Theoretical Condensed Matter Cambridge - Critical Mass Grant
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The role of condensed matter theory is to gain a deep understanding of phenomena observed in nature, either in the laboratory or in the natural world, and to use these insights to predict new behaviours and inspire novel directions for experimental design and investigation. To develop this approach, as theorists, we construct models of physical and chemical processes that are often inspired by experimental discoveries. For some applications, these models may be derived from a basic knowledge of the fundamental interactions of constituent particles; in other cases, they may be abstractions inspired by experimental phenomenology. We then make use of computational and analytical approaches to explore and refine these models to capture and explain known experimental properties and, crucially, to make testable predictions about new phenomena. By placing emphasis on "emergent" or collective behaviours of complex systems, the models we study can often provide insight into disparate fields of research, spanning across areas of physics, chemistry, material science and biology. As a result, our theoretical research activities are often interdisciplinary in character, contributing both to fundamental knowledge creation and providing practical applications of modelling to new and existing technologies.
A key strength of our research is its reliance on concepts and methodologies that can be shared and translated across seemingly disparate subject areas. To benefit from this approach, we seek support in the form of Critical Mass funding that will enable us to recruit post-doctoral researchers who can profit from engagement with more than one investigator, enabling them to strengthen and create new collaborations, open new areas of research, and advance their own ideas.
The proposed programme of research is separated broadly across three different themes which, together, are united by the common theme of dynamical phenomena.
By calculating and interpreting the characteristics of electrons in materials, we can provide deep explanations for common phenomena like the flow of electricity or heat, which in turn suggest new pathways for technological innovation.
The research proposed in Theme 1 will advance our understanding, and our ability to predict many aspects of materials behaviour, ranging from superconductivity to magnetism.
In Theme 2, we propose an interconnected programme of research on dynamical aspects of quantum many-particle systems, addressing: finite-temperature experimental signatures of quantum spin liquids in novel magnetic materials; the nature of topologically protected excitations in open quantum systems; and dynamical aspects of quantum circuits and their links to quantum error correction.
Finally, in theme 3, we will use computational and analytical approaches to study the dynamics of classical systems far from equilibrium, focusing on the study of glass-like phenomena in constrained systems, finding applications in both particulate and living matter.
A key strength of our research is its reliance on concepts and methodologies that can be shared and translated across seemingly disparate subject areas. To benefit from this approach, we seek support in the form of Critical Mass funding that will enable us to recruit post-doctoral researchers who can profit from engagement with more than one investigator, enabling them to strengthen and create new collaborations, open new areas of research, and advance their own ideas.
The proposed programme of research is separated broadly across three different themes which, together, are united by the common theme of dynamical phenomena.
By calculating and interpreting the characteristics of electrons in materials, we can provide deep explanations for common phenomena like the flow of electricity or heat, which in turn suggest new pathways for technological innovation.
The research proposed in Theme 1 will advance our understanding, and our ability to predict many aspects of materials behaviour, ranging from superconductivity to magnetism.
In Theme 2, we propose an interconnected programme of research on dynamical aspects of quantum many-particle systems, addressing: finite-temperature experimental signatures of quantum spin liquids in novel magnetic materials; the nature of topologically protected excitations in open quantum systems; and dynamical aspects of quantum circuits and their links to quantum error correction.
Finally, in theme 3, we will use computational and analytical approaches to study the dynamics of classical systems far from equilibrium, focusing on the study of glass-like phenomena in constrained systems, finding applications in both particulate and living matter.
Publications
Adam Wesolowski P
(2025)
Decoding Solubility Signatures from Amyloid Monomer Energy Landscapes.
in Journal of chemical theory and computation
Behrends J
(2024)
Surface codes, quantum circuits, and entanglement phases
Behrends J
(2024)
Surface codes, quantum circuits, and entanglement phases
in Physical Review Research
Bejan M
(2024)
Dynamical Magic Transitions in Monitored Clifford+ T Circuits
in PRX Quantum
Bennett D
(2024)
Pseudo-proper two-dimensional electron gas formation
in New Journal of Physics
Bennett D
(2022)
Coupling between tilts and charge carriers at polar-nonpolar perovskite interfaces
in Physical Review B
Blacha A
(2023)
The Origin of Amphipathic Nature of Short and Thin Pristine Carbon Nanotubes-Fully Recyclable 1D Water-in-Oil Emulsion Stabilizers
in Advanced Materials Interfaces
Chen S
(2023)
Real-space observation of ultraconfined in-plane anisotropic acoustic terahertz plasmon polaritons.
