On-chip ultrafast control of quantum materials

Quantum Materials combine electronic interactions, topology, and dimensionality to produce remarkable macroscopic phenomena, such as superconductivity, magnetism and dissipationless electrical conduction channels. Discovering pathways to engineer and control their properties is a central goal of the physical sciences because it could lead to new functionalities for next-generation quantum technologies.

In this talk, I will show how femtosecond laser and voltage pulses can manipulate the electrical properties of quantum materials embedded in ultrafast optoelectronic circuitry (Figure 1) [1]. These chip-scale devices can directly probe the ultrafast flow of electrical currents following photoexcitation [2] or perform near-field spectroscopy at terahertz frequencies and on length scales orders of magnitude smaller than the diffraction limit [3].  I will discuss some of our recent discoveries in this area and provide an outlook about how combining light, quantum matter and device engineering can provide new opportunities for condensed matter physics research. 

References:

[1] Colloquium: Nonthermal pathways to ultrafast control in quantum materials

A. de la Torre, D.M. Kennes, M. Claassen, S. Gerber, J.W. McIver & M.A. Sentef
Reviews of Modern Physic 93, 041002 (2021)

[2] Light-induced anomalous Hall effect in graphene

J.W. McIver, B. Schulte, F.-U. Stein, T. Matsuyama, G. Jotzu, G. Meier & A. Cavalleri
Nature Physics 16, 38-41 (2020)

[3] Cavity electrodynamics of van der Waals heterostructures

G. Kipp*, H.M. Bretscher* et al.  
arXiv:2403.19745 (2024)