Diamonds and pencils: the quantum magic of carbon

About this event

Abstract

The field of Quantum Matter deals with the electric and magnetic properties of materials around us. In this Quantum Club meeting, we will focus on the unusual properties of one of the most common elements on earth, namely carbon. For example, carbon exists as diamonds, whose defects are used for building quantum computers. And we will look at pencils: there, we find graphene, which (if treated right!) can become superconducting, or a topological insulator, or a relativistic metal.