Nobel Laureate Prof. J. Michael Kosterlitz Reflects on the Discovery and Impact of the Kosterlitz-Thouless Transition

Nobel Laureate Prof. J. Michael Kosterlitz Reflects on the Discovery and Impact of the Kosterlitz-Thouless Transition

Prof. J. Michael Kosterlitz, awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics, revolutionized the understanding of phase transitions in two-dimensional systems through the discovery of the Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) transition. This breakthrough challenged the prevailing notion that thermal fluctuations prevented such transitions, introducing topology into physics and paving the way for advancements in superconductivity, superfluidity, and 2D materials. Du…