Non-Abelian Braiding with Sound and Light

Overview

Abstract

Non-Abelian-based theories are one of the foundations of modern physics. For example, non-Abelian braiding realized by the dynamic winding of anyons is widely considered an important candidate for quantum computers. Operations defined by non-Abelian groups are non-commutative in character, meaning that the outcomes of sequential operations depend on the order of execution. Non-Abelian processes can be mathematically captured by unitary matrices, which can manifest as a Berry-phase matrix that connects holonomic adiabatic evolutions of multiple states in parameter space. Because the Berry phase is pervasive in a wide variety of systems, non-Abelian operations are realizable in classical waves such as sound and light. 

Brief Biography

Dr. Guancong Ma is currently an associate professor in the Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University. Dr. Ma received a B.Sc. in applied physics at the South China University of Technology in 2007, and then a Ph.D. in physics at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2012. After that, he became a postdoc fellow in the Institute for Advanced Study and Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology until 2017. He joined the Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University in 2018. He now serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the Physics Society of Hong Kong.