Quantum Phase Transitions in Cold Atoms and Low Temperature Solids

The primary focus of this thesis is to theoretically describe nanokelvin experiments in cold atomic gases, which offer the potential to revolutionize our understanding of strongly correlated many-body systems.  The thesis attacks major challenges of the field:  it proposes and analyzes experimental protocols to create new and interesting states of matter and introduces theoretical techniques to describe probes of these states.  The phenomena considered include the fractional quantum Hall effect, spectroscopy of strongly correlated states, and quantum criticality, among others. 

The thesis also clarifies experiments on disordered quantum solids, which display a variety of exotic phenomena and are candidates to exhibit so-called "supersolidity."  It collects experimental results and constrains their interpretation through theoretical considerations.

This Doctoral Thesis has been accepted by Cornell University, Ithaca, USA.

• Molecular hydrogen solids
• Quantum criticality
• Radio-frequency spectroscopy
• exotic states of matter in cold atoms
• gauge fields and lattices
• many-body physics in cold atoms
• ultracold atomic gases

• JILA University of Colorado, Boulder, USA

  Kaden Richard Alan Hazzard

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