Jonathan Trump wins NSF Early Career Award
Jonathan Trump, Assistant Professor of Physics, will receive $738,090 over five years to compile a census of supermassive black holes in the universe. This will give insights into how supermassive black holes and galaxies evolve across cosmic time. Trump will also develop a bridge program for underrepresented undergraduate physics majors at UConn to increase their […]
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New result for part of muon anomaly
Professors Luchang Jin and Tom Blum, along with colleagues at BNL and Columbia, Nagoya and Regensburg universities have completed a first-ever calculation of the hadronic light-by-light scattering contribution to the muon’s anomalous magnetic moment with all errors controlled. The work is published in Physical Review Letters as an Editor’s Suggestion and also appeared in Physics […]
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Radiation Damage Spreads
A single x-ray can unravel an enormous molecule, physicists report in the March 17 issue of Physical Review Letters. Their findings could lead to safer medical imaging and a more nuanced understanding of the electronics of heavy metals. Medical imaging techniques such as MRIs use heavy metals from the bottom of the periodic table as …
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CANCELLED: Professor Donna Strickland , Katzenstein Distinguished Lecturer, March 13, 2020
Dear Friends of UConn Physics, Due to the current health situation and concerns surrounding the Corona virus, we are canceling the Katzenstein Lecture and Banquet scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2020. It was an agonizing decision to cancel, but our first priority is the health of all who would have been attending, our special guest […]
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UConn seismometer detects Puerto Rico event
The Geophysics research group (Prof. Vernon Cormier and students) operate a seismic wave station that continuously monitors vibrations in the earth’s crust, many of which arise from seismic events that happen far away. These waves travel through the deep earth, and eventually make their way to the surface where they are detected. The above […]
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Prof. Chiara Mingarelli, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Probing supermassive black hole mergers with pulsar timing", Graduate Student Seminar12:15pm
4/24
Prof. Chiara Mingarelli, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Probing supermassive black hole mergers with pulsar timing", Graduate Student Seminar
Friday, April 24th, 2020
12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Storrs Campus video conferencing
Prof. Chiara Mingarelli, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut
Probing supermassive black hole mergers with pulsar timing
Galaxy mergers are a standard aspect of galaxy formation and evolution, and most (likely all) large galaxies contain supermassive black holes. As part of the merging process, the supermassive black holes should in-spiral together and eventually merge, generating a background of gravitational radiation in the nanohertz regime. An array of precisely timed pulsars spread across the sky can form a galactic-scale gravitational wave detector in this band. I describe the current efforts to develop and extend the pulsar timing array concept, together with recent limits which have emerged from international efforts to constrain astrophysical phenomena at the heart of supermassive black hole mergers. -
Graduate Student Lukasz Kuna, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Mesoscale Studies of Nanostructured Multi-Functional Materials", PhD Dissertation Defense10:00am
4/16
Graduate Student Lukasz Kuna, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Mesoscale Studies of Nanostructured Multi-Functional Materials", PhD Dissertation Defense
Thursday, April 16th, 2020
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Storrs Campus Video meeting
Graduate Student Lukasz Kuna,
Department of Physics,
University of Connecticut
Mesoscale Studies of Nanostructured Multi-Functional Materials
In this dissertation, multiple studies centered around functional properties of materials for applications in devices and novel technologies are carried out utilizing a mesoscale modeling approach. The studies involve simulating the properties of dielectric nano/microstructures with coupled polar and elastic degrees of freedom and developing a greater understanding of their dependence on the structure size, morphology and applied external conditions. Of particular focus in this work are optical properties of electroactive materials including zero- and one-dimensional structures such as nanoparticles and nanowires, as well as mesoscopic functional properties of larger structures such as polycrystalline ceramics (with submicron grain sizes) and ferroelectric mesa structures. The first two research topics are focused on the band gap properties