Novel phases of electronic Mott insulators

该奖项支持理论研究和教育，以研究电子物质的新型莫特绝缘状态。我们感兴趣的特定相是量子自旋液体和量子磁性相，它们是相互作用拓扑绝缘体的自旋类似物。重点将放在理论概念和方法的发展，将放置在实验和/或数值工作的背景下。PI将研究三个主题：(i)有机盐和其他材料中量子自旋液体的理论和现象学；（ii）对一类可能超越现有范式的新型无间隙量子自旋液态的理论描述；(3)拓扑绝缘体自旋类似物的理论与实现。项目(i)和（ii）的动机是在许多莫特绝缘体上进行的实验，这些实验为各种量子自旋液相提供了证据，通常具有无间隙激发。项目（iii）是一个新的和快速发展的领域，可以加深我们对量子磁性和拓扑绝缘体的理解。该奖项支持培养凝聚态物理的现代概念和方法的研究生。本科生将参与研究。PI将开设讲座，让研究生了解相关材料的现象学及其实验探针。他还将开设讲座，向其他科学家传达凝聚态物理的兴奋之处。该奖项支持关于有趣的新型物质绝缘状态的理论研究和教育。人们早就知道，在某些材料中，绝缘行为的发展是由于电子之间的库仑相互作用，而不是由于量子力学能带的填充。现代发展表明，这些莫特绝缘体中的一些可以处于非常新颖的物质状态，其中微观自由度在宏观距离上量子力学纠缠。由于远距离量子力学纠缠，出现了几种不同寻常的反直觉现象。PI将开发新的概念和方法来处理具有长距离量子纠缠的绝缘体及其实验特征。他还将对这种相互作用驱动的绝缘体中的对称性和量子效应之间的相互作用有更深入的了解。这项基础研究有可能产生未来量子技术的基础概念。远程纠缠相的研究是凝聚态物理中相对较新的一章，有望对技术产生与前一章远程有序相研究类似的影响。该奖项还支持培养凝聚态物理的现代概念和方法的研究生。本科生将参与研究。PI将开设讲座，让研究生了解相关材料的现象学及其实验探针。他还将开设讲座，向其他科学家传达凝聚态物理的兴奋之处。

Technical summaryThis award supports theoretical research and education to study novel Mott insulating states of electronic matter. Specific phases of interest are quantum spin liquids, and phases of quantum magnetism that are the spin analogs of interacting topological insulators. The emphasis will be on the development of theoretical concepts and methods which will be placed in the context of experiments and/or numerical work. The PI will pursue three topics: (i) the theory and phenomenology of quantum spin liquids in the organic salts and other materials;(ii) a theoretical description of a new class of gapless quantum spin liquid states that are likely beyond the existing paradigm;(iii) the theory and realization of spin analogs of topological insulators. Projects (i) and (ii) are motivated by experiments on many Mott insulators that provide evidence for various kinds of quantum spin liquid phases, typically with gapless excitations. Project (iii) is on a new and rapidly evolving area which can deepen our understanding both of quantum magnetism and topological insulators. The award supports the training of graduate students in modern concepts and methods in condensed matter physics. Undergraduates will be involved in the research. The PI will develop lectures to expose graduate students to the phenomenology of correlated materials and their experimental probes. He will also develop lectures to convey the excitement of condensed matter physics to other scientists. Non-technical summaryThis award supports theoretical research and education on interesting new kinds of insulating states of matter. It has long been known that in certain materials insulating behavior develops as a result of the Coulomb interaction between the electrons rather than due to the filling of quantum mechanical energy bands. Modern developments show that some of these Mott insulators can be in very novel states of matter where the microscopic degrees of freedom are quantum mechanically entangled over macroscopic distances.Several unusual counter intuitive phenomena arise as a result of the long range quantum mechanical entanglement. The PI will develop new concepts and methods to deal with insulators with long range quantum entanglement, and their experimental signatures. He will also develop a deeper understanding of the interplay between symmetry and quantum effects in such interaction driven insulators. This fundamental research has potential to generate concepts that will underlie future quantum technologies. The study of long range entangled phases is a relatively new chapter in condensed matter physics which holds promise to have similar impact on technology as the previous chapter of the study of long range ordered phases. This award also supports the training of graduate students in modern concepts and methods in condensed matter physics. Undergraduates will be involved in the research. The PI will develop lectures to expose graduate students to the phenomenology of correlated materials and their experimental probes. He will also develop lectures to convey the excitement of condensed matter physics to other scientists.