Topological quantum systems: synthesis and applications

This PhD project investigates topological phases of matter, one of the most exciting topics in modern physics and recipient of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics. The research focuses on novel quantum properties of materials that are robust against deformations of their parameters, making them valuable for quantum technologies requiring fault-tolerance. The project employs techniques from mathematics and theoretical physics including topology, quantum field theory, and quantum gravity to diagnose exotic properties of quantum matter and build fault-tolerant quantum computers. A final goal is the application of these investigations to proposing topological quantum computation schemes that are robust against errors. The position is supervised by Professor Jiannis Pachos and Dr Zlatko Papic in the School of Physics and Astronomy.