Physics

Prof. H R Krishnamurthy
IISC Bangalore

In 1982 Richard Feynman proposed the concept of a ``quantum analogue simulator'', with one “designer” quantum system emulating the properties of another physical system.  Amazing technological advances in laser-cooling and trapping of atoms and ions using their interaction with electromagnetic fields, especially optical lattices, (recognized by 3 Nobel Prizes,) are now bringing Feynman’s vision close to realization. Such ``optical lattice emulators'' may some day guide the development of novel materials, shed light on poorly understood phenomena in materials science, and elucidate interesting and hard to understand quantum effects in nature such as high-Tc superconductivity and quantum phase transitions. In my lecture I will review, at as non-technical a level as possible, some of the fascinating physics involved in these advances, and discuss their implications for our understanding of quantum matter, possibilities for quantum computers, etc.