| pdf file | ps.gz file |
Mikhail Portnoi |
Rudolf A. Römer |
Tigran Shahbazyan |
University of Exeter |
University of Warwick |
Jackson State University |
In recent years condensed matter physics has broadened its scope beyond its traditional boundaries. Nowhere is this broadening more apparent than in investigations of nanometer-scale systems. Such seemingly unrelated objects as traditional semiconductor heterostructures, organic and biological molecules, microcavities and photonic band-gap crystals, single-electron devices, nanotubes and micromachines have moved into the focus of research activity. New materials such as organic and high-quality wide-gap semiconductors, and ruthenates and manganates are becoming increasingly important for possible industrial applications.
At the same time, the realisation of physical phenomena that were first discovered in mainstream condensed matter physics, such as superconductivity, the quantum Hall effect, Bose-Einstein condensation, and the whole spectrum of mesoscopics, is now being investigated in these new objects and new materials. In this way, well-established and sophisticated experimental and theoretical techniques are being applied to challenging new systems. This often requires the further development of these techniques on a qualitatively new level, and therefore becomes beneficial not only for the understanding of new physics, but also for advancement in the more traditional fields.
Despite the apparent differences between the investigated nanometer-scale systems, the methods of investigation are quite often very similar. Nevertheless, the research community remains strongly divided by their traditional subject boundaries. The main goal of the proposed interdisciplinary seminar and workshop is to encourage interaction and information exchange between different fields, and between experimentalists and theoreticians. Therefore, from the broad range of experienced researchers working in these new areas, we are inviting exceptional individuals who have already successfully made this step across traditional boundaries, in order to allow them to share their experience during the seminar with the younger participants. For example, the invited speakers work on such interdisciplinary topics such as Bose-Einstein condensation of polaritons in optically-excited wide-gap semiconductors, superconductivity in organic metals, magneto-resistance of ruthenates, and so on.
From the broad list of these exciting new objects and materials, as well as traditional methods, we have restricted ourselves to four themes: (A) ultrafast non-linear optical phenomena, (B) transport in mesoscopic systems and quantum computing, (C) many-body effects in nanostructures, and (D) new materials (organic semiconductors, nanotubes, DNA --- Although DNA is probably as old as life itself, its properties have recently attracted renewed interest and it is a new research area for physicists.). The choice suggests itself naturally, since there are already many researchers active in these fields with a common background in condensed matter physics; this will enable them to most efficiently introduce the various new subjects to one another. The proposed list of participants contains a number of researchers working simultaneously in two or more of the above topics.
It is therefore the aim of the proposed seminar and workshop to familiarise the participants with different subjects, to encourage interdisciplinary interactions, and to share experience of different research fields with one another. In this way, we intend to foster the exchange of ideas and methods, to highlight the apparent and the hidden similarities of different systems and approaches, and to stimulate new and fruitful cooperation across subject boundaries, and between experimental and theoretical groups.