Strongly correlated electronic systems

[ZapperZ]

If you have access to the Science journal, do not miss the Review article written by Elbio Dagotto in the latest issue (July 8, 2005)[1]. This is the most concise article on THE major issue in condensed matter physics today.

Strongly correlated electron systems comprises of a number of novel and research-front area that include high-Tc superconductors, collosal magnetoresistance, magnetism, metal-insulator transition (especially in the Mott-Hubbard system), etc. Not only that, these areas of study exhibit the complexity or emergent phenomena that led Phil Anderson to claim that "the ability to reduce everything to simple fundamental laws does not imply the ability to start from those laws and reconstruct the universe."

This article also convey why the study of high-Tc superconductors, for example, is important BEYOND just its boundaries. This material is the poster-child for strongly correlated system. It exhibits almost all of the exotic properties of such a system. So the understanding of these superconductors have implications in understanding other families sharing the same complexities.

A strongly-recommended article to read.

Zz.

[1] E. Dagotto Science v.306, p.257 (2005).

 

[inha]

No access at home but I'll be sure to read that on monday. Thanks. I'm not too familiar with the subject (atleast yet) but highly interested in it.

 

[inha]

After reading it I second Zapper's recommendation.

 

[QMrocks]

Thanks for the valuable tip. Not an expert in this aspect, but definitely keen to learn abt it.

 

[ZapperZ]

OK, since that last one went over better than I thought, let me highlight another paper that I have mentioned already on here that people might have missed the first time around. This isn't a new one (2003), but it is still highly relevant. It was written by Piers Coleman, a well-known physicist in condensed matter. He highlighted the outstanding issues in condensed matter physics, and why they have implications beyond just this field of study.

http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0307004

Zz.

 

[nbo10]

Here's a question for the more senior members.

How long is it going to take until Many body physics is in the standard arsenal of a physicist knownledge.

I'm still in grad school and I find that some, maybe most, experimentalist that I know have the attitude that MBP is something to let the theorist worry about. Which is frustrating when your working on systems where many body effects plays a crucial role.

 

[ZapperZ]

Here's a question for the more senior members.

How long is it going to take until Many body physics is in the standard arsenal of a physicist knownledge.

I'm still in grad school and I find that some, maybe most, experimentalist that I know have the attitude that MBP is something to let the theorist worry about. Which is frustrating when your working on systems where many body effects plays a crucial role.

I suppose it depends on WHAT area of physics one is working in. I'm aware of a number of physics areas in which, even theorists, can get by without doing anything substantial in many-body physics.

Having said that, I don't see how one can ignore it if one is working in condensed matter physics, be it theoretical or experimental. Even if one is simply looking at "standard" or conventional effects, the Fermi Liquid picture requires knowledge of mean-field approximations and the concept of "quasiparticles" or single-particle spectral function.

Zz.

 

[inha]

Here's a question for the more senior members.

How long is it going to take until Many body physics is in the standard arsenal of a physicist knownledge.

I'm still in grad school and I find that some, maybe most, experimentalist that I know have the attitude that MBP is something to let the theorist worry about. Which is frustrating when your working on systems where many body effects plays a crucial role.

I'm not a experienced member nor do I have my masters yet but at my university a broad course on many body phenomena is required for all students going for a phd. For theorists it's 1/3 longer though but if an experimentalist plans on going further than a MSc he/she has to learn many body physics.

 

[aranyakam]

Quantum Manybody Physics

Take a look at the book of P.Coleman, Rutgers on "Quantum Manybody Theory", which discusses strogly correlated systems as well

http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~coleman/mbody/pdf/bk.pdf

 

[aranyakam]

Thanks Zapper for the info. The vol no. is "v.309" - please correct it.