Joint Physics Dept-MtSE Seminar

February 21th, THURSDAY (*NEW SPECIAL DAY*)

Tuning Quantum Phase Transitions in Chiral Materials

Prof. Junjie Yang

Dept. of Physics, Central Michigan Univ.

(Experimental Condensed Matter/Materials Physics,

Host: Federici)

*NEW TIME: 11:45am-12:45pm with 11:30am teatime

*NEW ROOM: ECE 202

Chirality, which characterizes the broken mirror reflection symmetry in a material, is an important and fundamental notion across a broad range of scientific disciplines, including physics, chemistry, and biology. The materials associated with chirality have attracted much attentions due to their important physical properties. Especially, the entanglement of chirality and magnetic order could induce various novel quantum phase transitions in materials, and is essential for realizing new functions for a large amount of applications. For example, a polar magnet Ni₃TeO₆ associated with chiral lattice has been discovered to exhibit colossal magnetoelectric coupling effect. Another example is Cr_1/3TaS₂, in which the interplay between chiral symmetry and magnetic exchange interactions gives rise to a novel chiral helimagnetic structure and a topological soliton lattice. Understanding and engineering of these chiral materials are crucial for the technological utilization of these materials. In this talk, I will discuss about the fine tuning of quantum phase transitions in several typical chiral materials using doping method and high pressure method. I will also look at the question as how to characterize and detect the quantum phase transitions using neutron scattering and X-ray scattering method.