Ramanujan Auditorium

Emergence and indecision -- the physics of quantum magnets

R. Ganesh

Brock University, Canada

A collection of entities, at a certain scale and complexity, can acquire a new 'emergent' identity. This is a deep idea that underlies all of physical science. As a highly non-linear process, emergence cannot be predicted. However, it follows a predictable pattern in class of materials called 'quantum magnets'. In some materials, this leads to a peculiar effect. When a quantum system arrives at a crossroads, it freezes as if it were unable to pick a direction. I will illustrate these ideas with examples.