笼目晶体中探索未知量子态

Exploring hitherto unknown quantum phases in kagome crystals

笼目起源于古老中华民俗文化。近期学者们对具有笼目晶格的一系列拓扑材料的研究揭示了量子层次上几何、拓扑、自旋和关联的交缠相互作用,以及随之涌现的丰富多彩的量子现象。文章简要介绍了笼目晶格的相关理论概念、陈数和外尔磁性、平带关联现象,以及非常规电荷序和超导电性中的谜团。当前,国际上诸多研究机构使用各式手段对笼目磁体和超导体的研究盛况犹如正在举行一场笼目量子派对。然而,这些初步研究还无法突破超导和量子霍尔两大类宏观量子现象。希望此文能激励更多年轻学者在笼目晶体丰富的演生现象中进一步探寻第三类宏观量子现象,迎来真正的量子盛宴。

Kagome originated from ancient Chinese folk culture.Recently,the study of a series of topological materials hosting kagome lattices has revealed quantum interactions between geometry,topology,spin and correlation,as well as rich emergent phenomena.In this article I will briefly describe some key developments in this field,starting from the fundamental concepts of a kagome lattice,then moving to the realization of Chern and Weyl topological magnetism,to various flat-band many-body correlations,and finally to the puzzles of unconventional charge ordering and superconductivity.The worldwide research on kagome magnets and superconductors appears to be holding a quantum party on kagome lattices.However,these preliminary researches still cannot transcend superconductivity and quantum Hall physics.I hope this introduction can inspire more young researchers to explore and discover the third macroscopic quantum phenomena through exploring the emergent matter in kagome lattices,and embrace a true quantum celebration.