Elementary particle physics and quantum systems
Modern quantum theory and its experimental verification encompasses the study of the most fundamental building blocks of matter, their interaction and their collective behaviour. Contemporary experimental research investigates particle collisions in large colliders such as the Large Hadron Collider in CERN and tests quantitative models based on fundamental symmetries, such as gauge invariance and supersymmetry, and their violations.
Applications can be found, for example, in condensed matter theory, and include superconductivity, BEC condensates, quantum information and causality. The field also has a strong link to cosmogenesis and cosmology because of the high density of both matter and energy in these collisions and because of the potential for microscopic explanations of the observed evolution of the universe.
Applications can be found, for example, in condensed matter theory, and include superconductivity, BEC condensates, quantum information and causality. The field also has a strong link to cosmogenesis and cosmology because of the high density of both matter and energy in these collisions and because of the potential for microscopic explanations of the observed evolution of the universe.
Elementary particle physics and quantum systems at the University of Antwerp
The University of Antwerp has built up a tradition of conducting research into the fundamental description of many-particle systems, both at low temperatures and high density, and has also played a major role in experimental research and instrument building in elementary particle physics since the 1970s. Recently, important contributions have been made to the experimental infrastructure of the Large Hadron Collider. The University of Antwerp helped build the Compact Muon Solenoid detector's calorimeter and tracker. Members of the University of Antwerp hold prominent positions in international partnerships in this field.
Funding
This research has always attracted important funds, from the Research Foundation Flanders (including Big Science and Odysseus), the Flemish Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology, IUAP networks and special research funds (BOF). Over the last five years, securing Research Foundation Flanders funding for several members of the Tenured Academic Personnel focusing on this research has been one of the university's greatest achievements.
Reputation
As the Bibliometric Benchmarking UA 1997-2007 demonstrates, the University of Antwerp obtains extremely high scores in the Physics, Particles and Fields category with an impact factor of 1.17, significantly higher than all other Belgian universities (VUB is in 2nd place with 1.09) and the European average of 1.09. The same study shows that this research spearhead has provided the entire top seven in the number of Department of Physics contributions to the top 5% of most frequently quoted publications worldwide in the field of Physics and Astronomy. In addition, our researchers' work in this spearhead has often been quoted extensively in reference publications on quantum physics. Now that the Large Hadron Collider is up and running, this research field is guaranteed a bright future for at least the next twenty years.
Collaboration
Besides elementary particle physics, research subjects in this spearhead include astrophysics and cosmology, quantum and complex system theory and mathematical physics. Experimental research also requires significant technical know-how, which makes the engineering sciences a perfect partner.