Generalized Elasticity, Fluctuations and Stability of Soft Condensed

该奖项支持凝聚态物理的理论研究和相应的教育活动。重点是表面上有序的物质状态，其特征是异常的“软”弹性，因此受到波动和局部异质性的强烈和定性影响。PI将研究在各种不寻常的环境中实现的这种状态的一些实验驱动的例子。PI将探索物质的各种状态，包括：单轴周期性有序超流体，如物种不平衡配对超导体的拉金-奥夫钦尼科夫状态和玻色子半纯超固体，以及失败的中心对称和手性非中心对称磁体的螺旋基态。PI将制定这些状态的低能量西格玛模型描述，并将使用它来研究它们的低能量特性和相关的相变。将被纳入的一些关键成分是所需的Goldstone模式非线性、新的拓扑缺陷和由它们的扩散、量子动力学、与费米子自由度的耦合以及各种外场的影响而产生的新状态。该研究的另一个重点是一类凝聚态系统，它表现出受随机表面钉住的大块有序状态，具有“脏”玻璃基板的液晶电池是一个突出的例子。PI将为这样的系统开发模型，并广泛探索一些基本和应用方面，包括：相的稳定性到表面钉住，统计和长度尺度表征扭曲，拓扑缺陷，以及有限细胞厚度和外部场的影响。该研究计划解决实际的实验问题并推动理论凝聚态物理的前沿，该研究将有助于在其他不同的子领域之间产生协同作用。该奖项支持教育和推广工作，包括：凝聚态物理课程开发，开发大二现代物理课程，指导教师，高中和本科生。该奖项支持理论研究和相应的教育活动，以研究由共同性质联系在一起的物质的各种新状态。这些物质的状态被认为是“软的”，特别容易受到波动的影响，无论是统计物理学所描述的热波动，还是海森堡著名的测不准原理所导致的量子波动。例子包括磁铁和超流体，超流体是一种物质的量子态，其特征是流体流动没有损失。超流体出现在许多情况下。包含带电粒子的超流体被称为超导体，涵盖了各种各样的材料。这些“超状态”也可以通过使用激光束将原子气体冷却到接近绝对零度的温度来实现。PI将研究在各种不寻常的环境中实现的这种状态的一些实验驱动的例子。一些软态物质对杂质也很敏感。带有“脏”玻璃衬底的液晶显示器可能是一个突出的例子。玻璃基板上的随机杂质会扰乱液晶分子的定向。PI将使用先进的理论技术来研究这些系统，目的是促进对自然如何运作的基本理解。这项研究计划解决实际的实验问题，并推动理论凝聚态物理的前沿。这项研究将有助于在其他不同的子领域之间发挥协同作用。它也可能有助于新技术的基础，因为对物质和材料状态的操纵可能导致可以形成未来设备技术基础的新现象。该奖项还支持教育和推广工作，包括：凝聚态物理课程开发，开发大二现代物理课程，指导教师，高中和本科生。

TECNNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical studies and corresponding educational activities in condensed matter physics. The focus is on ostensibly ordered states of matter, characterized by an exceptionally "soft" elasticity, and are consequently strongly and qualitatively affected by fluctuations and local heterogeneity.The PI will study a number of experimentally motivated examples of such states, realized in a variety of unusual contexts.The PI will explore various states of matter including: uniaxially periodically ordered superfluids, such as the Larkin-Ovchinnikov state of a species-imbalanced paired superconductor and a bosonic smectic supersolid, and helical ground states of frustrated centrosymmetric and chiral noncentrosymmetric magnets.The PI will formulate a low-energy sigma-model description of such states, and will use it to investigate their low-energy properties and related phase transitions. Some of the key ingredients that will be incorporated are required Goldstone mode nonlinearities, novel topological defects, and new states arising from their proliferation, quantum dynamics, coupling to fermionic degrees of freedom, and the effects of various external fields.Another focus of the research is a class of condensed matter systems that exhibit bulk ordered states subjected to a random surface pinning, a liquid crystal cell with a "dirty" glass substrate being a prominent example. The PI will develop models for such systems and extensively explore a number of fundamental and applied aspects, including: the stability of phases to surface pinning, statistics and length scales characterizing distortions, topological defects, and effects of finite cell thickness and external fields.The research is planned to address real experimental problems and pushing the frontiers of theoretical condensed matter physics, the research will contribute to synergism between otherwise disparate subfields. This award supports educational and outreach efforts including: curriculum development of condensed matter physics, developing sophomore Modern Physics courses, and mentoring teachers, high school, and undergraduate students.NONTECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical studies and corresponding educational activities to study various new states of matter that are linked by a common property. These states of matter are considered to be "soft" and particularly susceptible to fluctuations whether they are thermal fluctuations described by statistical physics or quantum fluctuations that arise as a consequence of Heisenberg's famous uncertainty principle. Examples include magnets and superfluids, a quantum state of matter that is characterized by fluid flow without loss. Superfluids arise in a number of contexts. Superfluids involving charged particles are called superconductors and encompass wide class of materials. These "superstates" can also be realized by gases of atoms cooled to nearly the absolute zero of temperature using laser beams. The PI will study a number of experimentally motivated examples of such states, realized in a variety of unusual contexts.Some soft states of matter are also sensitive to impurities. A liquid crystal display with a "dirty" glass substrate might be a prominent example. The random impurities on the glass substrate can disrupt how the molecules of the liquid crystal orient themselves. The PI will use advanced theoretical techniques to study such systems with the aim of advancing fundamental understanding of how nature works. This research is planned to address real experimental problems and to push the frontiers of theoretical condensed matter physics. The research will contribute to synergism between otherwise disparate subfields. It may also contribute to the foundations of new technologies as the manipulation of states of matter and materials may lead to new phenomena that can form the basis for future device technologies. This award also supports educational and outreach efforts including: curriculum development of condensed matter physics, developing sophomore Modern Physics courses, and mentoring teachers, high school, and undergraduate students.