CPM Seminar

Berry Phase Effects on Electronic Properties

Qian Niu

Department of Physics
University of Texas at Austin

Ever since its discovery, the notion of Berry phase has permeated through all branches of physics. Over the last three decades, it was gradually realized that the Berry phase of the electronic wave function can have a profound effect on material properties and is responsible for a spectrum of phenomena, such as polarization, orbital magnetism, various (quantum/anomalous/spin) Hall effects, and quantum charge pumping. It is clear that the Berry phase should be added as an essential ingredient to our understanding of basic material properties.