Topological Phases of Matter

This important graduate level text unites the physical mechanisms behind the phenomena of topological matter within a theoretical framework.

Roderich Moessner (Author), Joel E. Moore (Author)

9781107105539, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 29 April 2021

392 pages
26 x 18.3 x 2.5 cm, 0.88 kg

'… a timely and valuable introduction to the most important theoretical concepts in the topological study of matter … brief treatment of a vast, rapidly evolving subject that currently dominates condensed matter physics … This book is appropriate for physics collections within all university libraries.' M. C. Ogilvie, Choice Connect

Topological Phases of Matter are an exceptionally dynamic field of research: several of the most exciting recent experimental discoveries and conceptual advances in modern physics have originated in this field. These have generated new, topological, notions of order, interactions and excitations. This text provides an accessible, unified and comprehensive introduction to the phenomena surrounding topological matter, with detailed expositions of the underlying theoretical tools and conceptual framework, alongside accounts of the central experimental breakthroughs. Among the systems covered are topological insulators, magnets, semimetals, and superconductors. The emergence of new particles with remarkable properties such as fractional charge and statistics is discussed alongside possible applications such as fault-tolerant topological quantum computing. Suitable as a textbook for graduate or advanced undergraduate students, or as a reference for more experienced researchers, the book assumes little prior background, providing self-contained introductions to topics as varied as phase transitions, superconductivity, and localisation.

Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
2. Basic concepts of topology and condensed matter
3. Integer topological phases
4. Geometry and topology of wavefunctions in crystals
5. Hydrogen atoms for fractionalisation
6. Gauge and topological field theories
7. Topology in gapless matter
8. Disorder and defects in topological phases
9. Topological quantum computation via non-Abelian statistics
10. Topology out of equilibrium
11. Symmetry, topology, and information
Appendix
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Materials science [TGM], Quantum physics [quantum mechanics & quantum field theory PHQ], Materials / States of matter [PHF], Topology [PBP]