Physics Near the Mott Transition

莫特跃迁附近的物理学

• 批准号: 1005434
• 负责人: Senthil Todadri
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-15 至 2014-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1005434&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Physics; Near; Mott; Transition

TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical research and education on novel phenomena that occur in the vicinity of the Mott metal-insulator transition in interacting electron systems. Specific areas of interest are the physics of continuous Mott transitions, and of quantum spin liquid Mott phases that are proximate to such transitions. The emphasis will be on developing theoretical concepts in the context of either experiments on specific materials or numerical work on specific microscopic models.Specific foci of the research include: (i) new theoretical approaches to the electronic Mott transition based on insights from the better understood Mott transition of bosons,(ii) the theory of gapless quantum spin liquid phases with a focus on identifying unique experimental signatures (iii) the interplay between electronic nematic order and spin liquid physics in Mott insulators. Project (i) is an exploration of new theoretical methods to address fundamental questions concerning the fate of the electronic Fermi surface as a metal evolves into a Mott insulator. This is a key challenge in many problems in modern quantum many-body theory. Projects (ii) and (iii) are directly motivated by experiments on weak Mott insulators that find evidence for the occurrence of quantum spin liquid phases. It is expected that the work proposed will provide key insights that will be useful in interpreting the results from experiments on weakly Mott insulating materials, and would help suggest new ones. All of the projects tie in nicely with some long term research interests of the PI on developing an understanding of non-fermi liquid physics near heavy electron critical points, and in the cuprate materials.This award also supports the training of graduate students in advanced theoretical concepts and methods. The PI will involve undergraduates in the research, when possible, through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at MIT. The PI will continue his efforts, begun recently, to design lectures to expose graduate students to experimental methods and the phenomenology of modern correlated materials.NONTECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical research and education that seeks to predict new phenomena occurring in materials that are near a special insulating state called a Mott state. Standard theoretical methods would predict that these Mott insulators are actually metallic. These methods inadequately account for the strong interactions between electrons in Mott insulators. When this is done, the metallic state gives way to an insulating state. The parent compounds of the high temperature superconductors with the highest transition temperatures are Mott insulators. Adding charges to these materials moves them from the Mott state to the high temperature superconducting state. The PI will use advanced theoretical tools to understand proposed new states of matter that occur near Mott states. The vicinity of a Mott state is thought to be a conspicuously fertile area for the discovery of new electronic states of matter and to lead to unusual electronic properties of materials that lie outside the standard textbooks. The PI also seeks to predict new phenomena near a Mott state. This is fundamental research with high risk elements. The research will advance our fundamental conceptual understanding of the electronic properties and phenomena of this class of materials. The research may also contribute to the intellectual foundations of new device technologies, particularly with increased ability to control the processing of these materials.This award also supports the training of graduate students in advanced theoretical concepts and methods. The PI will involve undergraduates in the research, when possible, through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at MIT. The PI will continue his efforts, begun recently, to design lectures to expose graduate students to experimental methods and the phenomenology of modern correlated materials.

技术摘要该奖项支持对相互作用电子系统中莫特金属-绝缘体转变附近发生的新现象的理论研究和教育。感兴趣的具体领域是连续莫特跃迁的物理学，以及接近这种跃迁的量子自旋液体莫特相的物理学。重点是在特定材料的实验或特定微观模型的数值工作的背景下发展理论概念。研究的具体重点包括：（i）基于更好理解的玻色子莫特转变的见解的电子莫特转变的新理论方法，（ii）无间隙量子自旋液相理论，重点是识别独特的实验特征（iii）相互作用 莫特绝缘体中电子向列序和自旋液体物理之间的关系。项目 (i) 是对新理论方法的探索，以解决有关金属演化为莫特绝缘体时电子费米表面命运的基本问题。这是现代量子多体理论中许多问题的关键挑战。项目 (ii) 和 (iii) 直接受到弱莫特绝缘体实验的推动，这些实验找到了量子自旋液相出现的证据。预计所提出的工作将提供关键见解，有助于解释弱莫特绝缘材料实验的结果，并有助于提出新的建议。所有项目都与 PI 的一些长期研究兴趣紧密结合，即加深对重电子临界点附近的非费米液体物理和铜酸盐材料的理解。该奖项还支持研究生先进理论概念和方法的培训。如果可能的话，PI 将通过麻省理工学院的本科生研究机会计划让本科生参与研究。 PI 将继续努力，从最近开始，设计讲座，让研究生了解现代相关材料的实验方法和现象学。 非技术摘要该奖项支持理论研究和教育，旨在预测在称为莫特态的特殊绝缘态附近的材料中发生的新现象。标准理论方法预测这些莫特绝缘体实际上是金属的。这些方法不足以解释莫特绝缘体中电子之间的强相互作用。当这完成时，金属状态让位于绝缘状态。具有最高转变温度的高温超导体的母体化合物是莫特绝缘体。向这些材料添加电荷使它们从莫特态转变为高温超导态。 PI 将使用先进的理论工具来理解莫特态附近出现的新物质态。莫特态附近被认为是发现物质新电子态的肥沃区域，并导致标准教科书之外的材料具有不寻常的电子特性。 PI 还试图预测莫特态附近的新现象。这是具有高风险因素的基础研究。该研究将增进我们对此类材料的电子特性和现象的基本概念理解。该研究还可能为新设备技术的智力基础做出贡献，特别是提高控制这些材料加工的能力。该奖项还支持研究生先进理论概念和方法的培训。如果可能的话，PI 将通过麻省理工学院的本科生研究机会计划让本科生参与研究。 PI 将继续他最近开始的努力，设计讲座，让研究生接触现代相关材料的实验方法和现象学。