College of Science and Technology

Condensed Matter Physics

Condensed Matter Physics explores the macroscopic and microscopic physical properties of matter, especially in its "condensed" solid and liquid phases. It is the largest field of contemporary physics, applying principles from quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, and statistical mechanics to understand how the interactions between many atoms give rise to the emergent properties of materials. Training in condensed matter physics leads to innovative career opportunities in the semiconductor industry, quantum computing, materials science, renewable energy, and many other technology sectors.

The condensed matter physics group at NC A&T uses a combination of experimental, theoretical, and computational methods to discover and characterize novel materials with unique electronic, magnetic, and optical properties, paving the way for next-generation technologies. The interdisciplinary work has strong ties to other departments, facilities, and research activities on campus and at other universities and national labs.

Faculty

Dr. Joanna Atkin develops and uses novel optical spectroscopy tools to understand the optical and electronic properties of nano and quantum materials. Her research intersects with chemistry, biology, and engineering, and her group uses a range of computational and experimental tools, including data science and machine learning approaches, to interpret experimental results.

Dr. Kebede works in low temperature quantum materials, including the phenomenon superconductivity. His group frequently works with national labs for access to equipment not typically available on university campuses.

Projects

Semiconducting nanostructures often behave differently from bulk materials, due to the increased influence of defects and surfaces, and quantum confinement effects. We use optical and infrared spectroscopies to study these properties and better understand the incorporation of dopants, and how they affect performance of devices.

Typical plasmonic materials such as gold and silver do not show strong plasmonic activity in the mid-infrared spectral range. We explore novel plasmonic and polaritonic materials for infrared applications to better understand and control the light-matter interaction at these wavelengths.