Scientific Opportunities: Condensed Matter Physics

Overview  |   Strongly Correlated Electron Systems  |   Magnetism

Overview

Condensed matter physics deals with the macroscopic physical properties of matter. In particular, it is concerned with "condensed" phases, which occur when the number of constituents in a system is extremely large and the interactions between the constituents are strong. The most familiar examples of condensed phases are solids and liquids, but more exotic condensed phases include the superfluid and the Bose-Einstein condensate found in certain atomic systems at very low temperatures, superconductivity, and the magnetic phases of spins on atomic lattices.

At right: a magnetic speckle pattern from a magnetized colbalt-platinum multilayer, taken with x-rays. Suchimages provide microscopic real space information on the magnetic state of a sample with nanometer resolution. At NSLS-II, these techniques will used to explore both the statics and dynamics of magnetic domains.

NSLS-II will allow for breakthroughs in many areas of condensed matter physics, which are described in greater detail in the sections above.

Last Modified: March 4, 2008
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One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE’s Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.

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