I am a theorist aiming to answer fundamental questions in physics-related interdisciplinary research areas engaging condensed-matter, many-body systems, quantum information theory, quantum field theory, statistical physics, cold atomic systems, and nanoelectronics.

Keywords: Low-dimensional quantum systems, Nano and Photon systems, Superconductivity, Topological Insulators, Quantum Impurity Systems, Cold Atoms

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I'm interested in strongly correlated electron systems (e.g., spin models and magnetism) and entanglement in interacting quantum systems. In addition, my current research is focused on topological insulators and topological excitations in superconducting micro circuits.

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My interests are in the increasingly convergent fields of condensed matter and atomic physics, where more and more many-body Hamiltonians are realized in optical lattices of fermions and bosons, as well as Bose-Einstein condensates with spin degrees of freedom. I have started work in using the Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) method to simulate one-dimensional many-body systems, focusing on the search for ways to improve and extend the method to critical and higher-dimensional systems using the perspective and techniques of quantum information theory. Recently I have done some work on the behavior of number fluctuations in quantum critical systems and their relation to entanglement entropy [ see Phys. Rev. B 83, 161408(R) (2011) ].

My current area of interest is non-equilibrium quantum transport. In particular, I have been working on a reformulation of transport in quantum impurity models out-of-equilibrium in terms of a steady-state density matrix: arXiv:1004.5591 contains the fundamentals of the method and arXiv:1101.1526 applications. Entropy production in such systems and its connection with information theory is also under investigation. In particular, the role of entanglement entropy in such systems is a topic of active interest.

My current interest is the formation of zero-energy gapless modes in heterostructures, with a focus on topological effects: quantum wire realization in 1D domain walls of 2D systems such as graphene and bilayer graphene, without time-reversal symmetry breaking; novel interactions (e.g., in artificial honeycomb lattices ) that lead to edge modes protected against disorder; a similar application using proximity effects in superconductor - topological insulator interfaces.

My research interests lie in the area of numerical methods for strongly correlated systems, including quantum Monte Carlo (QMC), cluster dynamical mean-field theory (CDMFT) and functional renormalization group method (fRG). In particular, I use CDMFT to study two-dimensional Hubbard models. Beyond the traditional static mean-field theory, CDMFT employs dynamical mean-fields to reduce the complexity. This makes it a fabulous tool for the study of two-dimensional strongly correlated systems, especially problems related to high-Tc superconductivity. Two of our papers containing applications of CDMFT are Phys. Rev. B 82 245102 (2010) and Phys. Rev. A 82 043625 (2010).

My research lies in the crossover regime of condensed matter theory and ultracold atoms. We have studied a realization of the dissipative quantum Ising model in a two-component gas of cold bosonic atoms in an optical lattice [ Phys. Rev. A 77, 051601(R) (2008) ]. We have also investigated how the fascinating supersolid phase emerges in cold-atom Bose-Fermi mixtures, [ Phys. Rev. A 80, 023624 (2009) ]. Currently, my research focuses on the dissipative dynamics of quantum spins that are embedded in their environment. We have numerically solved the Landau-Zener problem in the presence of dissipation [ Phys. Rev. A 82, 032118 (2010) ], and studied the dynamics of two Ising-coupled quantum spins interacting with a common bosonic bath [ Phys. Rev. B 82, 144423 (2010) ], selected as an Editors' Suggestion.

Peter has successfully defended his PhD, Spring 2011 and is now a postdoctoral fellow at Karlsruhe, please visit his webpage at http://www.tkm.kit.edu/english/staff_1148.php.

My research is in the field of strongly correlated electron systems. In particular, I have focused on various frustrated magnetic (and other) systems (quantum and classical), topological effects in various phases (superconductors and insulators), cold atom Bose-Fermi mixtures on optical lattices, the Hall effect in Bismuth in a strong magnetic field, and dynamics in central spin systems.

Doron Bergman is now working at Caltech, where he has obtained a research associate fellowship.

My current research interests lie in the field of increasingly popular single and bi-layer graphene. Till now I have studied the transport properties of Dirac fermions in graphene and concretely its relation to the Klein paradox. Second topic of interest is the role of trigonal warping in bi-layer graphene. And recently the role of Dirac particles in photonic crystals as well as the general behavior of interacting Dirac fermions has attracted my attention.