Prof. Pavan Nukula Talk at Q-Karyashala 2024 on Quantum Materials

Title : Quantum materials fire like neurons

Abstract : I will show how a subset of "Quantum materials (materials whose band structure cannot be explained by simple tight binding model)", called Mott insulators,  have interesting properties that emerge in them because of electron correlations. These lead to very nice phase transitions, and the systems can be engineered to oscillate between the two phases giving rise to neuron-like behaviour. In the bigger context of brain-inspired computing, these materials can be used like neurons. Biological neurons are electromechanical in nature, in that when a neural spike transmits, the signal is not just electronic, but also mechanical in nature (sound wave). When these quantum materials fire like neurons, they also transmit sound waves, making them complete inorganic analogues of biological neurons. 

Biography:
Prof. Pavan Nukala’s research interests are in correlated systems, ferroelectric and multiferroic thin films, topological defects and functions in context of quantum computation, in situ electro microscopy and spectroscopy, material networks for neuromorphic computing, phase change materials and thin film X-ray diffraction.