Pappalardo Fellows

FA WANG
Pappalardo Fellow in Physics: 2009-12

FA WANG, Pappalardo Fellow in Physics: 2009-12

Name: Fa Wang

Title(s): Pappalardo Fellow in Physics: 2009-12

Email: wangfa@mit.edu

Phone: (510) 643-8497

Address:

MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Bldg. 6C-411
Cambridge, MA 02139

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Area of Physics:

Hard Condensed Matter Theory

Research Interests

Fa Wang is interested in studying correlated electron systems where unconventional phases of matter and phase transitions can be realized. One theoretical proposal of these new phases is the spin liquid concept proposed over three decades ago. It has been realized that the appropriate description of such phases is in terms of new particles with fractionalized quantum numbers, which are strongly coupled to emergent gauge field. Fa Wang has been working on analyzing the symmetry structure of such theories, in which the physical symmetry is obscured by the emergent gauge field. A complete classification of the possible symmetry group structure would guide our search of this new phase of matter.

He is also interested in understanding the role of electron interactions in the high temperature superconductivity, mainly in the context of the iron-base high-Tc superconductors emerged in the last few years. He has applied the renormalization group technique to understand the effect of electron interactions in these materials. An unconventional s-wave superconductivity is predicted to be realized, in which the Cooper pair wave function changes sign in momentum space. Experiments have been progressing rapidly on testing this theory.

Biographical Sketch

Fa Wang worked with advisor Prof. Ashvin Vishwanath at the University of California, Berkeley, where he received his Ph.D. in May 2009. He received his undergraduate degree in physics from Peking University (Beijing University) in 2004.

Selected Publications

  • Fa Wang, Hui Zhai, Ying Ran, Ashvin Vishwanath and Dung-Hai Lee, "Funtional Renormalization Group Study of the airing Symmetry and Pairing Mechanism of the FeAs Based High Temperature Superconductors", arXiv:0807.0498 (to appear on PRL).
  • Fa Wang and Ashvin Vishwanath, "Spin-liquid states on the triangular and Kagomé lattices: a projective-symmetry-group analysis of Schwinger boson states", Phys. Rev. B 74, 174423 (2006).