 033302-033302

Bachmann, M., Bittner, E., Fytas, NG., Kenna, R., Weigel, M. and Zierenberg, J., (2017). Recent advances in phase transitions and critical phenomena. The European Physical Journal Special Topics. 226 (4), 533-537

Fytas, NG., Theodorakis, PE. and Hartmann, AK., (2016). Revisiting the scaling of the specific heat of the three-dimensional random-field Ising model. The European Physical Journal B. 89 (9), 1-7

Fytas, NG. and Martín-Mayor, V., (2016). Efficient numerical methods for the random-field Ising model: Finite-size scaling, reweighting extrapolation, and computation of response functions. Physical Review E. 93 (6), 063308-

Fytas, NG., Martín-Mayor, V., Picco, M. and Sourlas, N., (2016). Phase Transitions in Disordered Systems: The Example of the Random-Field Ising Model in Four Dimensions. Physical Review Letters. 116 (22), 227201-

Weigel, M., Elci, EM. and Fytas, NG., (2016). Connectivity properties of the random-cluster model. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 681 (1), 012014-012014

Fytas, NG., (2016). Geometry effects in the magnetoconductance of normal and Andreev Sinai billiards. The European Physical Journal B. 89 (6)

Elçi, EM., Weigel, M. and Fytas, NG., (2016). Bridges in the random-cluster model. Nuclear Physics B. 903, 19-50

Elçi, EM., Weigel, M. and Fytas, NG., (2015). Fragmentation of Fractal Random Structures. Physical Review Letters. 114 (11), 115701-

Zierenberg, J., Fytas, NG. and Janke, W., (2015). Parallel multicanonical study of the three-dimensional Blume-Capel model. Physical Review E. 91 (3), 032126-

Fytas, NG., Malakis, A., Selke, W. and Shchur, LN., (2015). Interfacial adsorption in Potts models on the square lattice. The European Physical Journal B. 88 (8)

Theodorakis, Fytas, Kahl and Dellago, (2015). Self-assembly of DNA-functionalized colloids. Condensed Matter Physics. 18 (2), 22801-22801

Fytas, NG. and Theodorakis, PE., (2015). Universality in four-dimensional random-field magnets. The European Physical Journal B. 88 (8)

Papakonstantinou, T., Fytas, NG., Malakis, A. and Lelidis, I., (2015). Critical aspects of three-dimensional anisotropic spin-glass models. The European Physical Journal B. 88 (4)

Malakis, A., Fytas, NG. and Gülpinar, G., (2014). Critical Binder cumulant and universality: Fortuin-Kasteleyn clusters and order-parameter fluctuations. Physical Review E. 89 (4), 042103-

Theodorakis and Fytas, (2014). Random-field Ising model: Insight from zero-temperature simulations. Condensed Matter Physics. 17 (4), 43003-43003

Fytas, NG. and Theodorakis, PE., (2014). Phase behaviour of two-component bottle-brush polymers with flexible backbones under poor solvent conditions. Materials Research Express. 1 (1), 015301-015301

Fytas, NG. and Theodorakis, PE., (2013). Molecular dynamics simulations of single-component bottle-brush polymers with flexible backbones under poor solvent conditions. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter. 25 (28), 285105-285105

Fytas, NG. and Martín-Mayor, V., (2013). Universality in the Three-Dimensional Random-Field Ising Model. Physical Review Letters. 110 (22), 227201-

Theodorakis, PE., Georgiou, I. and Fytas, NG., (2013). Fluctuations and criticality in the random-field Ising model. Physical Review E. 87 (3)

Fytas, NG., Theodorakis, PE., Georgiou, I. and Lelidis, I., (2013). Critical aspects of the random-field Ising model. The European Physical Journal B. 86 (6)

Fytas, NG. and Theodorakis, PE., (2013). Universality aspects of the 2d random-bond Ising and 3d Blume-Capel models. The European Physical Journal B. 86 (2)

Fytas, NG. and Martín-Mayor, V., (2013). Erratum: Universality in the Three-Dimensional Random-Field Ising Model [Phys. Rev. Lett.110, 227201 (2013)]. Physical Review Letters. 111 (11)

Theodorakis, PE., Georgiou, I. and Fytas, NG., (2013). Erratum: Fluctuations and criticality in the random-field Ising model [Phys. Rev. E87, 032119 (2013)]. Physical Review E. 87 (3)

