Simulating ultracold correlated quantum matter: New microscopic paradigms

Strongly correlated quantum systems have some of the most exotic physical properties in nature, but detailed theoretical understanding is lacking.

These systems are not only of immense fundamental interest: they also have practical applications, e.g. in the case of high-temperature superconductors.

Previous studies have focused on solid state settings, where microscopic studies of the underlying correlations are challenging.The goal of my ERC project is to obtain a new level of understanding of strongly correlated quantum matter on microscopic scales.

This is enabled by recent breakthroughs in quantum simulations using ultracold atoms in optical lattices, namely the capability to implement lattice gauge theories coupled to dynamical matter and doped quantum magnets in the context of the 2D Fermi-Hubbard model. My main research objective is to identify the universal constituents of correlated matter in doped quantum magnets i.e.

I will develop new approaches to understand the ingredients underlying high-temperature superconductivity.

The key innovative aspects of my research are (i) the development of new semi-analytic descriptions of correlated quantum matter based on fluctuating anti-ferromagnetism; (ii) the atomistic description of the emergent constituents of doped quantum magnets and (iii) the utilization of new experimentally accessible models of correlated quantum matter.

Building on my unique expertise, I will establish the theoretical framework to utilize state-of-the-art quantum simulators and numerical tools to address long-standing questions about strongly correlated quantum matter.My proposed research will have an immediate impact on current experiments with ultracold atoms, which have just started to explore strongly correlated quantum matter.

I further envision that the new theoretical connections that I will establish between atomic and condensed matter physics will lead to a shift of paradigms in the study of strongly correlated quantum matter.