Condensed Matter Seminars

The discovery of topological insulators has created a revolution in condensed matter science that has far ranging implications over coming decades. I will introduce a simplest way to understand various topological phases that can fit into an elegant periodic table, and apply these ideas to semimetals, insulators, and superconductors. In the case for a time-reversal-invariant topological superconductor, a Majorana Kramers pair may appear on the boundary and induces unprecedented fractional Josephson effects. These effects indicate the existence of a periodic building for topological phases, with the aforementioned table being its ground floor. Strong connections will be made to ongoing experiments and related topics.