Fytas, NG. and Selke, W., (2013). Wetting and interfacial adsorption in the Blume-Capel model on the square lattice. The European Physical Journal B. 86 (9)

Yannopapas, V., Fytas, N., Kyrimi, V., Kallos, E., Vanakaras, AG. and Photinos, DJ., (2013). Light scattering by a metallic nanoparticle coated with a nematic liquid crystal. physica status solidi (a). 210 (2), 335-340

Fytas, NG. and Martín-Mayor, V., (2013). Erratum: Universality in the Three-Dimensional Random-Field Ising Model [Phys. Rev. Lett.110, 227201 (2013)]. Physical Review Letters. 111 (1)

Theodorakis, PE. and Fytas, NG., (2012). Monte Carlo study of the triangular Blume-Capel model under bond randomness. Physical Review E. 86 (1), 011140-

Theodorakis, PE. and Fytas, NG., (2012). A study for the static properties of symmetric linear multiblock copolymers under poor solvent conditions. The Journal of Chemical Physics. 136 (9), 094902-

Malakis, A., Berker, AN., Fytas, NG. and Papakonstantinou, T., (2012). Universality aspects of thed=3random-bond Blume-Capel model. Physical Review E. 85 (6), 061106-

Androvitsaneas, P., Fytas, NG., Paspalakis, E. and Terzis, AF., (2012). Quantum Monte Carlo simulations revisited: The case of anisotropic Heisenberg chains. Philosophical Magazine. 92 (36), 4649-4656

Fytas, NG., Theodorakis, PE. and Georgiou, I., (2012). Universality aspects of the trimodal random-field Ising model. The European Physical Journal B. 85 (10)

Fytas, NG. and Theodorakis, PE., (2011). Analysis of the static properties of cluster formations in symmetric linear multiblock copolymers. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter. 23 (23), 235106-235106

Theodorakis, PE. and Fytas, NG., (2011). Wang-Landau study of the 3D Ising model with bond disorder. The European Physical Journal B. 81 (2), 245-251

Fytas, NG. and Malakis, A., (2011). Scaling and self-averaging in the three-dimensional random-field Ising model. The European Physical Journal B. 79 (1), 13-20

Theodorakis, PE. and Fytas, NG., (2011). Phase behavior of symmetric linear multiblock copolymers. EPL (Europhysics Letters). 93 (4), 43001-43001

Fytas, NG., (2011). Wang-Landau study of the triangular Blume-Capel ferromagnet. The European Physical Journal B. 79 (1), 21-28

Theodorakis, PE. and Fytas, NG., (2011). Microphase separation in linear multiblock copolymers under poor solvent conditions. Soft Matter. 7 (3), 1038-1044

Fytas, NG. and Theodorakis, PE., (2010). Universality in disordered systems: The case of the three-dimensional random-bond Ising model. Physical Review E. 82 (6), 062101-

Fytas, NG. and Malakis, A., (2010). Critical behavior of the pure and random-bond two-dimensional triangular Ising ferromagnet. Physical Review E. 81 (4), 041109-

Malakis, A., Berker, AN., Hadjiagapiou, IA., Fytas, NG. and Papakonstantinou, T., (2010). Multicritical points and crossover mediating the strong violation of universality: Wang-Landau determinations in the random-bondd=2Blume-Capel model. Physical Review E. 81 (4), 041113-

Malakis, A., Nihat Berker, A., Hadjiagapiou, IA. and Fytas, NG., (2010). Wang–Landau study of the 2d random-bond Blume–Capel model. Physics Procedia. 3 (3), 1443-1446

Malakis, A., Berker, AN., Hadjiagapiou, IA., Fytas, NG. and Papakonstantinou, T., (2010). Uncovering the secrets of the 2D random-bond Blume–Capel model. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications. 389 (15), 2930-2933

Malakis, A., Berker, AN., Hadjiagapiou, IA. and Fytas, NG., (2009). Strong violation of critical phenomena universality: Wang-Landau study of the two-dimensional Blume-Capel model under bond randomness. Physical Review E. 79 (1), 011125-

Fytas, NG. and Malakis, A., (2009). Criticality in the randomness-induced second-order phase transition of the triangular Ising antiferromagnet with nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor interactions. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications. 388 (24), 4950-4958

