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In solid-state matters, electromagnetic interactions give rise to rich macroscopic electronic properties, such as magnetism, superconductivity, and nontrivial topology. A frontier of modern condensed matter physics is to study these novel quantum phenomena, which may have applications in future electronic devices and technologies. Specifically, my research focuses on systems where electrons are confined in two dimensions.
Van der Waals heterostructures
Van der Waals heterostructures
Optical image of a typical vdW heterostructure
We confine electrons in 2D by mechanically exfoliating van der Waals (vdW) materials down to atomically thin flakes. Recent technical advancements have enabled us to create high-quality vdW heterostructures with artificial stacking order. Combined with nanofabrication technology, this approach offers unprecedented opportunities to manipulate the electronic properties of quantum materials.
Correlation and topology
Topological quantum materials are often marked by macroscopic phenomena such as currents that flow only on the surfaces or edges of the sample. The topological properties have found applications such as fast electronics and topological quantum computation.
One example is the (fractional) quantum Hall effect developed under a high magnetic field in high-mobility 2D electron systems. Remarkably, similar physics has been found in vdW heterostructures at zero magnetic field, where nontrivial topology arises in Bloch bands. These are called the (fractional) Chern insulators (FCIs). Open questions remain how to stabilize the FCIs, and whether we can achieve nonabelian types of FCIs. To address these questions, we will utilize nanotechnology tools to create a new type of device featuring tunable artificial lattices made from graphene and other two-dimensional materials.
Electronic transport and thermodynamic measurements
We investigate the electronic properties of the samples down to miliKelvin temperatures. In addition to the conventional electronic transport measurement, we will also employ measurement techniques that probe chemical potential change and quantum capacitance. These measurements allow us to probe phases that are not sensitive to electron scattering, and investigate them on a quantitative level.
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