CAREER: Dynamics, Transport and Novel Phenomena at Quantum Phase Transitions

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This CAREER award supports integrated research, education and outreach activities in theoretical condensed matter physics. The research emphasis is on quantum phases and phase transitions and their connection to phenomena in a variety of solid-state systems and cold atomic gases. The research focuses on quantum critical points. Part 1 focuses on the largely unexplored thermoelectric transport properties of quantum critical points and on problems where the low-lying quantum fluctuations live on a surface in momentum space. Part 2 focuses on non-equilibrium dynamics of sweeping through quantum critical points. Part 3 involves investigating quantum phase transitions in situations where a conventional description of phase transitions based on an order parameter is not adequate. The PI will study phase transitions in bosonic models of quantum criticality to better understand these kinds of quantum phase transitions. These tractable systems can display interesting behavior not seen in classical models, especially when the critical fluctuations arise from fractionalized excitations. The educational and outreach activities are aimed to convey the intellectual excitement and breadth of modern quantum condensed matter physics. Within the university, new course material at the graduate level that cuts across traditional disciplines, based on ideas that underpin the research above will be developed, and lecture notes made available on a public web-site. Beyond the University, education and outreach efforts are planned in collaboration with a popular museum in Berkeley, the Lawrence Hall of Science. A dynamic physics educational web resource for the much visited Lawrence Hall of Science home page will be set up and will contain sustained input from local physics teachers. This 'Physics Mysteries' resource will expose the non-scientific public, especially young adults, to the strange quantum world and its striking consequences for materials properties. It will include results of recent research and will be updated monthly. Evaluation and continuing feedback will be provided by a five member teacher panel picked from local schools. The Lawrence Hall of Science will host an outreach event involving direct interaction of the PI and a set of students from these schools. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This CAREER award supports integrated research, education and outreach activities in fundamental theoretical condensed matter physics. The research focuses on transformations between states of matter that occur at the absolute zero of temperature. It is believed that these lead to unusual properties at finite temperature displayed in materials that have presented challenges to our understanding. Matter displays fundamentally new properties in the vicinity of these transformations that are called quantum critical points. Some of these transformations lie outside the standard theory of phase transitions and part of the research aims to understand these curious phase transitions that are fundamentally quantum mechanical in origin. The educational and outreach activities are aimed to convey the intellectual excitement and breadth of modern quantum condensed matter physics. Within the university, new course material at the graduate level that cuts across traditional disciplines, based on ideas that underpin the research above will be developed, and lecture notes made available on a public web-site. Beyond the University, education and outreach efforts are planned in collaboration with a popular museum in Berkeley, the Lawrence Hall of Science. A dynamic physics educational web resource for the much visited Lawrence Hall of Science home page will be set up and will contain sustained input from local physics teachers. This 'Physics Mysteries' resource will expose the non-scientific public, especially young adults, to the strange quantum world and its striking consequences for materials properties. It will include results of recent research and will be updated monthly. Evaluation and continuing feedback will be provided by a five member teacher panel picked from local schools. The Lawrence Hall of Science will host an outreach event involving direct interaction of the PI and a set of students from these schools.