2026-09-19T00:18:05Zhttps://dspace.mit.edu/server/oai/requestoai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/843922022-01-13T07:54:07Zcom_1721.1_7582com_1721.1_7581col_1721.1_131022
Patrick A. Lee.
Potter, Andrew C. (Andrew Cole)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics
2014-01-23T18:41:01Z
2014-01-23T18:41:01Z
2013
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/84392
867860680
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 2013.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 191-206).
In this thesis, I explore three classes of quantum phases of matter that cannot be understood purely on the basis of symmetry, and can be regarded (to varying degrees) as having highly-entangled ground-states. The first Part describes topological superconductors with non-Abelian defects, and develops realistic routes to constructing these exotic superconductors from more elementary materials. Particular attention is payed to practical issues such as disorder. The second Part examines the role of interactions in electron topological insulators (TIs). Non-perturbative definitions of the familiar topological band-insulator are given, and new strongly-correlated TIs with no band-structure analogs are identified. The last Part turns exotic gapless phases without quasi-particle excitations, focusing on topics related to recently discovered quantum spin-liquid (QSL) materials. The possibility of a gapless QSL in the vicinity of the metal-insulator transition in doped semiconductors is explored, and optical conductivity is developed as an experimental tool to examine the nature of the QSL candidate Herbertsmithite. The material of this thesis is closely parallels that of Refs [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7,8, 9,10, 11].
by Andrew C. Potter.
Ph.D.
206 pages
eng
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. theses are protected by
copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Physics.
Understanding, constructing, and probing highly-entangled phases of quantum matter
Thesis
application/pdf
false
Publication
unknown
unknown
<Publication xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/1.1/" id="a9ec9998-8717-4416-9578-46fc0bc74e9c">
<Type xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/vocab/COAR_Publication_Types">http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_1843</Type>
<Language>eng</Language>
<Title>Understanding, constructing, and probing highly-entangled phases of quantum matter</Title>
<PublishedIn>
<Publication>
</Publication>
</PublishedIn>
<PublicationDate>2013</PublicationDate>
<Authors>
<Author>
<DisplayName>Potter, Andrew C. (Andrew Cole)</DisplayName>
<Affiliation>
<OrgUnit>
</OrgUnit>
</Affiliation>
</Author>
</Authors>
<Editors>
</Editors>
<Publishers>
<Publisher>
<DisplayName>Massachusetts Institute of Technology</DisplayName>
<OrgUnit />
</Publisher>
</Publishers>
<License>http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582</License>
<Keyword>Physics.</Keyword>
<Abstract>In this thesis, I explore three classes of quantum phases of matter that cannot be understood purely on the basis of symmetry, and can be regarded (to varying degrees) as having highly-entangled ground-states. The first Part describes topological superconductors with non-Abelian defects, and develops realistic routes to constructing these exotic superconductors from more elementary materials. Particular attention is payed to practical issues such as disorder. The second Part examines the role of interactions in electron topological insulators (TIs). Non-perturbative definitions of the familiar topological band-insulator are given, and new strongly-correlated TIs with no band-structure analogs are identified. The last Part turns exotic gapless phases without quasi-particle excitations, focusing on topics related to recently discovered quantum spin-liquid (QSL) materials. The possibility of a gapless QSL in the vicinity of the metal-insulator transition in doped semiconductors is explored, and optical conductivity is developed as an experimental tool to examine the nature of the QSL candidate Herbertsmithite. The material of this thesis is closely parallels that of Refs [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7,8, 9,10, 11].</Abstract>
<Access xmlns="http://purl.org/coar/access_right"
>
</Access>
</Publication>