Professor
Research Interests:
Quantum Field Theory (QFT) is a universal language for describing many kinds of systems. It captures many-body systems near a classical or quantum second order phase transition, where approximate scale invariance plays a role. It is also the natural language for discussing relativistic quantum mechanics, and is thus essential for describing any fundamental particle theories such as the Standard Model or beyond. However, our understanding of QFT beyond perturbation theory is largely incomplete. For example, we cannot currently simulate the Standard Model, even in principle. We also know very little about high-energy multi-particle states in QFT and how ergodicity emerges. My recent research focuses on exploring QFT in the non-perturbative regime through various methods. Conformal Field Theory (CFT), which describes theories that are relativistic and scale-invariant plays a central role in my work. Indeed, many-body systems near a phase transition often enjoy approximate conformal symmetry, making CFTs and their deformations a good framework for describing emergent behavior. In addition, thinking of general QFTs as deformations of CFTs can be very useful for non-perturbative computations, allowing us to explore novel regimes of particle theories.
Selected Publications:
“A conformal truncation framework for infinite-volume dynamics”, Emanuel Katz, Zuhair Khandker and Matthew Walters, JHEP 1607, 140 (2016)
“Dynamical trapping near a quantum critical point” Michael Kolodrubetz, Emanuel Katz, Anatoli Polkovnikov, Phys. Rev. B91 (2015) 5, 054306
“Solving 2d QCD with an adjoint fermion analytically” Emanuel Katz, Gustavo Marques, Yiming Xu. JHEP 1405 (2014) 143
“Conformal field theories at nonzero temperature: ope expansions, monte carlo, and holography” Emanuel Katz, Subir Sachdev, Erik S. Srensen, William Witczak-Krempa, Phys.Rev. B90 (2014) 24, 245109
“The Effective Theory of Dark Matter Direct Detection”, A.Liam Fitzpatrick, Wick Haxton, Emanuel Katz, Nicholas Lubbers, Yiming Xu. JCAP 1302 (2013) 004
For a full list of publications, See the attached CV.
Honors/Awards:
- NSF CAREER Award
- Sloan Research Fellowship