Topological quantum matter: beyond band-insulators

Building quantum technology, from electronic devices to quantum computers, requires achieving precision control over the quantum correlations and entanglement of many particles. Since the probability of microscopic defects or control errors grows with system size, there appears to be a fundamental tension between scaling quantum technology and maintaining this precision control.  In contrast, gapped (insulating) matter at ultra low-temperatures exhibit strikingly robust macroscopic quantum properties, tied to global topological invariants of the systems ground-state wave-function. These topological properties are stabilized by collective many-body effects, and become increasingly insensitive to microscopic imperfections as sample dimensions are scaled up. In this talk, I will explore progress down two avenues for discovering new types of quantum topology in i) semi-metallic materials without a gap, and ii) in the dynamics of “qubit” systems driven far from thermal equilibrium.