Magnetic Monopoles, Dyons and Confinement in Quantum Matter

Abstract

We show that magnetic monopoles appear naturally in granular quantum matter. Their condensation leads to a new state of matter, superinsulation, in which Cooper pairs are bound into purely electric pions by strings of electric flux. These electric flux tubes, the dual of Abrikosov vortices, prevent the separation of charge–hole pairs, thereby causing an infinite resistance, even at finite temperatures, the dual behaviour of superconductors. We will discuss the electric Meissner effect, asymptotic freedom and their measurements and describe the recent direct detection of a linear, confining potential by dynamic relaxation experiments. Finally, we consider dyons, excitations carrying both a magnetic and an electric charge, and show that a condensate of such dyons leads to a possible solution of the mysteries of the pseudogap state of high-Tc cuprates.