Quantum Phase Transitions in Materials
1. What Are Phase Transitions? A phase transition occurs when a material changes its state, like ice melting into water or water boiling into vapor. These transitions happen when external….
Tag: condensed matter physics
High-Temperature Superconductors
1. Introduction to Superconductivity Superconductivity is a quantum mechanical phenomenon where a material conducts electricity without resistance when cooled below a certain critical temperature. In traditional superconductors, this temperature is….
Majorana Fermions in Condensed Matter
1. Who or What Is a Majorana Fermion? The idea of a Majorana fermion originated from the Italian physicist Ettore Majorana in 1937. He proposed a type of fermion (a….
Quantum Hall Effect
1. The Classical Hall Effect: A Starting Point Before diving into the quantum version, it helps to understand the classical Hall effect. In 1879, Edwin Hall discovered that when an….
Topological Insulators
1. What Are Topological Insulators? Topological insulators are a class of quantum materials that behave in a very unusual way: This means their interior resists electric current, but their surface….
Quantum Phase Transitions
In everyday life, we’re familiar with classical phase transitions — like water freezing into ice or boiling into steam. These occur due to changes in temperature or pressure, where thermal….
Many-Body Physics Simulations
In the realm of quantum mechanics, a “many-body” system refers to a group of multiple interacting particles, such as electrons in a solid or atoms in a gas. Unlike single-particle….