Theory of Quantum Matter
Leader: Prof Dr Richard Schmidt
The research focus of the group “Theory of Quantum Matter” lies at the intersection of theoretical solid state and atomic physics. We are particularly interested in systems that feature a strong interplay of few- and many-body physics with the aim to understand its significance for the dynamics, spectroscopic and transport properties of quantum matter realized in ultracold atomic gases and semiconducting materials.
In order to make progress in the understanding of the role of few-body correlations in complex quantum matter, it is important to identify systems which not only allow to study physics from different perspectives, but which also highlight universal aspects of the underlying dynamics. Discovering such connections provides a basis to establish new phenomena that universally appear in artificial cold atomic quantum system and actual solid state materials with the potential of quantum technological applications. Building on our expertise at the intersection of solid state and atomic physics, our research group focusses on studying and exploiting such universal connections between solid state and atomic physics to theoretically discover novel states of quantum matter and finding ways to actually realize those in experiments.
In our theoretical pursuit of this goal we rely on a wide set of few- and many-body techniques (including quantum field theory, diagrammatics, functional renormalization group, time-dependent variational wave functions, functional determinants and exact diagonalization). We aim to improve these methods as well as to develop new theoretical tools that allow to deepen our understanding of universal aspects of few- to many-body dynamics in quantum matter.