New states of quantum matter subject of physics lecture

McMaster University physics professor Graeme Luke, senior fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and fellow of the American Physical Society, will deliver the Canadian Association of Physicists’ annual undergraduate lecture Tuesday, February 13, in Alumni Hall’s McPherson Lounge.

Dr. Luke will discuss “Exotic Probes and Extreme Conditions Reveal New States of Quantum Matter” at 3 p.m.

“Condensed matter systems provide an exciting laboratory for observing new states of quantum matter via emergence, where the collective behavior of electrons results in quasi-particles with fractional statistics, spin-charge separation, magnetic monopoles and Majorana fermions (particles that are their own anti-particles),” he explains.

“I will describe how we design and synthesize new quantum materials that can host these exotic new states of matter and then use a variety of experimental techniques including muon spin relaxation and neutron scattering to probe their properties.”

This event, sponsored by the physics department, is free and open to the public.

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