Wednesday

12

April 2023

3:00 PM – 4:30 PM IST
Location

300, School of Arts and Sciences

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Unconventional Superconductivity: A Semi-technical Overview

Seminar and Lecture Series

Navinder Singh

Professor, Theoretical Physics Divison
Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad
Speaker

The problem of unconventional superconductivity has been one of the most challenging problems of the current condensed matter physics from the last three decades.  It is well known that the conventional superconductors (elemental metals and some alloys etc) can be rationalised using the Bardeen-Cooper-Schriefer (BCS) theory which was developed in 1957.  However, high-temperatures superconductivity in Cuprates (discovered in 1986), high-temperature superconductivity in Iron-based materials (discovered in 2008), and in some other novel materials cannot be rationalized in the BCS paradigm. There is a recent experimental breakthrough that has resolved some of the mysteries. We will discuss these developments in a non-technical/semi-technical way. We will discuss what is settled now, and what is not settled yet. A ”theoretical minimum” of the high-Tc problem is also discussed.

Speaker

Navinder Singh

Navinder Singh is a faculty member of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad. He received a BE in electronics and communication engineering in 1999. Following his passion for fundamental problems in physics, he shifted to the field of theoretical physics and obtained his PhD in theoretical condensed matter physics from the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bangalore in 2006. He then obtained his post doctoral training from IOP Bhubaneswar; Holon Institute of Technology, Holon, Israel; and the University of Toronto, Canada.  His research interests include condensed matter physics, non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, aerodynamics etc. Currently, he is interested in electronic transport in strongly correlated systems, and the theory of unconventional superconductivity. He is also passionate about science popularisation and is an active member of the PRL science express team. He has made several low cost science experimental kits and exhibits for school children to explain basic principles of physics and to inculcate passion for science and rational thinking in them.  He has published over 40 papers in national and international journals and a book titled "Electronic transport theories: from weakly to strongly correlated systems" (CRC Press 2016).