Research

My research explores strongly correlated physics in quantum materials by probing and manipulating their light-matter interactions. By developing and utilizing a comprehensive spectroscopic toolkit spanning from microwave to optical frequencies, I investigate the intricate non-equilibrium dynamics of 2D moiré materials and beyond.

My current research directions include:

1. Excitations and Collective Modes

In strongly correlated electron systems, the low-energy physics is governed by emergent collective excitations. We investigate the fundamental nature of these emergent modes, such as magnons, phonons and charge density fluctuations, which ultimately dictate the macroscopic properties of complex quantum materials. By employing ultrafast spectroscopic techniques, we probe the dynamics of these collective modes. Understanding how these excitations behave, propagate, and interact is crucial for unraveling the fundamental mechanisms that drive novel quantum phases, such as unconventional superconductivity and magnetism.

2. Dynamical Control of Quantum Matter

A major frontier in condensed matter physics is the active manipulation of quantum states on ultrafast timescales. We employ optical pump-probe spectroscopy to drive materials far from equilibrium, enabling the transient control of their electronic and magnetic order. By tailoring the properties of the driving light field, we can dynamically induce phase transitions, coherently manipulate valley pseudospins, and access hidden metastable states. Investigating these non-equilibrium dynamics provides critical insights into the interplay of charge, spin, and topological degrees of freedom.

3. Excitonic Physics and Light-Matter Interaction

Excitons—Coulomb-bound electron-hole pairs—dominate the optical response of low-dimensional semiconductors. In 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) moiré superlattices, the quenching of kinetic energy dramatically enhances interactions, giving rise to robust excitons that exhibit profound many-body correlations. We explore this rich phenomenological landscape, from the emergence of bosonic correlated insulators formed by interacting excitons, to the valley pseudospin order physics. Operating at the intersection of many-body condensed matter physics and solid-state quantum electrodynamics (QED), our research investigates the crossover from collective macroscopic excitonic responses to few-photon quantum nonlinearities, with the ultimate goal of generating useful quantum hardware for light-matter interface.