Condensed Matter Physics
Condensed Matter Physics deals with fundamental questions concerning the behavior of very large numbers of strongly interacting degrees of freedom. It seeks to provide an understanding of the macroscopic physical phenomena and properties that arise from what are usually well understood basic microscopic interactions. Having its beginnings in solid state physics, primarily concerned with the electronic properties of solids, modern condensed matter physics has grown to include study of such diverse systems as solids, liquids, superfluids, glasses, polymers, gels, colloids, neural networks, macromolecules, and indeed any system in which many interacting basic components lead to complex or qualitatively new cooperative behavior at the macroscopic scale. Research in modern condensed matter physics spans the range from understanding the properties of exotic and artificially fabricated materials, to fundamental questions concerning ordering, phase transitions, and critical behavior in classical and quantum statistical systems.
In the Department, experimental research in condensed matter physics is undertaken in the laboratories of Profs. Bocko, Gao, and Rothberg. The Superconducting Electronics Laboratory of Prof. Bocko is interested in such topics as high frequency digital signal processing, low noise signal detection, and in the quantum coherence of Josephson junction based circuits for use in quantum computation. The Surface Science Laboratory of Prof. Gao conducts investigations into the electronic and structural properties of solid surfaces and interfaces, with applications to nanostructures, organic semiconductor devices, and ultrafast electron dynamics. The Laboratory of Prof. Rothberg is engaged in studying the physics, chemistry, and materials science for making optoelectronic devices from organic materials. Prof. Emeritus Castner's interests are in the metal insulator transition in doped semiconductors. Research in theorectical condensed matter physics is carried out in the groups of Profs. Conwell, Shapir, and Teitel. Both Profs. Shapir and Teitel work in the general area of critical phenomena in statistical systems. Prof. Shapir's recent interests concern the effects of randomness on phase transitions, and the kinetics of interface growth. Prof. Teitel's work explores the effects of vortex fluctuations on the macroscopic behavior of superconductors. Prof. Conwell's interests are in the area of electrical and optical properties of organic semiconductors, conjugated polymers, and most recently, DNA. Prof. Douglass' research has recently focused on models of climate change.
The breath of modern condensed matter physics leads naturally to interdisciplinary interactions with many other branches of pure and applied science. At the University, numerous groups in other departments have a close overlap with condensed matter, and have supported thesis research by Department students. These groups include research in superconducting electronics by Prof. Feldman, Prof. Hsiang and Prof. Sobolewski (Electical Engineering); in optoelectronics by Profs. Prof. Hsiang and Prof. Fauchet (EE), Prof. Wicks (Optics), and Chen (ChemE); in nanotubes and nanocrystals by Prof. Krauss (Chemistry); in supercritical fluids by Prof. Chimowitz (ChemE); in fractal growth in electro-depostion by Prof. Jorne (ChemE); and in nanoparticles by Profs. Yang and Yates (ChemE). See our Chemical Physics and Engineering page for more details. Members of the Condensed Matter Group in the Department also participate in the University's interdisciplinary Program in Materials Science.
