Precision probes into quantum matter

From the discovery of elementary particles to the detection of gravitational waves, the development of measurement tools has been essential in uncovering the fundamental laws of our universe. In condensed matter physics, we can create tiny “universes” inside quantum materials, each with its own dimensionality, symmetry, and emergent properties. In this talk, I will show how we can unveil the hidden physics in such systems by developing precision probes tailored to specific material platforms. I will present two examples. First, I will describe an ultrasensitive on-chip terahertz spectroscopy technique and how it reveals the mechanism by which a two-dimensional electron system transforms from a metal to an insulator as electron density decreases. Second, I will demonstrate how high-precision angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy helps us understand the superconducting transition in high-temperature cuprate superconductors, in particular, the signature of the transition in the electronic structure. Finally, I will discuss the exciting opportunities arising from combining these precision probes with highly tunable van der Waals heterostructures to address long-standing questions in physics and explore novel quantum phases of matter.

Speaker: Sudi Chen, UC Berkeley