A new study published in Nature Physics introduces a theory of electron-phonon coupling that is affected by the quantum geometry of the electronic wavefunctions.
The movement of electrons in a lattice and their interactions with the lattice vibrations (or phonons) play a pivotal role in phenomena like superconductivity (resistance-free conductivity).
Electron-phonon coupling (EPC) is the interaction between free electrons and phonons, which are quasiparticles representing the vibrations of a crystal lattice. EPC leads to the formation of Cooper pairs (pairs of electrons), responsible for superconductivity in certain materials.
The new study explores the realm of quantum geometry in materials and how these can contribute to the strength of EPC.
Phys.org spoke to the first author of the study, Dr. Jiabin Yu, Moore Postdoctoral Fellow at Princeton University.
Speaking of the motivation behind the study, Dr. Yu said, "My motivation is to go beyond the common wisdom and find out how the geometric and topological properties of wavefunctions affect interactions in quantum materials. In this work, we focus on EPC, one of the most important interactions in quantum materials."
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