A comprehensive understanding and accurate description of interacting quantum many-body systems remains one of the most fundamental and complex problems in physics. It is known that the correlations arising from interactions between particles very often dominate the system’s behaviour and lead to some of the most striking phenomena observed in nature, with high-temperature superconductivity and the fractional quantum Hall effect being two prominent examples. While ground state properties of a variety of correlated quantum many-body systems are fairly well understood nowadays, very little is known about the behaviour of quantum systems far from equilibrium and on how correlations influence the dynamics.
The SFB 925 constantly advances the understanding and controlling non-equilibrium dynamics of many-body systems, using light as a central tool to manipulate and detect dynamical phenomena in a variety of experimental platforms governed by different time and energy scales. In a joint effort, the participating scientists investigate different systems, ranging from small systems like single atoms and molecules, in which correlations can be studied and controlled on a very fundamental level, to condensed matter systems characterized by complex many-body phases. As an important connecting element, ultracold quantum gases in optical lattices bridge from models to real materials. In the third funding period, we aim at designing and implementing light induced dynamical control of specific metastable states that provide interesting physical functionality.
We combine the expertise from the involved research fields at the University of Hamburg and its partners, the Helmholtz-centre DESY, the Max-Planck society and the European X-FEL GmbH, to form a strong and well-suited research collaboration in order to address the challenging questions of many-body quantum physics.
The SFB complements this excellent research program with a training of young researchers at the highest level, with modern concepts of gender equality and family support and includes a specific public outreach program.