Holographic systems at finite density with spontaneous symmetry breaking

by Julian Sonner (Imperial College London)

Tuesday 26 Oct 2010, 14:00 → 15:00 Europe/Zurich

TH Theory Conference Room (CERN)

Quantum critical points are believed to be relevant for the description of high-TC superconductors and superfluids. Associated with a quantum-critical point is a finite-temperature CFT which we want to study at finite density, having condensed-matter applications in mind. My tool of choice is the gauge-gravity duality and I will review why such a study is potentially useful for condensed-matter systems using the example of the recently discovered M-theory superconductor. I will then describe recent work on the hydrodynamics of a quantum-critical superfluid at strong coupling.