ICMT - Theory Seminar - 4/14/25 - Trithep Devakul

Abstract: Berry curvature plays a central role in the dynamics of Bloch electrons, yet its full impact on the many-body physics of interacting electrons is only beginning to be understood.  Motivated by recent experiments on rhombohedral graphene, I will present a line of research that uncovers several counterintuitive aspects of correlated electron phases that arise in the presence of Berry curvature.  I will show how Berry curvature qualitatively reshapes the phase diagram of an interacting 2D electron gas, enabling the emergence of topological analogs of Wigner crystals, superconductors, and excitonic insulators. These results highlight new routes to realizing correlated topological phases in 2D quantum materials.