Probing Exotic Quasiparticles in Weyl Materials

非技术摘要：了解新型电子材料的特性是未来许多科学技术领域进步的关键。该计划支持的研究重点是阐明新型电子材料的性质，称为Weyl材料（半金属和可能的超导体），并为本科生提供机会，通过研讨会课程和实验室研究经验来了解物质的新量子态。该研究计划使用先进的原子尺度成像工具以前所未有的分辨率探测Weyl材料，并将利用这些发现来测试这些材料中电子行为的理论模型。研究生和本科生接受培训，使用先进的扫描隧道显微镜仪器进行拟议的研究议程。在这个项目下，PI还为大一学生开设了一个研讨班，让他们了解量子材料的广泛领域，它们在推进电子学方面的潜在应用，以及它们在发现物质新相方面的重要性。技术摘要：该研究项目包括使用先进的扫描隧道显微镜和光谱技术来阐明Weyl半金属中体相和表面准粒子的关键拓扑性质，并确定Weyl材料中超导性的性质，例如通过与常规超导体接近而引入。证明Weyl系统的拓扑保护是目前这类新材料研究的关键目标之一。如先前在广泛的拓扑材料上所展示的那样，STM的光谱成像是实现这一基本目标的独特工具。由于载流子的手征性质，或者由于具有自旋织构的异常弧形费米表面，在Weyl系统中可以在其体中实现新类型的超导态。这些研究将为我们理解材料中物质的拓扑相提供相当多的信息。作为该计划的一部分，新生研究研讨会将向学生介绍从冷原子气体到近年来发现的新颖拓扑相的各种量子相。

Non-techical Abstract:Understanding the properties of novel electronic materials is key to future advances in many areas of science and technology. This program supports research that is focused on elucidating the properties of new class of electronic materials, called Weyl materials (semimetals and possible superconductors), and offer undergraduate students opportunity to learn about novel quantum states of matter through both a seminar course and hands on laboratory research experience. The research program uses advanced atomic scale imaging tools to probe Weyl materials with unprecedented resolution and will use these findings to test theoretical models of electronic behavior in these materials. Graduate and undergraduate students are trained to carry out the proposed research agenda using sophisticated state-of-the-art scanning tunneling microscopy instrumentation. Under this project, the PI is also developing a seminar class for freshman undergraduates to expose them to broad field of quantum materials, their potential application for advancing electronics, and their importance in discoveries of new phases of matter.Technical Abstract:This research project consists of using advanced scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy techniques to elucidate the key topological properties of bulk and surface quasi-particles in Weyl semimetals and to determining the nature of superconductivity in Weyl materials, introduced for example through proximity with a conventional superconductor. Demonstration of topological protection in Weyl systems is currently one of the key goals in studies of this new class of materials. Spectroscopic imaging with STM, as previously demonstrated on a wide range of topological materials, is a unique tool to achieve this fundamental goal. New type(s) of superconducting states may be realized in Weyl systems in their bulk because of the chiral nature of carriers or at their surface because of the unusually arced Fermi surface with spin texture. These studies will add considerable information to our understanding of topological phases of matter in materials. The freshman research seminar being developed as part of this program will introduce student to a wide range of quantum phases from those in cold atomic gases to novel topological phases discovered in recent years.