P rofessor Chris Gould also studies the behavior of matter at ultralow temperatures. He is also concerned with investigating questions involving quantum transport in systems of reduced dimensionality at ultralow temperatures. The ultralow temperature group of Professors Bozler and Gould performs all of their experiments on several cryostats built by them, their postdocs, and their graduate students. Most experiments are interfaced directly to one of several laboratory microcomputers which in turn are part of the larger university network of computers. In this way the gradual development of various bulk characteristics can be mapped out, and quantum effects unique to finite systems can be observed.
Current research focuses on metal clusters and on the cage-like carbon fullerenes.
Both types of particles contain systems of delocalized electrons. The dynamics of these electrons are probed by polarizability measurements, electron-beam scattering, laser spectroscopy, and other methods. Work in this field allows for considerable interaction with other branches of physics, and has practical implications for surface and nanostructure science, etc. P rofessor Richard S. Thompson is working on the theory of superconductivity, particularly as applied to dynamical problems. He has calculated the effects of thermodynamic fluctuations and of the motion of quantized magnetic flux lines on the electrical conductivity of superconductors.