of 1-D semiconductors and modeling of ferroelectric mesa structures, each study serving as an important tool in progressing the understanding of these materials for functional applications. The final topic, comprising the larger portion of the work, presents a novel approach for studying transmission in nanocrystalline ceramics based upon wave-train theory, that is then utilized to predict light transmission in polycrystalline ceramics. In particular, simulations examining the optical properties modulation under different applied mechanical and electrical boundary conditions predict large changes to transmission, including switching from full transparency to opacity in some instances. The results presented in this dissertation highlight an extraordinary promise of functional nano- and microceramics for a wide range of advanced engineering applications. -
Prof. L. Levitov, Department of Physics, MIT, "Long-Lived Excitations, Directional Memory and Hydrodynamic Transport in Two-Dimensional Electron Fluids", Condensed Matter Physics Seminar9:00am
4/10
Prof. L. Levitov, Department of Physics, MIT, "Long-Lived Excitations, Directional Memory and Hydrodynamic Transport in Two-Dimensional Electron Fluids", Condensed Matter Physics Seminar
Friday, April 10th, 2020
09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Storrs Campus online
Prof. L. Levitov, Department of Physics, MIT
Long-Lived Excitations, Directional Memory and Hydrodynamic Transport in Two-Dimensional Electron Fluids
It was found recently that 2D electron fluids can support collective excitations that are not subject to Landau's \(T^2\) dissipation [1,2,3]. This surprising behavior originates from the head-on carrier collisions, a process that dominates angular relaxation at not-too-high temperatures \(T \ll T_F\) due to the joint effect of Pauli blocking and kinematic constraints. As a result, a large family of exceptionally long-lived excitations emerges, associated with the odd-parity harmonics of momentum distribution. This leads to "tomographic" dynamics: fast 1D spatial diffusion along the unchanging velocity direction accompanied by a slow angular dynamics that gradually randomizes velocity orientation. The abnormally slow angular relaxation originates from correlated angular dynamics involving "lock-step'' angular displacements along the Fermi surface occurring in collinear two-particle collisions. The slow loss of directional memory is described as non-Brownian angular random walk, "superdiffusion" on the Fermi surface. The collective behavior with directional memory dominates at moderately long times, pushing the onset of conventional hydrodynamics to abnormally large timescales. The tomographic regime features an unusual hierarchy of time and length scales, resulting in scale-dependent transport coefficients. The scale dependence manifests itself in fractional-power current flow profiles and unusual conductance scaling vs. temperature and sample size. This exotic behavior can be directly probed by transport measurement techniques, as well as by momentum-resolved tunneling measurements.
1. P J Ledwith, H Guo, L Levitov, The Hierarchy of Excitation Lifetimes in Two-Dimensional Fermi Gases,
Annals of Physics 411, 167913 (2019)
2. P J Ledwith, H Guo, A V Shytov, L Levitov,
Tomographic Dynamics and Scale-Dependent Viscosity in Two-Dimensional Electron Systems,
Phys Rev Lett 123, 116601 (2019)
3. P J Ledwith, H Guo, L Levitov, Angular Dynamics and Directional Memory in Two-Dimensional Electron Fluids,
2019
Zoom Meeting: https://kth-se.zoom.us/j/123036826 -
Prof. G. Fernando, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Quasi-two-dimensional organics, Hubbard ladders, and dynamic stability", Graduate Student Seminar12:15pm
4/3
Prof. G. Fernando, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Quasi-two-dimensional organics, Hubbard ladders, and dynamic stability", Graduate Student Seminar
Friday, April 3rd, 2020
12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Storrs Campus video conferencing
Prof. G. Fernando, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut
Quasi-two-dimensional organics, Hubbard ladders, and dynamic stability
This presentation is a summary of several projects we have been working on during the past few years.
Our work covers electronic structure calculations of selected organic materials, searches for Dirac and Weyl materials as well as many-body physics of small clusters. In addition, recent developments in time crystal ideas are being examined at the many-body level. Our main interests are focused on several active areas in condensed matter physics such as topological materials, phase separation in small Hubbard clusters, unconventional superconductivity such as odd-frequency or photo-molecular high temperature superconductivity, frustrated magnetic systems such as quantum spin liquids and transport properties in two-dimensional systems. In addition, there is an ongoing effort on probing some fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics.
