CAREER: Strongly Correlated Quantum Phenomena in Low-Dimensional Systems

技术总结：该职业奖支持低维系统中强相关量子现象的理论研究和教育。该研究计划采用一套通用的理论技术来探索三个系统中的强相关物理，这些系统引起了科学界的注意，并成为尖端实验研究的焦点：1）碳纳米管，2）被困原子系统和3）分数量子霍尔系统。这些系统解决了低维系统的互补方面，具有基础和技术价值。该研究计划的主要重点将在三个具体领域：i）Luttinger液体物理学和自旋电荷分离：Luttinger液体物理学的探针和特征签名，这是一维的特征，将在纳米管和被困原子系统中进行探索，重点是自旋电荷（密度）分离。新的物理，最近才在固态系统中观察到，将探索在被困原子团簇利用前所未有的水平的调谐能力，这是可能的。ii）纳米管中的量子点物理：隧道接触之间放置的短纳米管显示量子点的行为，这可能是利用量子器件的应用。这种纳米管的量子态的特点，并计划将提出实现量子纠缠耦合管。三）分数统计的测量：检测分数统计在量子霍尔系统的前景将进行调查。其目的是确定实验结果，可以描述的测量和分析，这将允许识别分数量子数的明确的签名。教育部分包括相互关联的计划，教育和推广，从高中到研究生教育水平，寻求提高代表性不足的群体的参与，并包括一个国际层面。 这一活动包括为女教师、研究人员和学生举办讲习班;与韦尔斯利进行互动，分享和开发大学生教育资源;通过与印度班加罗尔科学教育协会合作开展外联活动，向当地高中进行外联;以及在实验室课程的全面复兴中对“发现式”实验单元的具体贡献。这个职业奖支持理论研究和教育到不寻常的物理学，基础是非常小的电子系统和电子的复杂行为，被限制在平面或线。该奖项还支持教育，特别是因为它涉及到纳米技术的新领域，通过学生参与研究和在当地和国际一级的一系列推广工作。这项研究工作调查了小原子组装体的电子结构，包括在纳米技术中发挥迅速增长作用的碳纳米管。理论技术将被开发和使用来描述不完全理解的材料的电子特性时，在极其小型化的设备。这些将必然采用量子理论来控制这种小系统的动力学，并建立在将理论技术应用于小纳米结构的最新进展的基础上并将其扩展。该研究具有理论和技术价值。它旨在直接参与超小型实验系统中遇到的问题，这些系统目前正在接受实验物理和技术研究人员的严格审查。从技术的角度来看，这些在小型受限材料中的量子物理研究将支持构建纳米级器件的工作，并实现新兴的量子信息科学领域提出的未来技术进步。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This CAREER award supports theoretical research and education on strongly correlated quantum phenomena in low-dimensional systems. The research plan employs a common set of theoretical techniques to explore strongly correlated physics in three such systems which have drawn the attention of the scientific community and have been the focus of cutting-edge experimental investigations: 1) carbon nanotubes, 2) trapped atomic systems and 3) fractional quantum Hall systems. These systems address complementary aspects of low-dimensional systems and have both fundamental and technological value. The major focus of this research program will in three specific arenas:i) Luttinger-liquid physics and spin-charge separation: Probes and characteristic signatures of the Luttinger-liquid physics, which is characteristic of one dimension, will be explored in nanotubes and trapped atomic systems with emphasis on spin-charge (density) separation. Novel physics, only recently observed in solid state systems, will be explored in the trapped atomic clusters by exploiting the unprecedented level of tuning capability that is possible.ii) Quantum dot physics in nanotubes: Short nanotubes placed between tunnel contacts have displayed quantum dot behavior, which could be exploited for quantum-device applications. The quantum states of such nanotubes will be characterized, and schemes will be proposed for realizing quantum entanglement in coupled tubes.iii) Measurement of fractional statistics: The prospect of detecting fractional statistics in quantum Hall systems will be investigated. The intent is to identify experimental consequences that may be described for measurements and analyses which will permit identification of clear-cut signatures of fractional quantum numbers.The education component consists of interconnected plans for education and outreach that span high school to graduate level education, seek to enhance participation of underrepresented groups, and include an international dimension. Included in this activity are workshops for women faculty, researchers, and students; interaction with Wellesley to share and develop educational resources for undergraduates; outreach to local high schools that is stimulated by the PI's collaboration on outreach activities with the Bangalore Association for Scientific Education in India; and specific contributions to "discovery-style" experimental units in a sweeping revitalization of laboratory courses.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This CAREER award supports theoretical research and education into the unusual physics that underlies the complex behaviors of very small electronic systems and electrons that are confined to planes or lines. The award also supports education, particularly as it relates to the new area of nanotechnology, through the involvement of students in the research and a range of outreach efforts at both the local and international level. The research effort investigates electronic structure of small assemblies of atoms, including carbon nanotubes which have a rapidly growing role in nanotechnology. Theoretical techniques will be developed and used to describe the incompletely-understood electronic properties of materials when employed in extremely miniaturized devices. These will necessarily employ quantum theory governing the dynamics of such small systems and build on and extend the recent advances in applying the theoretical techniques to small nanoscale structures. The research has both theoretical and technological value. It is designed to engage directly issues encountered in ultra-small experimental systems that are now receiving intense scrutiny by researchers in experimental physics and technology-focused investigations. From the technological perspective, these studies of quantum physics in small confined materials will be supportive of work towards building nanoscale devices and realizing future technological advances put forth by the newly emerging field of quantum information science.