My research interests:
Lattice field theory at non-zero density and temperature: I am interested in exploring and developing new strategies for solving sign problems in finite density lattice field theory at zero and non-zero temperature – in particular in lattice QCD and related effective models.
Out of this arose also an independent interest in dual formulations of partition functions and in algorithms that allow for efficient sampling of dual configurations.
The advantages of dual variables are versatile; in particular for bosonic systems:
– in many cases, a change to dual variables solves a sign problem that exists in the original formulation,
– it can help avoiding topological freezing as each dual configuration typically contains contributions from all topological sectors,
– and finally, the dual systems can often be sampled by worm or cluster algorithms which do (typically) not suffer from critical slowing down at second-order phase transitions and are therefore much more efficient than standard Metropolis algorithms.
Hidden sector dark matter: are QCD like theories that are hidden (i.e. that interact with ordinary matter only indirectly via gravity) viable dark matter candidates? If they existed, could they, while the early universe cooled down, have undergone phase transitions that sourced detectable gravitational waves?
Entanglement entropy in lattice gauge theory: recently I have also gained interest in methods to determine entanglement entropies in lattice gauge theories.
Simplicial quantum gravity / dynamical triangulation: what is the relation between Minkowskian and Euclidean quantum gravity? How does simplicial quantum gravity interact with matter?