7:30 pm, Wednesday, Sep 24, 2014
Fairmont Lounge, St. John's College
2111 Lower Mall, UBC

Visualizing the Quantum World

J.C. Seamus Davis

Everything around us, everything we have ever experienced, and almost everything underpinning our technological society is governed by quantum mechanics. Yet this fundamental theory of nature is a set of eerie and counterintuitive ideas of no direct relevance to our lives. Why is this? One reason is that we cannot directly perceive, with our own senses, the strange (and beautiful) quantum world all around us.

However, we can see it indirectly. Here I will describe the very recent development of techniques that image quantum processes directly at the atomic scale. We will then visually explore the previously unseen and very beautiful forms of quantum matter making up electronic liquid crystals, quantum critical electrons, topological surface states, and high temperature superconductors. I will also discuss the implications for fundamental research, and for advanced materials and new technologies, arising from the development and application of these novel techniques.

Additional resources for this talk: slides and video.