Condensed Matter Physics & Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
	Condensed Matter Physics
	Prof. Chris Regan Electron Tomography of Nanotubes and Graphene
	Our group studies graphene (a one-atom thick layer of graphite) and carbon nanotubes (rolled sheets of graphene). To determine the molecular structure of these materials we image them with an electron microscope. Imaging with electrons instead of photons, as in an optical microscope, improves a microscope's resolution limit by a factor of more than ten thousand, allowing us to resolve individual atoms and record their positions in real time. The summer project for an REU student would use tomographic electron microscopy to produce 3D, atomic-resolution images (and movies) of carbon nanotubes and graphene. In tomographic imaging a series of single images is acquired, with slight rotations of the sample between each acquisition. This data is then combined with powerful mathematical tools to reconstruct a 3D model of the sample. UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), of which we are a part, is a world leader in applying tomography to electron imaging. A student joining this project would learn about all aspects of the process: making samples, imaging them at the electron microscope, and analyzing the data to produce 3D movies. All of these responsibilities will give the REU student excellent training for future research in condensed matter physics. Electron tomography has not yet been widely applied to graphene and carbon nanotubes. Developing the necessary techniques will be challenging, but working in such an unexplored area increases the chances of a discovery. A successful project would likely result in publishable results.
	Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
	Dr. Rahul Roy Entanglement in topological phases
	The project involves an exploration of the entanglement properties of topological phases of matter. In contrast to symmetry broken phases, topological phases have a different and a more subtle kind of ordering called topological order. Recent work suggests that signatures of this order can be found in the entanglement properties of the ground state wavefunctions. The project involves an analytical exploration of some of these properties aided with numerical studies.