ICTP-SAIFR Distinguished Public Lecture by Subir Sachdev

100 years of many-particle quantum mechanics: from Bose and Fermi to quantum materials and black holes

Abstract: In quantum theory, all particles in the universe are either bosons (named for S.N. Bose, 1924) or fermions (named for E. Fermi, 1926). This fact is crucial to our understanding of the flow of electrons in all materials, including those found in smartphones. In recent decades, it has become clear that certain many-particle systems with complex quantum entanglement can exhibit emergent particles called `anyons’, which are neither bosons nor fermions. Even more intriguing are systems, such as the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model, which don’t exhibit any particle-like excitations at all. I will describe how these remarkable many-particle systems are playing a role in our understanding of modern quantum materials (such as the high temperature superconductors), in the design of fault-tolerant quantum devices, and in the theory of black holes.

Subir Sachdev‘s research describes the consequences of quantum entanglement on the macroscopic properties of natural systems. He has made extensive contributions to the description of the diverse varieties of states of quantum matter, and of their behavior near quantum phase transitions. Many of these contributions have been linked to experiments, especially to the rich phase diagrams of the copper-oxide high temperature superconductors. Sachdev’s research has also exposed remarkable connections between the nature of multi-particle quantum entanglement in certain laboratory materials, and the quantum entanglement in astrophysical black holes, and these connections have led to new insights on the entropy and radiation of black holes.

Title: 100 years of many-particle quantum mechanics: from Bose and Fermi to quantum materials and black holes

Speaker: Subir Sachdev

Date and time: October 31, 2025   19h30

Venue: Auditorium of IFT-UNESP (Rua Jornalista Aloysio Biondi, 120 – Bloco II – Barra Funda – São Paulo/SP)

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