Faculty
Bascom S. Deaver, Jr.
Ph.D., 1962, Stanford
Paul Fendley
Ph.D., 1990, Harvard
George B. Hess
Ph.D., 1967, Stanford
Israel Klich
PhD, 2004, Israel Institute of Technology
Eugene Kolomeisky
Ph.D., 1988, Academy of Sciences of the USSR
Austen Lamacraft
PhD, 2002, University of Cambridge
Seung-Hun Lee
Ph.D., 1996, Johns Hopkins
Despina Louca
Ph.D., 1997, Pennsylvania
Joseph Poon
Ph.D., 1978, Caltech
Bellave S. Shivaram
Ph.D., 1984, Northwestern
Keith A. Williams
Ph.D., 2001, Penn State
Stuart A. Wolf
Ph.D., 1969, Rutgers
Jongsoo Yoon
Ph.D., 1997, Penn State
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Condensed matter physics seeks to understand the striking new physical properties that may emerge when very large numbers of atoms or molecules organize into solids or liquids. Research in this area has led to fundamental breakthroughs in our understanding of metals, semiconductors and superconductors, as well as to the inventions of the transistor, diode laser, and integrated circuit. Condensed matter physics thus comprises the technological underpinning for the entire modern computer and communications industry. For these reasons, worldwide, this branch of physics commands the largest number of researchers, who work in academic institutions, major industrial and government laboratories, and small entrepreneurial enterprises. The problems addressed by condensed matter physicists are often interdiscplinary in nature, affecting a number of other scientific fields including chemistry, biology, electrical engineering, and materials science. The University of Virginia maintains a diverse and vigorous research program in both experimental and theoretical condensed matter physics.
The experimental condensed matter research groups at UVa explore the structural, optical, electronic, and magnetic properties of different types of solids ranging from amorphous to crystalline systems with unusual properties. Activities include the synthesis and characterization of metallic glasses, quasicrystals, colossal magnetoresistive manganites and high temperature superconductors, measurements of electronic and magnetic properties of new intermetallic compounds, characterization of static and dynamic lattice effects in oxides, intermetallic alloys and martensites using the pair density function analysis, study of the microscopic processes at the interface of two relatively sliding materials as well as inside metals and crystals during plastic deformation, study of phase transitions, measurement of magnetic and quantum correlation effects in heavy fermion and high-temperature superconductors, scanning-probe and optical studies of new semiconductor alloys, studies of wetting and adsorption on crystal surfaces, and development of far-infrared applications of semiconductors and superconductors. The condensed matter community at UVa has access to a variety of cryogenic facilities capable of scanning temperatures from as low as 15 mK to room temperature, several high-field magnets, a quantum-interference magnetometer, different scanning-probe instruments such as scanning tunneling, force, and optical microscopes, various vacuum thin-film deposition and etching systems, and a range of microwave and millimeter-wave analytic instruments. In addition, many research projects work closely with Electrical Engineering and Materials Science Departments, using facilities such as a photolithography lab and X-ray diffraction and elec-tron-beam microscopes, as well as national labs where high magnetic fields sources are available. The group also performs research at national and international neutron and x-ray facilities and carries out high precession measurements on the atomistic properties of materials particularly under high pressure.
Theoretical condensed matter physicists at UVa try to arrive at a quantitative description of many unusual properties observed in novel materials and fluids. Such research includes an investigation into what makes the new generation of high-temperature superconductors work as they do, solving model problems like quantum spin chains which are believed to contain the features of newly synthesized low-dimensional metals and magnets. Studies of the structure of magnetic vortices in superconductors and the interactions that bind atoms and molecules to solid surfaces are also underway. For example, the point-contact tunneling amplitude for the fractional quantum Hall effect was recently exactly computed.
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