Crossover appeal of quantum mechanics on curved surfaces

Speaker(s): Rudro Biswas

What physics does one hope to learn by closing looking at exotic quantum states of matter, esoteric to begin with, but even more so on curved surfaces?! In this colloquium, I will first introduce, quantum hall states, which are paradigmatic of such states, and discuss their signature property: the quantization of Hall conductance, which is independent of sample-specific details, to the extent that it is used for precise measurements of fundamental constants. I will trace the topological origin of this remarkable property. Next, I will motivate the interplay between the geometry of these states and their response to gravitational perturbations, i.e., deformations to the real space manifold they are embedded in. This naturally leads to a discussion of what, if any, universal signatures characterize this response. Finally, the significant technological implications of these excursions, and connections to other branches of physics, including classical soft matter systems.