WiSe 21/22: Relativistic Particles in Condensed Matter
Maxim Breitkreiz, Piet Brouwer
Comments
Current research in condensed-matter physics is in a significant part concerned with materials where low-energy electronic excitations behave like relativistic elementary particles. These materials thus allow to study fundamental problems of quantum field theory in highly controllable environments on the ``tabletop’’. At the same time, the relativistic behaviour manifests itself in novel transport phenomena, with high potential for future applications.
In this course we will introduce/recapitulate relevant aspects of
- special and general relativity
- relativistic quantum mechanics Dirac and Weyl fermions
- coupling to the electromagnetic field
- chiral anomaly
- tight-binding model of condensed matter
We will then consider simple condensed-matter models of existing materials, graphene and (more extensively) Weyl semimetals and explore how and why relativistic particles emerge in matter and what protects them. Afterwards we will study the peculiar consequences and signatures of the relativistic behaviour in materials, especially transport phenomena associated with the chiral anomaly and the charge-conjugation symmetry of relativistic particles, which will bring us to the frontier of current research.
For more information, see manuscript of previous course at https://breitkr.userpage.fu-berlin.de/teaching.html
closeSuggested reading
Mainly original and review articles (will be announced during the lecture). Manuscript will be provided.
15 Class schedule
Regular appointments