Quantum materials

Research topics

Ultrafast dynamics in quantum materials 

Many fundamental physical phenomena in condensed matter occur at pico- and femtosecond timescales. These phenomena are responsible for intriguing and not yet fully understood states of matter in so-called quantum materials, which could profoundly transform technology beyond silicon. We use intense light fields from the terahertz to the visible range to induce transient excitations in solids, with focus on spin and phonon dynamics. The dynamics is probed using femtosecond optical probes and x-rays.

Imaging spin dynamics at the nanoscale

How do spins move at the nanoscale? How can we detect spin-polarized currents and the spin dynamics that they induce? X-ray circular magnetic dichroism (XMCD), combined with scanning x-ray microscopy at synchrotron light sources or coherent x-ray imaging at free electron lasers, offers a powerful way to achieve an all-encompassing view of spin physics with nanometer resolution. This research has the potential to impact the design of the magnetic storage devices used in data centers worldwide, towards a more sustainable energy consumption of the digital world.

Nonlinear and quantum light

The advent of lasers revolutionised science and technology, and opened the field of nonlinear optics, which investigates the phenomena occurring in regime of strong light-matter interaction. We study nonlinear process beyond the optical regime, in the unexplored terahertz and X-ray ranges, such as the transient grating spectroscopy technique at free electron lasers. The same nonlinear optical processes allow for the creation of quantum entangled photons. We aim at using such photons to develop novel types of spectroscopy for the study of quantum materials.