(Quantum Number) Fractionalisation: Present and Future

Coordinators: Yin-Chen He, Johannes Knolle, SungBin Lee, and Roderich Moessner

Fractionalisation has evolved from a surprising theoretical idea into a unifying concept across modern quantum physics. The discovery that collective excitations can carry fractional quantum numbers—charge, spin, or statistics different from those of the microscopic constituents—has reshaped our understanding of quantum matter and revealed deep connections between condensed matter physics, gauge theory, topology, and quantum information. This conference will focus on the broader conceptual landscape of fractionalisation and its future directions. Rather than concentrating on a particular class of materials or platforms, the meeting will emphasize common principles that cut across quantum spin liquids, fractional quantum Hall and Chern insulating states, topological phases, constrained systems, and engineered quantum matter. Topics will include how fractionalisation emerges from strong correlations, the role of topology and entanglement, mechanisms of confinement and deconfinement, and the classification of exotic quantum phases and phase transitions. A major goal of the conference is to sharpen the conceptual tools used to identify and characterize fractionalized states in realistic settings, while fostering dialogue between communities that often approach similar phenomena from different perspectives. By bringing together theorists, experimentalists, and researchers working on quantum simulation and computation, the conference aims to clarify where the field stands today and to map out promising directions for the coming decade.