This award supports fundamental condensed matter theory. The goal of the project is to develop new, and advance existing, theoretical and computational tools for analyzing the non-Fermi-liquid (NFL) properties and quantum-critical behaviors of strongly correlated electron systems characterized by the presence of Dirac-like excitations near isolated Fermi points and singular interactions.
The effects of singular interactions (which are often due to a nearby quantum-critical point) become even more pronounced in lower dimensions or restricted geometries, i.e., the situation often encountered in nanostructures. The research aims at: developing an adequate description of, and gaining new insights into, the nature and classification of the observed anomalous behaviors in a variety of strongly correlated electron systems with (nominally) point-like Fermi surfaces; Linking the NFL properties of novel superconducting, magnetic, and carbon-based materials to their structure and assessing the feasibility of their practical applications; Utilizing strong many-body correlations in nanostructures as a possible means of controlling coherent charge and spin transport for possible device applications.
Within this unifying framework, the following specific topics will be considered: Emergent behaviors and incipient orders in the pseudogap phase of high Tc cuprates, pyrolytic graphite, dichalcogenides, and other layered strongly correlated systems with the Dirac-like quasiparticle dispersion; Construction and systematic analysis of physical observables in effective gauge theories of strongly correlated electron systems, including those describing the pseudogap, Meissner and disordered vortex states of the d-wave superconductors; Many-body effects on entanglement and decoherence in multi-qubit (spin-1/2) arrays that support Direac-and Majorana-like elementary excitations, also in the presence of dissipative environments.
This project is expected to have a strong educational component and achieve a broader impact through: Recruitment and individual training of graduate students and postdocs with the focus on combining theoretical research of a broad range of interdisciplinary topics with possible practical applications; Development of improved and updated graduate and undergraduate curricula and design of new courses, including the undergraduate seminar on quantum solid state and nanoscale physics that the PI started. %%% This award supports fundamental condensed matter theory. The goal of the project is to develop new, and advance existing, theoretical and computational tools for analyzing the properties of strongly interacting electron systems in confined geometries such as found in nanostructures. The behavior of these systems will also be linked to other problems of current interest such as high-temperature superconductors. This research has possible practical applications. Results will be discussed in an undergraduate seminar organized by the principal investigator. ***
