{"id":351,"date":"2023-01-13T12:31:52","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T17:31:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.utk.edu\/iamm\/?page_id=351"},"modified":"2026-07-23T16:28:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T20:28:40","slug":"quantum-materials","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.utk.edu\/iamm\/research-areas\/quantum-materials\/","title":{"rendered":"Quantum Materials"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Quantum materials<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Fascination and function: exploring and harnessing the power of quantum phenomena to create technologies for a post-silicon age<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Researchers from physics, mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering, and materials science and engineering are working together to unveil the organizing principles of macroscopic quantum phenomena and harness these properties in devices and systems in applications ranging from energy harvesting and low power electronics to novel sensing and quantum computing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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UT’s Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Faculty, staff, and students advance the research frontiers of quantum materials, devices, and systems through collaborative efforts in AI-informed materials co-design, synthesis, and device fabrication as well as characterization using a broad range of experimental probes. In addition to leveraging IAMM\u2019s world-class research facilities, our quantum materials community also access world-class facilities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, including the Spallation Neutron Source and Frontier, the world\u2019s first exascale supercomputer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UT is actively recruiting undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows to work in this exciting area.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Observing Quantum Mechanical Behavior<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

UT Professor Adrian Del Maestro collaborated to build a helium atom pipe capable of compressing helium down to single-atom thickness, allowing scientists to observe quantum mechanical behavior.

Read more about Del Maestro’s research.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Stealing Electrons and Reversing Time<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

UT physicists led the scientific team that found silicon can host a novel form of superconductivity that could bring rapidly emerging quantum technologies closer to industrial scale production.

Learn more <\/a>about<\/a> silicon superconductivity.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Wang Investigates Dynamic Electron Spins in Correlated Magnets<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Assistant Professor Yishu Wang was awarded a $719,000 research grant from the US Department of Energy to study the dynamic and microscopic behaviors of correlated magnets, which have strong potential in energy-efficient devices capable of high-speed computation. Wang will develop a new capability of neutron scattering that will fully capture the spin dynamics in correlated magnets over time.

Read about Wang’s research.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How Spin Shapes the World<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dien Nguyen\u2019s Early Career Award from the US Department of Energy\u2019s Office of Science is an $875,000 investment in understanding how materials are arranged at the fundamental level. A clearer knowledge of how nucleon spin works could impact fields including materials science, medicine, and quantum computing.

Learn more about Nguyen\u2019s research.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Facilities & Initiatives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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With partners spanning the globe, UT\u2019s Quantum Center has powerful tools to create and characterize quantum matter, including large-scale simulations, scanning tunneling microscopy, angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy, neutron scattering, resources for single crystal and epitaxial growth, and SQUID magnetometry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n