prof. dr hab. Tadeusz Kopeć

Kwantowa krytyczność w układach silnie skorelowanych

Quantum criticality emerges when a many-body system is in the proximity of a continuous phase transition that is driven by quantum fluctuations close to T=0. This can occur when a continuous phase transition is suppressed to zero temperature, eg, by applying pressure, making a quantum phase transition. In the quantum critical regime, exotic, yet universal properties are anticipated; Bose-Einstein condensation in ultracold atoms and high Tc superconductors provide systems to test these predictions. Although one can never reach the absolute zero of temperature, the presence of a quantum critical point influences a wide region of the phase diagram. The underlying theory behind quantum critical points combines the theory of quantum mechanics with the theory of phase transitions, however with a number of unsolved issues.