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Hidden metastable mesoscopic states in quantum materials

Project description

Cutting-edge approach to exploring quantum states of matter

Scientists are increasingly interested in non-equilibrium states of matter owing to their importance across diverse areas of physics. However, studying these states has been challenging as current methods average out over multiple transition outcomes and cannot resolve the irregular nanoscale structures involved. To address this, researchers are developing new tools such as time-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy that should allow them to observe and manipulate these complex structures in unprecedented detail, from picoseconds to hours. The ERC-funded HIMMS project aims to uncover new phenomena and improve our understanding of phase transitions and quantum states, potentially leading to significant advancements in quantum technology.

Objective

Non-equilibrium states of matter have become of great fundamental and practical interest in recent years because of their wide importance in diverse areas of physics. With the rapid development of new time-resolved techniques, the temporal dynamics of competing processes and interactions were recently elucidated in a wide variety of complex condensed matter systems. However, the physics of metastable mesoscopically non-periodic quantum textures emerging from phase transitions has been largely experimentally inaccessible till now: current state of the art time-resolved methods using x-rays, electron diffraction, photoemission, THz and optical spectroscopy all average over multiple transition outcomes. Moreover, they cannot resolve irregular nonperiodic nanoscale structures. Thus, a large field of mesoscopic quantum physics of metastable quantum states remains largely unexplored. Here we propose to develop a unique set of tools to investigate mesoscopic metastable irregular textures created under controlled non-equilibrium conditions in quantum materials, with focus on topological transitions and quantum jamming phenomena. Temporally tempered excitation techniques combined with time-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy will be used to studying single and multiple transition outcomes with atomic spatial resolution on timescales from picoseconds to hours. Experiments supplemented by new theoretical approaches will address the creation processes, relaxation dynamics and quantum decoherence of metastable mesoscopic structures, as well as manipulation and control. Theoretical approaches for addressing resulting quantum states include fracton-derived models and quantum annealing on a quantum computer. The project opens the path to detailed exploration of a new class of physical phenomena of wide fundamental interest in different areas of physics, while opening new avenues in non-equilibrium solid state quantum systems technology.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) ERC-2023-ADG

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Host institution

INSTITUT JOZEF STEFAN
Net EU contribution
€ 535 010,50
Address
Jamova 39
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
Region
Slovenija Zahodna Slovenija Osrednjeslovenska
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
€ 535 010,50

Beneficiaries (2)