3:45–5:00 pm
GCIS W301/303 929 E. 57th St
Speaker: Assoc. Prof. Long Ju, Dept. of Physics, MIT
Title: Emergent Quantum Phenomena in Graphene: Condensed Matter Physics Through a Piece of Carbon
Abstract:
Condensed matter physics aims to explore and understand various quantum phenomena that
emerge from the interactions between nuclei and electrons. Through synthesizing and
investigating various crystals, this constructionism approach has led to the discovery of many
amazing phenomena, especially when the principles of electron correlation and topology play
important roles. The settings of such conventional crystals are often very complicated,
making it hard to extract the essential ingredients and understand the underlying physics. In
this talk, I will show our efforts on establishing a new paradigm, based on a material known
as rhombohedral graphene, which is part of natural graphite. Rhombohedral graphene has the
simplest chemistry and structure, yet can be controlled by a set of experimental knobs to
exhibit many intriguing phenomena in condensed matter physics. Beyond phenomena that
were familiar, I will focus on two newly observed quantum phases of matter, chiral
superconductor[1] and fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect[2]. I will show their
construction, phenomena, and implications for quantum many-body physics and applications.
In the end, I will discuss new opportunities to be explored in this new paradigm.
References:
[1] Han, T., Lu, Z., Hadjri, Z. et al. Signatures of chiral superconductivity in rhombohedral graphene. Nature 643,
654–661 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09169-7
[2] Lu, Z., Han, T., Yao, Y. et al. Fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect in multilayer graphene. Nature 626,
759–764 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-07010-7
Host: Prof. Kathryn Levin, Dept. of Physics (k-levin@uchicago.edu)
About the JFI Colloquium: The James Franck Institute Colloquium is a monthly event inviting distinguished scholars from research institutions around the globe to share creative, groundbreaking research at the intersection of chemistry, physics, and materials science. As an interdisciplinary institution, the JFI welcomes researchers and students from a wide variety of scientific disciplines to attend and partake in lively discussion. Colloquium speakers are nominated by JFI faculty and selected annually by the colloquium committee. Find the full calendar on the JFI website.