Neste trabalho exploramos o emaranhamento em sistemas de muitos férmions. Para o estudo de sistemas inomogêneos, propusemos uma aproximação de densidade local (LDA) para a entropia de emaranhamento de um único sítio com o restante do sistema e uma LDA para o emaranhamento entre blocos de sítios. Analisamos as contribuições universal e não-universal do emaranhamento entre blocos e obtivemos uma expressão para o termo não-universal. Usando o modelo de Hubbard unidimensional, investigamos o emaranhamento em nanoestruturas eletrônicas, quantificando o emaranhamento de um único sítio com relação ao restante da cadeia via entropia de emaranhamento. Para o modelo de Hubbard homogêneo estudamos o comportamento do emaranhamento em função da densidade, da magnetização, da interação eletrônica e de campos magnéticos externos. Encontramos que o emaranhamento é sensível às fases metálica, isolante e supercondutora. Observamos um platô de emaranhamento na região do gap de spin e verificamos que susceptibilidade magnética e emaranhamento estão intrinsecamente relacionados. Obtendo as energias e densidades do modelo de Hubbard inomogêneo através da Teoria do Funcional da Densidade e usando nossa proposta LDA para a entropia de emaranhamento, exploramos o comportamento do emaranhamento na presença de diversas inomogeneidades: superredes, impurezas e confinamento harmônico. Verificamos que o emaranhamento sempre diminui com a inomogeneidade, embora os efeitos de cada inomogeneidade sejam completamente diferentes. Encontramos uma relação entre energias de troca e correlação, de Hartree e cinética, capaz de prever quantitativamente o emaranhamento em função de qualquer das inomogeneidades. / In this work we investigated entanglement in many-fermions systems. To explore inhomogeneous systems we proposed a local density approximation (LDA) for the single-site entanglement entropy. We analysed the universal and nonuniversal contributions to block-block entanglement and obtained an expression for the nonuniversal term. We employ a description in terms of the one-dimensional Hubbard model to investigate the entanglement in electronic nanostructures and to quantify the single-site entanglement with respect to the rest of the chain by means of the entanglement entropy. For the homogeneous Hubbard model we studied the entanglement behavior as a function of density, magnetization, electronic interaction and external magnetic fields. We found that the entanglement is sensitive to the metallic, insulating and superconducting phases. We observed an entanglement plateau in the region of the spin gap and verified that magnetic susceptibility and entanglement are intrinsically related. Energies and densities of the inhomogeneous Hubbard model, obtained from Density Functional Theory, combined with our proposal of an LDA for the entanglement entropy, were used to explore the behavior of the entanglement entropy in the presence of several inhomogeneities: superlattices, impurities and harmonic confinement. We verified that entanglement always decreases with the inhomogeneity, although the effect of each inhomogeneity is completely different. For the same model we found a relation of exchange-correlation, Hartree and kinetic energies, able to predict quantitatively the entanglement as a function of any inhomogeneity.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar os conjuntos fortemente nulos e fortemente magros. Mais especicamente, iremos apresentar algumas aplicações e avaliar a independência de ZFC de armações envolvendo tais conjuntos. Com relação às aplicações, daremos alguns exemplos de conjuntos fortemente nulos e fortemente magros, estudaremos a aditividade do ideal formado pelos subconjuntos fortemente nulos da reta real, apresentaremos uma análise da relação entre a propriedade fortemente nulo e translações de subconjuntos da reta, mostraremos equivalências da Conjectura de Borel em espaços métricos, com a armação R-BC e com uma armação envolvendo jogos. Com relação a análise de independência de armações de ZFC, mostraremos que a Conjectura Dual de Borel é independente de ZFC e que a negação da Conjectura de Borel é consistente com ZFC. / The present work aims to present the strongly null and strongly meager sets. More specically, we will present some applications and evaluate the independence of ZFC from statements involving such sets. With respect to the applications, we will give some examples of strongly null and strongly meager sets, we will study the additivity of the ideal formed by the strongly null subsets of the real line, we will present an analysis of the relation between the strongly null property and the subsets of the line, of the Borel Conjecture in metric spaces, with the statement R-BC and with a statement involving games. Regarding the analysis of the independence of ZFC statements, we will show that the Borel Dual Conjecture is independent of ZFC and that the negation of the Borel Conjecture is consistent with ZFC.

In this thesis, we report recent results on existence for complementarity problems in infinite-dimensional spaces under generalized monotonicity are reported.

