It is a very exciting time for Condensed matter physics since it currently branches from the fundamental level to nanoscale up to a “metascale” introduced recently through metamaterials. New ideas in magnetism, quantum phase transitions, complex electronic materials, topological insulators, graphene, superconductivity and superconducting metamaterials entice younger as well as more senior researchers into theoretical and experimental investigations in challenging new terrain. The true beauty of Condensed matter physics is that it connects very theoretical and abstract ideas to direct computational studies to experimental investigations and subsequently to applications that may lead to practical, high technology devices.
CCQCN is part of the Department of Physics of the University of Crete, located in the suburbs of the city of Heraklion in the island of Crete.
The basic aim of the Center is to incorporate all these phases and aspects of research and through the acquired knowhow to create a harmonious and efficient internal as well as external interaction and collaborations. We are fortunate that all stages of this research activity are well represented in the Center: The strong link with High Energy Theory will advance theoretical research that addresses strongly correlated electronic systems with novel ideas, such as the promising 10 AdS-CFT approach. Theoretical work on magnetism and magnetic materials is coupled to intensive quantum and classical computer simulations.
Metamaterials (optical, plasmonic as well as superconducting) that are investigated, proposed and designed locally, demand a serious computational and experimental effort. Nanoscale physics is performed in the Micro/Nanoelectronics facility with emphasis in device applications. Recent interest in graphene physics spans theory, computations, experiment and hopefully device design. Collaboration with experimentalists from atomic physics injects in the group novel ideas from biological magnetism as well as spin polarization techniques for graphene analysis.
Our REGPOT project aims at bringing its healthy science environment to the next level, where resources will be allocated to continue and strengthen this atmosphere of intra collaboration in coordination with inter-collaboration with our EU partners.
