12:30–1:30 pm Jones 226
Wednesday, February 14, 2024, at 12:30 PM, in Jones 226, 5747 S. Ellis Avenue
Seminar Series on Quantum Topics
Abby Poteshman, Committee on Computational and Applied Mathematics (CCAM)
"Berry phases in electronic structure of solids"
Abstract
Berry phases are closely connected to topological properties of quantum systems. The presence of a non-zero Berry phase indicates a non-trivial topology of a system, which can manifest in physically measurable phenomena, such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect or spontaneous electric polarization. In this presentation, I will give a general introduction to Berry phases without assuming any prior knowledge of quantum mechanics. I will introduce and derive the Berry phase as a property of the adiabatic evolution of a general quantum system along a specific path in a parameter space. Additionally, I will discuss the connection between Berry phases, gauge transformations, and the Chern theorem.