Transcript Deans Day 2001 PMG

Condensed Matter Theory in the UIUC
Physics Department
Paul Goldbart
Professors (11)
Gordon Baym, David Ceperley,
Y.-C. Chang, Eduardo Fradkin, Paul Goldbart,
Nigel Goldenfeld, Tony Leggett, Richard Martin,
Yoshi Oono, Philip Phillips, Michael Stone
Asst. Prof. (1)
Karin Dahmen
 One of the best and biggest, worldwide
 Strong, dynamic interactions with our experimentalists
 Core research at Seitz Materials Research Lab
 PhD students and postdocs very highly sought
What is Condensed Matter Physics?
 Understanding emergent states of matter
– developing new concepts & strategies
– presents deep intellectual challenges
– spin-offs (neural nets, simulated annealing,…)
– cross-fertilization (e.g., with high-energy theory)
 Stream of thrilling recent discoveries (& Nobel Prizes)
– high-temperature superconductors, CMR materials,
quantum Hall effects, quasicrystals, buckyballs,
liquid crystals,…
 Long-term enabling of new technologies
– magnetic data storage, liquid crystal displays,…
 Not so much what we study but how we approach it
What does our Condensed
Matter Theory Group do?
 Superconductivity, superfluidity and BEC
 Strongly correlated Fermi systems
 Complex materials, novel materials
 Computational condensed matter physics
 Nanoscale physics, semiconductor physics
 Soft matter (polymers, gels, liquid crystals,…)
 Statistical physics (phase transitions, disorder,…)
 Nonequilibrium physics (pattern formation,
turbulence, earthquakes, biophysics,…)
 Quantum information
Why has our Condensed Matter
Theory Group been so successful?
 World-class faculty
 Cutting-edge research programs
 Breadth and depth (critical-mass factor)
 Cohesiveness and collegiality (the Urbana spirit)
 Collective funding and hiring of postdocs
(STCS, MRL/NSF, MRL/DOE, MCC, PQI,…)
 Collaboration with CM Experiment colleagues
 Interactions with many other College units:
MRL, NCSA, Beckman, Microelectronics,ECE,
MATSE, TAM, MIE, Chem. Eng., Chem., CSE,…
CMT Group’s main concerns
 Maintaining our edge,
competing with Harvard, Stanford, MIT,…
– faculty recruiting (e.g. Eugene Demler)
– graduate student recruiting
(fellowships, competitive salaries)
 Space: adequate funds for move to Eng. Sci. Bldg.
 Computing and other infrastructure
 Supporting our CM Experiment colleagues
(start-up costs, lab space)
 Postdoctoral fellowships
Vulcanized matter: What is it?
cross-linking
end-linking
• Fluid system (macromolecules, molecules, atoms,…)
• Introduce permanent random constraints
• Cause phase transition to a new state:
the amorphous solid state
Why study vulcanized matter?
• Least complicated setting for
– random solid state
– phase transition to it
• Why the simplicity?
– equilibrium phenomenon, continuous transition
– universal properties (symmetries & length-scales)
• Simplified real glass
• Broad technological/biological relevance
• Intrinsic intellectual challenge
A few theoretical results
• Transition to the amorphous solid state
– growth of localized fraction Q
– scaling and universality in
Q
distribution of localization lengths
– cf. simulations (Barsky & Plischke)
nearly log-normal distrib.
– emergent elasticity
Some open issues
• Elementary origin of universal distrib. of loc. lengths
(found elsewhere; connection with log-normal)?
• Ordered-state structure & elasticity beyond meanfield theory?
• Further connections with random resistor networks?
• Multifractality?
• Dynamics, especially of the ordered state?
• Connections with glasses?
• Experiments (Q/E INS; video imaging,…)?