Neste trabalho exploramos o emaranhamento em sistemas de muitos férmions. Para o estudo de sistemas inomogêneos, propusemos uma aproximação de densidade local (LDA) para a entropia de emaranhamento de um único sítio com o restante do sistema e uma LDA para o emaranhamento entre blocos de sítios. Analisamos as contribuições universal e não-universal do emaranhamento entre blocos e obtivemos uma expressão para o termo não-universal. Usando o modelo de Hubbard unidimensional, investigamos o emaranhamento em nanoestruturas eletrônicas, quantificando o emaranhamento de um único sítio com relação ao restante da cadeia via entropia de emaranhamento. Para o modelo de Hubbard homogêneo estudamos o comportamento do emaranhamento em função da densidade, da magnetização, da interação eletrônica e de campos magnéticos externos. Encontramos que o emaranhamento é sensível às fases metálica, isolante e supercondutora. Observamos um platô de emaranhamento na região do gap de spin e verificamos que susceptibilidade magnética e emaranhamento estão intrinsecamente relacionados. Obtendo as energias e densidades do modelo de Hubbard inomogêneo através da Teoria do Funcional da Densidade e usando nossa proposta LDA para a entropia de emaranhamento, exploramos o comportamento do emaranhamento na presença de diversas inomogeneidades: superredes, impurezas e confinamento harmônico. Verificamos que o emaranhamento sempre diminui com a inomogeneidade, embora os efeitos de cada inomogeneidade sejam completamente diferentes. Encontramos uma relação entre energias de troca e correlação, de Hartree e cinética, capaz de prever quantitativamente o emaranhamento em função de qualquer das inomogeneidades. / In this work we investigated entanglement in many-fermions systems. To explore inhomogeneous systems we proposed a local density approximation (LDA) for the single-site entanglement entropy. We analysed the universal and nonuniversal contributions to block-block entanglement and obtained an expression for the nonuniversal term. We employ a description in terms of the one-dimensional Hubbard model to investigate the entanglement in electronic nanostructures and to quantify the single-site entanglement with respect to the rest of the chain by means of the entanglement entropy. For the homogeneous Hubbard model we studied the entanglement behavior as a function of density, magnetization, electronic interaction and external magnetic fields. We found that the entanglement is sensitive to the metallic, insulating and superconducting phases. We observed an entanglement plateau in the region of the spin gap and verified that magnetic susceptibility and entanglement are intrinsically related. Energies and densities of the inhomogeneous Hubbard model, obtained from Density Functional Theory, combined with our proposal of an LDA for the entanglement entropy, were used to explore the behavior of the entanglement entropy in the presence of several inhomogeneities: superlattices, impurities and harmonic confinement. We verified that entanglement always decreases with the inhomogeneity, although the effect of each inhomogeneity is completely different. For the same model we found a relation of exchange-correlation, Hartree and kinetic energies, able to predict quantitatively the entanglement as a function of any inhomogeneity.

Vertex algebras and strongly homotopy Lie algebras (SHLA) are extensively used in qunatum field theory and string theory. Recently, it was shown that a Courant algebroid can be naturally lifted to a SHLA. The 0-product in the de Rham chiral algebra has an identical formula to the Courant bracket of vector fields and 1-forms. We show that in general, a vertex algebra has an SHLA structure and that the de Rham chiral algebra has a non-zero l4 homotopy.

Strongly stable ideals are important in algebraic geometry, commutative algebra, and combinatorics. Prompted, for example, by combinatorial approaches for studying Hilbert schemes and the existence of maximal total Betti numbers among saturated ideals with a given Hilbert polynomial, three algorithms are presented. Each of these algorithms produces all strongly stable ideals with some prescribed property: the saturated strongly stable ideals with a given Hilbert polynomial, the almost lexsegment ideals with a given Hilbert polynomial, and the saturated strongly stable ideals with a given Hilbert function. Bounds for the complexity of our algorithms are included. Also included are some applications for these algorithms and some estimates for counting strongly stable ideals with a fixed Hilbert polynomial.

Studies on strongly correlated electron systems over decades have allowed physicists to discover unusual properties such as spin density waves, ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic states with unusual ordering of spins and orbitals, and Mott insulating states, to name a few. In this thesis, the focus will be on the specific heat property of these materials exhibiting novel electronic ground states in the presence and absence of a field. The purpose of these measurements is to characterize the phase transitions into these states and the low energy excitations in these states. From measurements at the phase transitions, one can learn about the amount of order involved [i.e. entropy: ΔS = ∫Δc p/T dT], while measurements at low temperatures illuminate the excitation spectrum. In order to study the thermodynamic properties of the materials at their phase transitions, a high sensitive technique, ac-calorimetry was used. The ac-calorimeter, workhorse of our low dimensional materials lab, is based on modulating the power that heats the sample and measuring the temperature oscillations of the sample around its mean value. The in-house ac-calorimetry set up in our lab has the capability to produce a quasi-continuous readout of heat capacity as a function of temperature. A variety of single crystals were investigated using this technique and a few among them are discussed in my thesis. Since many of the crystals that are studied by our group are magnetically active, it becomes useful for us to also study them in the presence of a moderate to high magnetic field. This motivated me to design, develop, and build a heat capacity probe that would enable us to study the crystals in the presence of non-zero magnetic fields and at low temperatures. The probe helped us not only to revisit some of the studied materials and to draw firm conclusions on the previous results but also is vital in exploring the untouched territory of novel materials at high magnetic fields (~ 14 T).

