Non-equilibrium Materials Design
Light-induced phases in correlated quantum materials
Dynamical control of emergent interfacial phenomena
Engineering quantum materials for ultrafast optoelectronics
Ultrastrong coupling in quantum light-matter cavities
At our lab, we study systems ranging from ferroelectrics to complex magnets to superconductors with a focus on light-matter interactions and emergent phenomena at interfaces. Ultimately, we aim to develop new paradigms for next-generation energy and computing technologies using quantum materials.
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By exploiting the ability to tune picometer scale structure, composition, and dimensionality in such heterostructures, our goal is to gain a microscopic understanding of how light-induced non-equilibrium phases form, how to control them, and how to functionalize them.
Ultimately, we aim to establish a novel paradigm of non-equilibrium materials design, centering around the idea that one can create highly desirable dynamical states of matter by engineering light-matter interactions at the atomic scale.
A major focus of our lab is exploring the use of light to dynamically control quantum phases and induce new non-equilibrium functionalities on ultrafast (femto- to picosecond) timescales.
Systems of interest include superconductors, magnets, ferroelectrics, and other electronically ordered solids.
Key to this approach is the development of novel optical sources and nonlinear techniques to enable the study of structural and electronic excitations spanning the terahertz/infrared frequency range.
Dynamical control of emergent interfacial phenomena involves manipulating the complex behaviors that arise at the boundaries between different materials or phases, such as superconductivity, magnetism, or electronic topology.
Research in this field is crucial for developing advanced materials and devices with tailored properties for electronics, energy, and quantum computing.
Quantum materials are characterized by strong interactions that couple electron charges, spins, and orbitals, and the surrounding atomic lattice, leading to unique emergent phenomena, such as high-temperature superconductivity, colossal magnetoresistance, and topologically protected transport.
These features could help address global technological challenges by enabling faster and more efficient information processing, enhanced energy harvesting and storage, scalable quantum computing, and more. In the Disa Lab, we seek to harness these quantum functionalities by combining ultrafast optical techniques with atomic layer synthesis.
Ultrastrong coupling in quantum light-matter cavities represents a frontier in quantum physics, where the interaction strength between light and matter reaches a regime where the coupling energy is comparable to the energies of the system’s components themselves.
Our work has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of quantum mechanics, enable the development of advanced quantum technologies like more efficient light-harvesting systems, quantum sensors, and quantum computers by leveraging these hybrid states for unprecedented control and manipulation of quantum systems.
(Image taken from J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2021, 12, 29, 6914-6918)