Faculty Profile of Laura Classen

The understanding of fundamental, physical processes in quantum materials and the identification of universal aspects among them constitutes a necessary basis for the design of new quantum materials with desired functionalities. Our group investigates the collective behavior of interacting electrons which gives rise to the many fascinating phases of matter in quantum materials. We seek to explain the underlying mechanisms behind the phase formation and to determine characteristic properties of the different phases.We are particularly interested in situations when excitations of different phases strongly interact so that it is essential to consider their mutual influence on each other. This includes, for example, the study of quantum phase transitions or unconventional superconductivity. To account for the decisive role of interactions and the interplay of different degrees of freedom in these complex situations, we employ modern, field-theoretical tools with an emphasis on renormalization group techniques. We make use of microscopic and effective descriptions inspired by experimental observations to obtain a comprehensive picture of correlated phases in quantum materials.