Strong correlation physics in low dimensional quantum materials and ultracold atomic gases - novel states of matter and their applications

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The laws of quantum mechanics together with interactions between electrons can sometimes lead to a remarkable organization of electrons in solids. Among the most spectacular of such effects is the observation of high temperature superconductivity in certain two-dimensional copper oxide and iron arsenide materials. Another recent discovery of an unusual electronic state of matter is graphene - a single layer of carbon atoms forming an ultrathin membrane in which electrons exhibit strange behaviors, such as being completely transmitted through barriers which ordinarily reflect electrons, and perfect lensing of quantum mechanical electron waves. These examples illustrate that electrons in low dimensional solids often exhibit new states of matter, and these states possess a slew of interesting properties which hold the promise of new technologies. Recent interest has also focused on the behavior of alkali atoms and alkaline earth atoms at ultralow temperatures. In this regime, the quantum nature of these atoms becomes apparent, and depending on what kind of atom one is working with (bosons or fermions), they exhibit phenomena ranging from Bose condensation to paired superfluidity. From a condensed matter physics perspective, such systems offer a unique perspective on understanding the behavior of electrons in solids - the atoms behave analogous to electrons in many respect, yet the cold atom experiments can tune the interaction between the atoms in a clean controllable fashion which cannot be achieved with electrons in solids. The proposed research will address fundamental aspects of strongly correlated quantum states of matter in solid state materials and ultracold atomic gases, together with exploring the applications of this understanding towards novel technologies.