The link to the presentation:
https://physics.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2234/2020/04/phys_seminar_apr3_20.pptx -
Dr. Raffaella DeVita, INFN Genoa and Jefferson Lab, "Hadron spectroscopy in the light quark sector", Particle, Astrophysics, and Nuclear Physics Seminar2:00pm
3/30
Dr. Raffaella DeVita, INFN Genoa and Jefferson Lab, "Hadron spectroscopy in the light quark sector", Particle, Astrophysics, and Nuclear Physics Seminar
Monday, March 30th, 2020
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Storrs Campus GS-413E
Dr. Raffaella DeVita, INFN Genoa and Jefferson Lab
Hadron spectroscopy in the light quark sector -
Prof. Masafumi Fukuma, Kyoto University , "Title/abstract TBA", Particle, Astrophysics, and Nuclear Physics Seminar2:00pm
3/23
Prof. Masafumi Fukuma, Kyoto University , "Title/abstract TBA", Particle, Astrophysics, and Nuclear Physics Seminar
Monday, March 23rd, 2020
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Storrs Campus GS-413E
Prof. Masafumi Fukuma, Kyoto University
Title/abstract TBA -
CANCELLED:, Dr. J. Nathan Hohman, Institute of Materials Science and the Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, CANCELLED: Condensed Matter Physics Seminar2:00pm
3/17
CANCELLED:, Dr. J. Nathan Hohman, Institute of Materials Science and the Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, CANCELLED: Condensed Matter Physics Seminar
Tuesday, March 17th, 2020
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Storrs Campus GS 119
CANCELLED:
Dr. J. Nathan Hohman,
Institute of Materials Science and the Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut
Self-Assembly of Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials in Crystalline Ensemble
When reduced in size to the nanoscale, materials express compelling new phenomena. For example, a single layer abstracted from graphite leads to fantastic new properties in graphene, or a nanocrystal of gold takes on new optical properties as a nanoparticle. Making materials very small or very thin has been an easy way to prepare exciting new materials--for example, the 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have a long history of investigation prior to the recent interest in their monolayers for applications in photovoltaics, electrocatalysts, and spintronic materials. 2D phases have been uncovered for a number of elements and binary semiconductors, although many compounds do not share the same propensity to form 2D structures. Through the use of hybrid materials like hybrid perovskites and metal organic chalcogenide assemblies (MOCHAs), low-dimensional nanostructures can be prepared that are part of a crystalline ensemble, unlocking new portions of the period table to the exploration of low-dimensional phases. Importantly, hybrid materials combine organic components which enables structural and electronic direction at the molecular scale. Here, we consider the structure and organization of mithrene- silver benzeneselenolate- a self-assembling layered hybrid structure, and examine its optoelectronic properties in the context of a 2D-like material. Synthetic manipulation of dimensionality and topology is used to prepare a family of related crystalline polymer systems, and the role of intermolecular forces and molecular geometry on the inorganic phases are considered in the context of transitions between 1D, 2D, and 3D coordination polymer systems. -
Due to the current health situation and concerns surrounding the Corona virus, we are canceling the Katzenstein Lecture and Banquet scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2020., CANCELLED: 24th Annual Katzenstein Distinguished Lecture4:00pm
3/13
Due to the current health situation and concerns surrounding the Corona virus, we are canceling the Katzenstein Lecture and Banquet scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2020., CANCELLED: 24th Annual Katzenstein Distinguished Lecture
Friday, March 13th, 2020
04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Storrs Campus Student Union Theater
Due to the current health situation and concerns surrounding the Corona virus, we are canceling the Katzenstein Lecture and Banquet scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2020.
Presented by the UConn Physics Department, the Katzenstein Distinguished Lecture series continues this spring. This year's program features Professor Donna Strickland of the University of Waterloo, 2018 Nobel Prize winner in Physics for co-inventing chirped pulse amplification, a technique for creating high-intensity ultrashort optical pulses. More information about Professor Strickland can be found at https://physics.uconn.edu/2020/03/04/professor-donna-strickland-katzenstein-distinguished-lecturer-march-13-2020/