Department of Physics Colloquium, Professor Chao-Ming Jian, Cornell University

General Physics Colloquium, Professor Chao-Ming Jian, Cornell University

Title:  Quantum Matter Beyond Equilibrium:  Symmetry, Topology, and Entanglement

Host:  Erich Mueller

Abstract:  Symmetry and topology are the fundamental pillars of our understanding of quantum matter in equilibrium. Rapid advances in quantum simulators and programmable quantum platforms motivate the exploration of new forms of quantum matter beyond equilibrium, where entanglement also plays a central role in defining phases and their transitions. In this colloquium, I will discuss how the interplay of symmetry, topology, and entanglement enables rich universal collective phenomena in far-from-equilibrium quantum dynamical systems and many-body systems subject to measurement and decoherence. These developments expand our understanding of quantum matter and establish connections between the emergence of new phases and the preparation and protection of quantum information.