Symmetries in Quantum Condensed Matter
A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Physics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2021)
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The richness and multiplicity of quantum condensed phases of matter arise from the possibility of complex symmetry breaking transitions, or sequences of symmetry breaking transitions, in which an internal or gauge symmetry is spontaneously broken in combination with other symmetries, e.g. rotational symmetry, space inversion, time-reversal, etc. When this happens, new phases of matter with unique physical properties arise. Well-known examples include the superfluid phases of 3He, high-temperature superconductors with strong electronic correlations mediated by strong magnetic fluctuations, e.g. "heavy fermion" superconductors, and oxide-based cuprate superconductors.
Over the last 20-30 years, it has emerged that symmetry can play a more subtle role in quantum condensed matter systems beyond spontaneous breaking. Recent theoretical developments in condensed matter physics emphasize a new organizing principle based on topological invariants connected directly to the Hamiltonian governing the condensed matter system, as opposed to quantization rules that emerge from spontaneous symmetry breaking. This idea of topology in condensed matter physics is at the heart of phenomena like quantum Hall effect, and has led to several remarkable predictions for new states of matter in semiconductors and insulators with strong spin-orbit interactions, a class of materials referred to as "topological insulators". The existence of topological quantization in condensed matter systems has also driven the theoretical research into the areas of quantum information and quantum computation. As a result, there is currently an intense effort, both theoretically and experimentally, to classify, predict, identify and characterize the physical properties of topological condensed matter systems.
Prof. Dr. Ipsita Mandal
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- Crystal symmetry
- Topological phases
- Classification
- Topological charge
- Berry curvature
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