Nonequilibrium Quantum Mechanics of Strongly Correlated Systems

该奖项支持理论研究和教育，以解决量子凝聚态物理中的一个基本问题：当凝聚态物质系统远离平衡时，它们会如何表现？该 PI 旨在研究如何将已证明在揭示许多物体系统的量子基态方面非常成功的标准方法扩展并应用于非平衡系统。这些方法包括平均场理论、平均场涨落理论和重整化群。 PI 将重点关注两类系统：第一类是与外部存储库耦合的量子杂质模型。第二类是接近有序-无序量子相变的空间扩展系统。 PI 将解决以下问题：a).非平衡引起的退相干的精确机制，以及退相干可以被视为有效温度的程度； b).非平衡探针可以产生不稳定性的条件，可以将多体系统驱动到新的稳态或没有热模拟的时间依赖性动态状态； c).守恒定律对非平衡引起的相变的影响。该研究成果将与量子点、单分子器件、自旋电子学和驱动冷原子系统的实验相关。该奖项支持对学生的指导和培训。通过为他们提供与物理系理论和实验小组以及纽约大学库朗数学科学研究所成员互动的机会，学生将获得广泛的接触和全面的教育。非技术摘要：该奖项支持理论研究和教育，以研究与周围环境不平衡且量子力学占主导地位的凝聚态物质系统。这些量子非平衡系统包括纳米级的原子结构，例如量子点和分子。对于这些系统，为理解和描述与周围环境平衡的系统而开发的成功理论方法不起作用，PI 试图将这些平衡方法扩展到非平衡系统，特别是那些处于稳态的系统，例如通过分子或纳米结构的恒定电流。这个普遍问题也出现在原子和光学物理学、生物物理学和量子信息论中，PI 的方法应该适用于广泛的非平衡系统。这项研究有助于对我们周围世界的广泛基本理解。对纳米结构和杂质系统的研究重点与为未来可能的电子设备和信息技术的设计奠定理论基础特别相关。该奖项还支持学生的指导和培训。通过为他们提供与物理系理论和实验小组以及纽约大学库朗数学科学研究所成员互动的机会，学生将获得广泛的接触和全面的教育。

This award supports theoretical research and education to address a fundamental question in quantum condensed matter physics: How do condensed matter systems behave when they are driven far from equilibrium? The PI aims to investigate how standard methods that have proven very successful in revealing the quantum ground states of many body systems may be extended and applied to nonequilibrium systems. These methods include mean-field theory, fluctuations about mean field and the renormalization group. The PI will focus on two classes of systems: The first class is quantum impurity models that are coupled to external reservoirs. The second class is spatially extended systems that are close to an ordering-disordering quantum phase transition. The PI will address the following issues: a). The precise mechanism underlying nonequilibrium induced decoherence, and the extent to which decoherence may be regarded as an effective temperature; b). Conditions under which a nonequilibrium probe can produce instabilities that could drive the many body system to a novel steady state or a time dependent dynamical state with no thermal analog; c). The effect of conservation laws on nonequilibrium induced phase transitions. The outcome of the research will be relevant to experiments in quantum dots, single molecule devices, spintronics and driven cold atom systems.This award supports guidance and training to students. By providing them with an opportunity to interact with theoretical and experimental groups in the physics department, as well as with members of the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, students will get a broad exposure and a well rounded education. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This award supports theoretical research and education to study condensed matter systems that are out of balance with their surroundings and for which quantum mechanics dominates. These quantum nonequilibrium systems include atomic structures on the nanoscale, such as quantum dots and molecules. For these systems, the successful theoretical methods developed to understand and describe systems that are in balance with their surroundings do not work and the PI seeks to develop extensions of these equilibrium methods to nonequilibrium systems, particularly those in a steady state, such as constant electric current going through a molecule or nanostructure. This general problem also arises in atomic and optical physics, biophysics and quantum information theory and the PI's approach should apply to a broad range of nonequilibrium systems. This research contributes to the broad fundamental understanding of the world around us. The focus of the research on nanostructures and systems of impurities is particularly relevant to contributing to the theoretical foundations to enable the design of possible future electronic devices and information technology.This award also supports guidance and training of students. By providing them with an opportunity to interact with theoretical and experimental groups in the physics department, as well as with members of the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, students will get a broad exposure and a well rounded education.