Research interests
Research Overview:
My research interests span the area of condensed matter physics, particularly the field of strongly correlated electron systems and theoretical nanoscience. Strongly correlated electron systems represent an important class of quantum materials where electron-electron Coulomb interactions are dominantly active and drive the response of the system. In fact, a typical manifestation of strong electron-electron Coulomb interactions is to display magnified thermodynamic and transport properties compared to conventional metals or insulators. An imperatively necessary theme in this branch is the role of quantum-many-body theory: the amalgamation of quantum and statistical mechanics of 10^23 interacting electrons. This brings them to the forefront of condensed matter physics research, especially where we are looking for low-power, cost-effective materials for energy storage or future generation technological applications.
Quantum many-body effects can result in collective, emergent behavior hosting a plethora of new phenomena that is quite different from that of the individual constituents or classical systems. Experiment and theory advance hand in hand to refine our understanding of this complexity. Computational studies act as a bridge between new theoretical concepts, and experimental observations of new phenomena. These systems host unconventional physics in terms of quantum phase transitions and quantum critical points
Our interests center on such strongly correlated electron systems including effects of disorder or impurities that are ubiquitously present in the real world. Another theme of our research includes topological quantum matter especially the interplay between topology and strong correlations. See our recent articles in these directions on this page.
Finally, we also explore the role of electron correlations in nanoscale setups. The presence of strong correlations at such nanoscale regimes leads to the pathway for future 'quantum boosted' device functionalities. Here, new possibilities arise from the complex interplay between quantum interference due to competing transport pathways, and the Kondo effect due to entanglement from strong electronic interactions.
We use state-of-the-art computational techniques to simulate our models. The techniques that our group is engaged with are:
Dynamical Mean Field Theory
Local Moment Approach
Numerical Renormalization Group
Dynamical Cluster Approximation
We do not just rely on numerical techniques but also take the help of analytical insights wherever possible. I am also interested in first-principles and ab-initio theories that may help us understand these systems in a more realistic setting. Currently, I am exploring ideas and concepts based on Machine Learning to understand phase transitions and challenging parameter regimes of correlated electron models.
Some Recent Highlights: