Berlin 2015 – scientific programme

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AGPhil: Arbeitsgruppe Philosophie der Physik

AGPhil 8: Geometric paradigms in modern physics

AGPhil 8.3: Invited Talk

Thursday, March 19, 2015, 16:00–16:30, H 0105

Geometric principles in the physics of topological matter — •Alexander Altland — Institute for theoretical physics, Zülpicher Str. 77, 50937 Köln

'Topological matter' is the overarching term for novel classes of materials distinguished by the presence of robust topological invariants. Topological materials are distinguished by unconventional physical properties (most of which are rooted in the topological protection of their quantum states against decoherence) which make them promising candidates for applications in, e.g., quantum information, or quantum electronics.

In this talk, we will focus on the important subclass of topological insulators to explain how such properties can be understood from a geometric perspective. Starting from the description of a topological insulator's band structure in terms of fibre bundles, we will discuss how their physical properties emerge as a consequence of universal concepts, including Chern-Simons invariants, anomalies, dimensional reduction, topological field theories, and emerging 'holographic principles'.