Physics Club: Meng Cheng, Yale University, “Symmetry and anomaly in quantum phases of matter”

Event time: 
Monday, November 16, 2020 - 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Location: 
Online () See map
Event description: 

Recent years have witnessed tremendous progress in the theoretical understanding of quantum matter beyond the Landau paradigm. The interplay of symmetry and entanglement structure of many-body wavefunctions results in new phases of matter exhibiting a variety of novel topological phenomena, such as fractionalization and quantized transport. I will discuss in particular a class of gapped phases known as symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases, summarizing recent progress in their classifications. Contemplating the bulk-boundary relations for SPT phases has led to a deeper understanding of quantum anomalies and their implications for low-energy physics. I will explain how these ideas can be applied to condensed matter systems with crystalline symmetry, yielding vast generalizations and refinements of the celebrated Lieb-Schultz-Mattis theorem in quantum magnetism.
Host: Keith Baker
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