Sergio de la Barrera
Assistant Professor, Department of Physics
Sergio de la Barrera is an assistant professor in the Department of Physics. Originally from Mexico, he grew up in the United States, where he obtained a BSc in nuclear engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a PhD in physics from Carnegie Mellon University. Prior to joining the University of Toronto, he held postdoctoral appointments at Carnegie Mellon University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Barrera’s research focuses on the low-temperature physics of electrons in quantum materials, particularly in atomically thin materials like graphene. He is interested in how electrons behave and arrange themselves in extreme conditions where quantum effects dominate, at fractions of a degree above absolute zero and in large magnetic fields. He aims to discover and understand emergent phenomena in which systems with many electrons act collectively to yield new and interesting behaviour, analogous to how water molecules act together to give rise to waves and tides, but on a quantum scale.
Recently, Barrera has been investigating electronic behaviour in layered crystals of graphene, each of which is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms. When the layers are stacked with a small twist between the layers, like a poker hand or a twisted deck of cards, the graphene suddenly becomes superconducting, where electrons flow without dissipating resistance. Other behaviours are possible too, like unusual forms of magnetism and phases in which the electrons stop conducting altogether, depending on the conditions and twist angles between the layers. Why these phenomena emerge and how the materials can be engineered to exhibit new fascinating behaviours are the central questions that drive Barrera’s research.
Barrera is a member of the Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Control (CQIQC) and the Centre for Quantum Materials. His recent publications can be found online.