Summary
Condensed matter physics examines the collective behaviour of vast assemblies of interacting particles in solids and liquids. It seeks to explain how the arrangement and quantum states of electrons and ions give rise to diverse phenomena such as electrical conduction, magnetism, superconductivity and topological phases. In crystalline solids, the periodic potential of the lattice leads to the formation of energy bands separated by forbidden gaps; partially filled bands host metallic conduction while filled valence bands and empty conduction bands define insulators and semiconductors. Beyond weakly interacting electrons, strong correlations can produce Mott insulators, unconventional superconductors and quantum spin liquids. Soft matter—polymers, liquid crystals, emulsions and colloids—displays mesoscopic self-assembly, viscoelasticity and responsive phase transitions. Techniques from X-ray and electron diffraction to scanning probes and free-electron lasers now resolve structure and dynamics from ångström to micrometre scales and from femtoseconds to seconds. Meanwhile, theoretical tools—density functional theory, model Hamiltonians and quantum field methods—provide predictive insight and guide materials discovery for electronics, energy harvesting, catalysis and quantum technologies.
Research from Nature Portfolio
In high-pressure superconductivity, alloying rare-earth elements into ternary hydrides has stabilised record transition temperatures at more moderate pressures: a hexagonal close-packed lanthanum–cerium superhydride exhibits a superconducting onset near 176 K at around 113 GPa with extremely large upper critical fields exceeding 200 T. Complementary experiments on calcium superhydrides under 160–190 GPa have revealed a sodalite-like hydrogen cage phase that superconducts above 210 K, emphasising the pivotal role of three-dimensional hydrogen frameworks in elevating transition temperatures. On the transport front, studies of ultraclean topological semimetal flakes have uncovered a “para-hydrodynamic” electron flow regime: weak surface disorder can replace electron–electron collisions as the dominant momentum-conserving process, producing viscous-like nonlocal transport even when interparticle interactions are minimal.
Topic trend for the past 5 years
The graph below shows the article count in Nature Index journals for condensed matter physics.
* The ‘Current Index’ represents data for a 12-month rolling window, the current window is 1 May 2025 - 30 April 2026.
Technical terms
Band gap: The energy difference between the top of a filled valence band and the bottom of an empty conduction band in a solid.
Electron–phonon coupling: Interaction between electrons and lattice vibrations that can mediate attractive forces leading to conventional superconductivity.
Coherence length: Characteristic spatial scale over which the superconducting order parameter remains uniform, governing vortex core size in type II superconductors.
Upper critical field (Hc2): The magnetic field above which superconductivity is suppressed and the material returns to the normal state.
Para-hydrodynamic regime: A transport regime in which boundary or impurity scattering conserves momentum more effectively than momentum-relaxing collisions, producing viscous electron flow.
Quasiparticle: An emergent excitation in a many-body system that behaves like a particle carrying effective mass, charge and other quantum numbers.
Mott insulator: A system in which strong electron–electron repulsion localises carriers despite partially filled bands, yielding an insulating state.
Notable articles in condensed matter physics
- Enhancement of superconducting properties in the La–Ce–H system at moderate pressures. Nature Communications (2023).
- Superconductivity above 200 K discovered in superhydrides of calcium. Nature Communications (2022).
- Para-hydrodynamics from weak surface scattering in ultraclean thin flakes. Nature Communications (2023).
About these summaries
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Research
Position of Condensed Matter Physics in Nature Index by Count
Leading institutions
| Institution | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) | 136 | 33.43 |
| University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) | 67 | 26.43 |
| Max Planck Society | 73 | 20.76 |
| Nanjing University (NJU) | 60 | 19.89 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | 91 | 18.51 |
| Tsinghua University | 46 | 17.05 |
| Beihang University (BUAA) | 46 | 13.01 |
| University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) | 68 | 13.01 |
| The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) | 38 | 12.62 |
| Zhejiang University (ZJU) | 31 | 11.1 |
Leading countries/territories
| Countries/territories | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | 529 | 455.82 |
| United States of America (USA) | 314 | 206.28 |
| Germany | 192 | 98.77 |
| Japan | 137 | 64.69 |
| France | 93 | 47.67 |
| South Korea | 70 | 44.07 |
| United Kingdom (UK) | 90 | 34.28 |
| India | 48 | 28.91 |
| Spain | 56 | 24.12 |
| Switzerland | 48 | 18.46 |
Collaboration
Top 5 leading collaborators in Condensed Matter Physics
Collaborating institutions
Note: Hover over the bars to view details about each institution's Share.
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