Condensed Matter

Overview

Condensed Matter physicists study matter in its nearly unlimited variety of condensed states from liquids to crystalline solids, from thin films to fabricated or chemically-synthesized nanostructures, from quantum Hall electron gases to superconductors, from carbon nanotubes to liquid crystals, and from amorphous structures to complex fluids. We seek both to clarify the fundamental issues behind the striking properties of these systems, and to illuminate their potential for useful application in many areas from electronics to biology and medicine. Condensed matter physics underlies many key devices of information technology, including the transistor, the solid-state laser, optical fiber, magnetic storage media, the liquid crystal display. The Condensed Matter research at Penn is organized around three broadly defined groups: Quantum Matter, Soft Matter and Living Matter.

Related Faculty

Vijay Balasubramanian

Cathy and Marc Lasry Professor


(215) 573-0982

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Living Matter
  • Soft Matter
  • Particle Physics
Martin Claassen

Assistant Professor


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  • Condensed Matter
  • Quantum Matter
Marija Drndic

Fay R. and Eugene L. Langberg Professor of Physics


(215) 898-5810

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Living Matter
  • Quantum Matter
Douglas Durian

Mary Amanda Wood Professor of Physics and Astronomy


(215) 898-8147

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Soft Matter
Mark Goulian

Charles and William L. Day Distinguished Professor in the Natural Sciences


(215) 573-6991

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Living Matter
  • Soft Matter
A.T. Charlie Johnson

Rebecca W. Bushnell Professor of Physics and Astronomy


(215) 898-9325, (215) 850-1496

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Living Matter
  • Quantum Matter
Randy Kamien

Vicki and William Abrams Professor in the Natural Sciences


(215) 898-5940

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Soft Matter
Charles Kane

Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Physics


(215) 898-8149

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Quantum Matter
Eleni Katifori

Associate Professor and Undergraduate Affairs Chair


(215) 746-1205

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Living Matter
  • Soft Matter
Jay Kikkawa
  • Condensed Matter
  • Quantum Matter
Andrea Liu

Hepburn Professor of Physics


(215) 573-7374

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Living Matter
  • Soft Matter
Arnold Mathijssen

Assistant Professor


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  • Condensed Matter
  • Living Matter
  • Soft Matter
Eugene Mele

Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Physics


(215) 898-3135

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Quantum Matter
Philip Nelson
  • Condensed Matter
  • Living Matter
  • Soft Matter

Phil Nelson UPenn

Liang Wu
  • Condensed Matter
  • Quantum Matter
  • Soft Matter
Arjun Yodh

James M. Skinner Professor of Science and Department Chair


DRL: 215-898-6354

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  • Condensed Matter
  • Living Matter
  • Soft Matter
Bo Zhen
  • Condensed Matter
  • Quantum Matter