United States – Australia Transpacific Colloquium: Kin Fai Mak – Simulating Hubbard model physics in semiconductor moiré superlattices

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Speaker: Kin Fai Mak (Cornell University)

Simulating Hubbard model physics in semiconductor moiré superlattices

The Hubbard model, first formulated by physicist John Hubbard in the 1960s, is a simple theoretical model of interacting quantum particles in a lattice. The model is thought to capture the essential physics of high-temperature superconductors, magnetic insulators, and other complex emergent quantum many-body ground states. Although the Hubbard model is greatly simplified as a representation of most real materials, it has nevertheless proved difficult to solve accurately except in the one-dimensional case. Physical realizations of the Hubbard model in two or three dimensions, which can act as quantum simulators, therefore have a vital role to play in solving the strong-correlation puzzle. In this talk, I will discuss our recent efforts on simulating Hubbard model physics in semiconductor moiré superlattices. As a result of the strong Coulomb interactions, an abundance of correlated phases of matter, including the Mott insulating state, charge-ordered states, stripe phases and electronic liquid crystals, emerges. I will also discuss the magnetic phase diagram of the system and implications for future studies.