The recent discovery of topological materials as a new form of quantum matter offers appealing schemes for potential definitive realization of topological superconductors and unambiguous detection of Majorana fermions. In this talk, I will attempt to give an overview on the recent advances and latest excitements in this vibrant area, with some of our own stories surrounding low-dimensional topological superconductors and a new class of high-T_c superconductors squeezed in. Our first line of examples is on systems that rely on proximity effects; here we will show that proper introduction of dilute magnetic dopants at the interfaces of topological insulators and conventional superconductors can effectively convert the systems into chiral topological superconductors. Next we focus on intrinsic systems, exploring how Rashba spin-orbit coupling and van Hove singularity could join force to induce exotic topological phase transitions within the context of “correlation of correlations”. Beyond such microscopic model studies, we will also use first-principles approaches to identify candidate systems that promise to materialize 2D topological superconductivity. In doing so, we will highlight the importance of interfacial growth science and improved understanding of superconductivity mechanisms in guiding predictive discoveries of new high-T_c superconductors and topological superconductors.

Bio：Prof. Zhang received his B.S. degree from Wuhan University in 1982 and PhD degree from Rutgers University in 1989, both in physics. He was a Distinguished Research Scientist in Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Chair of Excellence Professor of Physics at the University of Tennessee, USA before joining USTC in January 2011. He is now a Distinguished Chair Professor and Yan Jici Professor of Physics at USTC and serves as co-founding Director of ICQD. His research interests lie in the fields of theoretical understanding of the formation, stability, properties, and potential applications of low-dimensional materials. His most recent research emphases have been on quantum design of functional materials for energy and information. He has authored/coauthored 300- peer-reviewed papers, and has disseminated the research findings in 300+ invited/keynote/plenary talks and lectures. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, and has served or currently serves on the editorial boards of several professional journals