Graphene, photo: Ktsimage/Mostphotos
Graphene, photo: Ktsimage/Mostphotos

 

“Developments have been very rapid in recent years, with experiments that have shown a number of fascinating properties of quantum matter. But we often lack a theoretical understanding of these phenomena, which prevents us from understanding nature in a systematic way and optimising the results for future applications,” says Alexander Balatsky of Nordita, a research institute funded by Stockholm University and KTH, among others.

A very important reason for the limited understanding of quantum matter is that traditional theoretical and experimental methods are based not on dynamics but on equilibrium, without energy losses or time dependency. But many microscopic properties of quantum matter have a strong inherent dynamic. Dynamic phenomena are therefore a very central concept in quantum matter.

Exotic phenomena

“By creating an understanding of the dynamic in quantum matter, the project Dynamic Quantum Matter will help us, in the future, to predict where the most usable and astounding phenomena arise and also to control them in detail. Quantum matter consist of material and classes of material where the effects and exotic phenomena of quantum mechanics are particularly prominent. One example is superconductive materials in which electrons move entirely without resistance.” 

The other researchers in the Dynamic Quantum Matter project are Jens Bardarson, KTH, Emil Bergholtz, Stockholm University, Annica Black-Schaffer, Uppsala University and Stefano Bonetti, Stockholm University. The project has funding for five years.

About the grant
The Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation awards grants each year to research projects that are judged to have the potential to lead to future scientific breakthroughs. In 2019, the foundation has granted SEK 640 million to 20 research projects. Four of these grants, worth a total of around SEK 132 million, are awarded to Stockholm University.