Accel-Net Implementation: Accel-Net Implementation for Quantum Materials

Research in quantum mechanics - the physics of matter at the atomic scale – fosters the discovery of new materials with extraordinary properties. The new classes of "quantum materials" have functionalities of great interest to society. They fuel the next generation of quantum technologies. New high-temperature superconductors are used for the energy transmission and the development of ultra-powerful magnets. New metal and semiconductors allow for new kinds of electronics, sustainable energy storage, and the next generation of computers. The discovery of these materials requires a new phase of exploration of the periodic table of elements. This is a challenging task because the parameter space of materials with complex chemistry is vast; and materials with the desired properties lie hidden in far corners of this space. This project brings together ten networks of experimental, computational, and theoretical scientists from across the globe. The researchers combine their expertise and knowledge to address this challenge. Working together, they can explore a much larger parameter space. By sharing knowhow while avoiding duplication, they accelerate the quest for new quantum materials. This Project also promotes the training of a new generation of scientists with broader, practical materials-discovery oriented research.The AccelNet teams bring together quantum-material communities from across the globe to synergistically work on new families of materials. They seek to explore, along new tracts of the periodic table, the deep links between materials phenomena, quantum entanglement, topology, and emergence. This AccelNet network of networks includes complimentary networks from the USA, Canada, the UK, Japan, and the European Union. Advances in the science of quantum materials are driven by progress in synthesis and characterization techniques and the discovery of new families of superconductors, insulators, strange metals, and quantum criticality. Yet, the field is hindered by a lack of coordination, which results in a tendency to cluster around the same subset of materials. This project is organized along three parallel tracks: (i) a synthesis track, (ii) a spectroscopy track, and (iii) an extreme conditions track. International collaborative teams work on synthesizing new quantum materials. They study them by a variety of spectroscopic tools. They subject them to extreme conditions such as high pressures or magnetic fields. This new level of cooperation accelerates discoveries in the field and leads to a materials database of successes and failures, a roadmap for future research. This project is funded by the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.