Quantum many-body physics

We study how interactions generate collective quantum behavior in systems that are analytically challenging and often computationally extreme. The emphasis is on identifying useful models, robust signatures, and theoretically controlled routes to understanding correlated matter.

  • Strongly interacting lattice models and emergent phenomena
  • Topological phases and topological observables
  • Nonequilibrium dynamics and driven quantum matter
  • Connections between model Hamiltonians and experimentally accessible signatures

Selected papers: Dispersion of the Excitations of Fractional Quantum Hall States (Science, 2009) [DOI]; Cooper Instability of Composite Fermions (Nature, 2000) [DOI].

Engineered quantum systems

Many of our projects are motivated by clean, tunable quantum platforms such as ultracold atoms, optical lattices, Rydberg arrays, and polar molecules. These systems provide a direct bridge between many-body theory, quantum control, and experimental realization.

  • Ultracold atoms and molecules in lattices and tweezers
  • Dipolar and rotational-state physics in molecular platforms
  • Electrons in semiconductor devices
  • Observable design for analogue and digital quantum simulation

Example papers: Toward Quantum Analogue Simulation of Many-Body Supersymmetry with Rydberg Atom Arrays (Phys. Rev. Lett., 2025) [DOI]; Emergent Kinetics and Fractionalized Charge in 1d Spin-Orbit Coupled Flatband Optical Lattices (Phys. Rev. Lett., 2014) [DOI].

Quantum information and simulation

The group develops theory and algorithms for quantum simulation, with particular interest in measurement-based approaches, benchmark design, and the structure of quantum resource states. This work links many-body physics to quantum computing architectures and workflows.

  • Measurement-based quantum computing and graph-state methods
  • Hardware-aware quantum simulation algorithms
  • Benchmarking protocols for near-term quantum devices
  • Error-aware and measurement-efficient algorithm design

Example papers: Noise-resilient and resource-efficient hybrid algorithm for robust quantum gap estimation. (Phys. Rev. A, 2025) [DOI]. Anyonic Braiding in Optical Lattices (PNAS, 2007) [DOI]; Chirality in Quantum Computation with Spin Cluster Qubits (Phys. Rev. Lett., 2004) [DOI].

Computational condensed matter and scientific software

Our work is strongly computational. We use and help build scalable tools for solving quantum many-body problems, and we care about reproducibility, software sustainability, and broad access to scientific computing infrastructure.

  • Exact diagonalization, DMRG, Monte Carlo, and hybrid workflows
  • Open-source software ecosystems for quantum simulation
  • Reusable data resources and benchmark datasets
  • Training-oriented infrastructure for the next generation of computational physicists

Example papers: Phase Diagram of the ν = 5/2 Fractional Quantum Hall Effect: Effects of Landau-Level Mixing and Nonzero Width (Phys. Rev. X, 2015) [DOI]; The ALPS Project Release 2.0: Open Source Software for Strongly Correlated Systems (J. Stat. Mech., 2011) [DOI].

Representative questions

  • How can interactions in driven or constrained systems generate new effective models?
  • Which observables are most diagnostic for phases realized in clean AMO platforms?
  • When do quantum information protocols truly improve many-body simulation?

Typical ingredients

  • Lattice Hamiltonians and many-body effective theories
  • Graph states, stabilizers, and measurement patterns
  • Electrons, atoms, molecules, spins, qudits, and driven interactions

Methods in the group

  • Analytical modeling and controlled approximations
  • Exact diagonalization and tensor-network methods
  • Scientific software development and benchmarking workflows
Research philosophy. We aim to keep the group broad enough to support multiple entry points for students, yet focused enough that projects share common intellectual infrastructure: many-body theory, experimentally relevant modeling, and computational rigor.