Quantum Criticality of Heavy Fermion Systems

许多现代技术是基于凝聚态物理和材料科学的知识，这一领域的进步是由不断发现的具有特殊、有用的物理性质的材料推动的。例如，凝聚态物理学通过发现和理解液晶、晶体管和磁性设备，使其能够工作在高折射率的透镜中，所以我们可以在口袋里装一个小相机。智能手机上有100种不同的材料，这些材料已经被发现、优化和提炼，让我们可以与朋友和家人聊天。材料合成为凝聚态物理的所有其他研究奠定了基础，而材料是从能源部门到医疗设备，再到传感、通信和信息技术等技术的关键。虽然材料生长的重要性早已被认识到，但高质量材料合成的短缺已被认为是北美科学界的一个弱点。 我的关于新材料生长和表征的研究计划有可能对这一领域的进展产生重大影响。与20世纪的半导体电子学革命类似，这场革命是在物理学家理解非相互作用电子的量子理论时引发的，当物理学家解决更困难的强相互作用电子的量子问题时，将会发生一场迫在眉睫的第二次材料革命。我的研究将通过专注于一组特别干净的模型材料来在这个问题上取得重要进展，在这种模型材料中，所谓的“量子相变”可以被用来以一种受控的方式来调节动能和势能之间的平衡。这有可能揭示有用和有趣的新电子态，并将使我们能够仔细测试和扩大我们对强相互作用电子系统的理解。同时，我的研究计划将为高素质的人才提供一个出色的培训环境，他们将成为这一领域的明天的领导者。

Much of modern technology is based upon knowledge of condensed matter physics and materials science, with progress in this area driven by the ongoing discovery of materials with particular, useful physical properties. For example, condensed matter physics by discovering and understanding liquid crystals, transistors, and magnetic devices allows it to work high index of refraction lenses, so we can have a little camera in the pocket. The smart phone has literally 100 of different materials that have been discovered, optimized, and refined to allow us to chat with friends and family. Materials synthesis lays the foundation for all other research in condensed matter physics, and materials are the linchpin for technologies ranging from the energy sector, to medical devices, to sensing, communications and information technologies. While the importance of materials growth has long been recognized, a shortage of high quality materials synthesis has been identified as a weakness in North American science. My research program on the growth and characterization of novel materials has the potential to significantly impact progress in this area. Analogous to the revolution in semiconductor electronics in the twentieth century, which was unleashed when physicists understood the quantum theory of non-interacting electrons, there is a impending, second materials revolution that will occur when physicists solve the much harder quantum problem of strongly interacting electrons. My research will make important progress on this problem by focusing on a particularly clean set of model materials, in which so-called "quantum phase transitions" can be exploited to tune the balance between kinetic and potential energy in a controlled way. This has the potential to reveal useful and interesting new electronic states, and will allow us to carefully test and extend our understanding of strongly interacting electron systems. At the same time, my research program will provide an outstanding training environment for highly qualified personnel, who will become tomorrow's leaders in this area.