Prof. Leon Balents
Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of California at Santa Barbara
Quantum geometry in electronic bands
Abstract:
Electrons inside crystals occupy Bloch energy bands. Traditionally in condensed matter it is the energy of the bands that controls most of the physics. However, the wavefunctions of a band, or a small collection of bands, define a restricted Hilbert space whose geometry is different from the whole and can influence physical properties. I will discuss some recent work in our group discussing how quantum geometry controls correlations in interacting flat bands, as well as how quantum geometry appears in a proper description of electron motion in dispersive bands.