Fytas, NG. and Malakis, A., (2008). Phase diagram of the 3D bimodal random-field Ising model. The European Physical Journal B. 61 (1), 111-120

Fytas, NG., Malakis, A. and Georgiou, I., (2008). Wang–Landau study of the random bond square Ising model with nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor interactions. Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment. 2008 (07), L07001-L07001

Fytas, NG., Malakis, A. and Eftaxias, K., (2008). First-order transition features of the 3D bimodal random-field Ising model. Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment. 2008 (03), P03015-P03015

Fytas, NG., Malakis, A. and Hadjiagapiou, IA., (2008). Quenched bond randomness in marginal and non-marginal Ising spin models in 2D. Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment. 2008 (11), P11009-P11009

Malakis, A., Fytas, NG. and Kalozoumis, P., (2007). First-order transition features of the triangular Ising model with nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic interactions. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications. 383 (2), 351-371

Malakis, A. and Fytas, NG., (2006). Universal features and tail analysis of the order-parameter distribution of the two-dimensional Ising model: An entropic sampling Monte Carlo study. Physical Review E. 73 (5), 056114-

Malakis, A. and Fytas, NG., (2006). Lack of self-averaging of the specific heat in the three-dimensional random-field Ising model. Physical Review E. 73 (1), 016109-

Fytas, NG. and Malakis, A., (2006). A new comprehensive study of the 3D random-field Ising model via sampling the density of states in dominant energy subspaces. The European Physical Journal B - Condensed Matter and Complex Systems. 50 (1-2), 39-43

Malakis, A. and Fytas, NG., (2006). The CrMES scheme as an alternative to importance sampling: The tail regime of the order-parameter distribution. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications. 365 (1), 197-202

Malakis, A. and Fytas, NG., (2006). Thermal critical behavior and universality aspects of the three-dimensional random-field Ising model. The European Physical Journal B - Condensed Matter and Complex Systems. 51 (2), 257-266

Malakis, A., Martinos, SS., Hadjiagapiou, IA., Fytas, NG. and Kalozoumis, P., (2005). Entropic sampling via Wang-Landau random walks in dominant energy subspaces. Physical Review E. 72 (6), 066120-

Fytas, NG., Diakonos, FK., Schmelcher, P., Scheid, M., Lassl, A., Richter, K. and Fagas, G., (2005). Magnetic-field dependence of transport in normal and Andreev billiards: A classical interpretation of the averaged quantum behavior. Physical Review B. 72 (8)

Malakis, AC., Hadjiagapiou, IA., Martinos, SS. and Fytas, NG., (2005). Finite-size analysis via the critical energy -subspace method in the Ising models. Materials Science- Poland. 23 (4), 947-954

Malakis, A., Peratzakis, A. and Fytas, NG., (2004). Estimation of critical behavior from the density of states in classical statistical models. Physical Review E. 70 (6), 12-

Conferences (6)

Fytas, NG., Vasilopoulos, A., Vatansever, E., Malakis, A. and Weigel, M., (2022). Multicanonical simulations of the 2D spin-1 Baxter-Wu model in a crystal field

Mainou, A., Fytas, NG. and Weigel, M., (2022). Efficient algorithms for computing ground states of the 2D random-field Ising model

Akritidis, M., Fytas, NG. and Weigel, M., (2022). Corrections to scaling in geometrical clusters of the 2D Ising model

(2022). XXXII IUPAP Conference on Computational Physics

Malakis, A., Kalozoumis, P. and Fytas, NG., (2007). Continuous- and first-order phase transitions in Ising antiferromagnets with next-nearest-neighbour interactions

Malakis, A., Martinos, SS., Hadjiagapiou, IA., Fytas, NG. and Kalozoumis, P., (2006). Magnetic critical behavior of the three-dimensional ising model by entropic sampling in dominant energy subspaces

Thesis dissertation (1)

Fytas, N., (2009). Statistical Physics of Lattice Models of Complex and Disordered Systems

Grants and funding

2024

LMS Scheme 4 Research in Pairs - Collaborator visit (Dr Erol Vatansever)

London Mathematical Society

2023

Random-field effects in spin models: Supersymmetry, criticality, and universality

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Contact

nikolaos.fytas@essex.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1206 872571

Location:

3A.525, Colchester Campus

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