Condensed Matter
Condensed matter physics is the physics of the βmanyβ: many particles, many interactions,
many classes of thermodynamic phases. Systems of this type are distinctive in that
the large number of involved particles both precludes the possibility of obtaining
exact quantum mechanical solutions and provides a rich backdrop from which an oftentimes
beautiful array of simple, unexpected, and bizarre new properties can begin to emerge.
As such, the study of condensed matter is both the single largest subfield of active
basic research investigation in physics and is a subfield boasting a plethora of connections
to industrial applications. Departmental condensed matter research topics include
magnetism, the absorption and emission of light by solids, strongly-correlated electronic
systems, spintronics, synthetic quantum systems, topological phases of matter, machine
learning applications, and computational fluid dynamics. For information and to learn
about research opportunities, contact Peter Beyersdorf, Alejandro Garcia, Ranko Heindl, Hilary Hurst, Ehsan Khatami, or Christopher Smallwood.
See also the 91ΑΤΖζ Materials Characterization and Metrology Center.