in Nature materials
Chern L
(2024)
Pseudofermion functional renormalization group study of dipolar-octupolar pyrochlore magnets
in Physical Review B
Chern L
(2024)
Topological phase diagrams of in-plane field polarized Kitaev magnets
in Physical Review B
Chern L
(2022)
Competing quantum spin liquids, gauge fluctuations, and anisotropic interactions in a breathing pyrochlore lattice
in Physical Review B
Claeys P
(2024)
Operator dynamics and entanglement in space-time dual Hadamard lattices
in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical
Claeys P
(2024)
From dual-unitary to biunitary: a 2-categorical model for exactly-solvable many-body quantum dynamics
in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical
Coak M
(2024)
Magnetotransport of Sm2Ir2O7 across the pressure-induced quantum-critical phase boundary
in npj Quantum Materials
De Tomasi G
(2022)
Effects of critical correlations on quantum percolation in two dimensions
De Tomasi G
(2022)
Effects of critical correlations on quantum percolation in two dimensions
in Physical Review B
De Tomasi G
(2022)
Effects of critical correlations on quantum percolation in two dimensions
Deng S
(2023)
Pressure-induced transitions in FePS$_3$: Structural, magnetic and electronic properties
in SciPost Physics
Famili M
(2022)
Local orbital formulation of the Floquet theory of projectile electronic stopping
in Physical Review B
Glittum C
(2023)
Emergence of quasiperiodic behavior in transport and hybridization properties of clean lattice systems
in Physical Review Research
Halliday J
(2022)
Ab initio electronic stationary states for nuclear projectiles in solids
in Physical Review Research
Halliday J
(2022)
Manifold curvature and Ehrenfest forces with a moving basis
in SciPost Physics
Hallén J
(2024)
Thermodynamics and fractal dynamics of a nematic spin ice: A doubly frustrated pyrochlore Ising magnet
in Physical Review B
Hallén JN
(2022)
Dynamical fractal and anomalous noise in a clean magnetic crystal.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Harper A
(2024)
Vibrational and thermal properties of amorphous alumina from first principles
in Physical Review Materials
Karavias V
(2024)
Switching in quantum networks: an optimization investigation
in Journal of Optical Communications and Networking
Karavias V
(2024)
Optimizing satellite and core networks for a global quantum network
in Journal of Optical Communications and Networking
Kim M
(2022)
Anderson localization of emergent quasiparticles: Spinon and vison interplay at finite temperature in a Z 2 gauge theory in three dimensions
in Physical Review Research
Koskelo E
(2023)
Comparative Study of Magnetocaloric Properties for Gd 3 + Compounds with Different Frustrated Lattice Geometries
in PRX Energy
Koval N
(2023)
Nonlinear electronic stopping of negatively charged particles in liquid water
in Physical Review Research
Koval NE
(2022)
Inelastic scattering of electrons in water from first principles: cross sections and inelastic mean free path for use in Monte Carlo track-structure simulations of biological damage.
in Royal Society open science
Kumanek B
(2022)
Doping Engineering of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Nitrogen Compounds Using Basicity and Alignment.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Lebedeva I
(2023)
Modular implementation of the linear- and cubic-scaling orbital minimization methods in electronic structure codes using atomic orbitals
in Royal Society Open Science
Massillon-Jl G
(2025)
Anomalies in the Electronic Stopping of Slow Antiprotons in LiF.
in Physical review letters
McLauchlan C
(2024)
A new twist on the Majorana surface code: Bosonic and fermionic defects for fault-tolerant quantum computation
in Quantum
McLauchlan Campbell
(2024)
A new twist on the Majorana surface code: Bosonic and fermionic defects for fault-tolerant quantum computation
in QUANTUM
Milowska K
(2022)
Effective doping of single-walled carbon nanotube films with bromine under ultrasound
in Materials & Design
P. Kim S
(2025)
Planted directed polymer: Inferring a random walk from noisy images
in Physical Review E
Rutter M
(2023)
Pseudopotential contributions to the quadrupole moment in charged periodic systems
in Physical Review B
Salaverria S
(2025)
Synthesis and Characterization of a Non-Planar Cyclophenylene on Au(111)
in Chemistry - A European Journal
Salzbrenner P
(2023)
Developments and Further Applications of Ephemeral Data Derived Potentials
| Description | Identification of a novel route to quantum spin liquid behaviour underpinned by kinetic energy frustration in doped Mott insulators. Understanding slow dynamics in constrained lattice models in terms of a sharp saddle-to-minima topological transition in the connectivity of the configuration network resolved as a function of energy. Understanding dynamical phenomena in topological magnets (with emergent or extrinsic disorder) and quasiperiodic systems. Implementation of quantum spin liquid physics in quantum simulators and hardware, probing their anyonic statistics via Mach-Zehnder interferometry and developing new techniques to assess the coherence present in these noisy quantum environments. |
| Exploitation Route | This work lays the groundwork for possible future technologies, including quantum technologies. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) |