Ultrafast Laboratory at Northeastern University
Optical spectroscopy and coherent control of low-dimensional quantum materials

We are an interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers dedicated to probe and control material properties using ultrafast laser pulses. Our goal is to address the following key questions in quantum science and engineering:

• How do light-matter and matter-matter interactions give rise to emergent quantum-mechanical properties of materials?

• Can we engineer light-matter and matter-matter interactions to access “hidden” phases of matter?

To answer these questions, we use various spectroscopic techniques spanning from visible to THz frequencies to study quasiparticles in low-dimensional quantum materials. Our research focuses on (1) their ultrafast dynamics, (2) the fundamental and light-induced interactions between them, and (3) their transport across different van der Waals layers or nano-domains formed by moiré superlattices.

We aim to control the light-matter interaction strength using photonic cavities, and engineer the matter-matter interaction strength by deliberately designing heterostructures and inducing polarizations with strong electromagnetic fields. By harnessing light-induced properties, we aim to enable fast and efficient optoelectronic and quantum photonic devices, ultimately opening new pathways to steer quantum states using light.