Ultracold atoms in optical lattices can be used to model condensed matter systems. They provide a clean, tuneable system which can be engineered to reach parameter regimes that are not accessible in condensed matter systems. Furthermore, they provide different techniques for probing the properties of these systems. This thesis presents an experimental and theoretical study of ultracold atoms in optical lattices for quantum simulation of two-dimensional systems.The first part of this thesis describes an experiment with a Bose-Einstein condensate of 87Rb loaded into a two-dimensional optical lattice. The beams that generate the optical lattice are controlled by acousto-optic deflection to provide a flexible optical lattice potential. The use of a dynamic ‘accordion’ lattice with ultracold atoms, where the spacing of the lattice is increased in both directions from 2.2 to 5.5 μm, is described. This technique allows an experiment such as quantum simulations to be performed with a lattice spacing smaller than the resolution limit of the imaging system, while allowing imaging of the atoms at individual lattice sites by subsequent expansion of the optical lattice. The optical lattice can also be rotated, generating an artificial magnetic field. Previous experiments with the rotating optical lattice are summarised, and steps to reaching the strongly correlated regime are discussed. The second part of this thesis details numerical techniques that can be used to describe strongly correlated two-dimensional systems. These systems are challenging to simulate numerically, as the exponential growth in the size of the Hilbert space with the number of particles means that they can only be solved exactly for very small systems. Recently proposed correlator product states [Phys. Rev. B 80, 245116 (2009)] provide a numerically efficient description which can be used to simulate large two-dimensional systems. In this thesis we apply this method to the two-dimensional quantum Ising model, and the Bose-Hubbard model subject to an artificial magnetic field in the regime where fractional quantum Hall states are predicted to occur.

Strong electron correlation lies at the root of many quantum collective phenomena observed in solids, including high Tc superconductivity. Theoretically, the problem of many interacting electrons is difficult to treat, however, and a microscopic understanding of strongly correlated systems remains one of the foremost challenges in modern physics. A particularly clean realisation of this general problem is found in magnetic systems, where theory and experiment are both well developed and complementary. The role of the chemist in this endeavour is to provide model experimental systems to both inspire new developments in theory and to confirm existing predictions. This thesis aims to demonstrate aspects of both synthesis and physical characterisation of such model systems, with particular emphasis on materials which exhibit unusual quantum ground states due to a combination of reduced dimensionality, low spin, and geometric frustration. Four materials are considered: The first among these is a new material, KTi(SO4)2·(H2O), which was prepared using a hydrothermal route, and characterised by magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, and high field magnetisation measurements. Fitting exact diagonalisation and series expansion results to these data imply that KTi(SO4)2·(H2O)is a long-sought experimental realization of the S = 1/2 Heisenberg frustrated (J1 − J2) chain model in the dimerised regime of the phase diagram. The anhydrous analogue of KTi(SO4)2·(H2O), KTi(SO4)2, was also investigated, and found by magnetic neutron scattering to exemplify the S = 1/2 Heisenberg anisotropic triangular lattice model in the 1D chain limit. The final two materials discussed are the naturally occurring minerals volborthite and herbertsmithite, both thought to realise the S = 1/2 Heisenberg kagome antiferromagnet model. Diffuse and inelastic magnetic neutron scattering experiments, however, indicate that the kagome physics are partially destroyed by defects in the former and lattice distortion in the latter.

Neutron scattering measurements were used to investigate the magnetic and crystal structure and magnetic excitations of three compounds characterized as low-dimensional quantum magnets. The materials are frustrated systems with low spin quantum number. The first was a powder sample of AgNiO₂. The Ni ions form a triangular lattice antiferromagnet in which, according to the published crystal structure, both the orbital order and magnetic couplings are frustrated. However, it is shown here that there was a small distortion of the crystal structure at 365 K, which is proposed to result from charge disproportionation and this relieves the orbital frustration. The magnetic structure was investigated and, below 20 K, the triangular lattice of electron-rich Ni sites was observed to order into antiferromagnetic stripes. Investigations of the magnetic excitations showed that the main dispersions were within the triangular plane, indicating a strong two-dimensionality. The dispersion was larger along the stripes than between the stripes of collinear spins. The second material investigated was CoNb₂O₆, a quasi Ising-like ferromagnet. It was studied with a magnetic field applied transverse to the Ising direction. The magnetic field introduced quantum fluctuations which drove a phase transition at a field comparable to the main exchange interaction. The phase diagram of the magnetic order was mapped outs and a transition from an ordered phase to a paramagnetic phase was identified at high field. This low-temperature high-field phase transition was further investigated by inelastic neutron scattering measurements to observe the change in the energy gap and magnetic excitation spectrum on either side of the transition. The spectrum had two components in the ordered phase and had sharp magnon modes in the paramagnetic phase. The third material was the spin-half layered antiferromagnet CuSb₂O₆. It has a square lattice of Cu²⁺ ions in which the main interaction is across only one diagonal of the square. The magnetic structure was studied by neutron scattering with a field applied along the direction of the zero-field ordered moment. A spin-flop was observed at low field and there was evidence for a high-field transition. The magnetic excitation spectrum was unusual in that it had an intense resonance at 13 meV at the magnetic Brillouin zone boundary.