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The Gao Group seeks to explore fundamental questions at the intersection of physical chemistry, condensed matter physics, and ultrafast science. At the heart of our vision is the use of light to actively control matter—driving physicochemical transformations that reveal entirely new regimes of behavior in complex material and molecular systems. To pursue this vision, we are advancing spectroscopic tools that capture an unprecedented range of spatial and temporal dynamics, from the macroscale to the nanoscale and across the optical, infrared, and terahertz regimes. These efforts include ultrafast microscopy, ultrabroadband multidimensional spectroscopies, and single-shot techniques tailored to resolve the real-time evolution of condensed phase systems.
Photoinduced Phases in Quantum Materials
Quantum materials host a remarkable range of emergent phenomena from superconductivity, magnetism, topological states, and other exotic orders that arise from strong correlations and competing interactions. Because these states are delicately balanced, they are highly sensitive to external stimuli and thus particularly responsive to light. Ultrafast mid-infrared and terahertz pulses provide a powerful means of interaction, as they couple directly to the low-energy excitations—phonons, magnons, and collective electronic modes—that govern these states. Harnessing tailored light fields in these spectral windows allows us not only to probe these excitations on their intrinsic timescales, but also to control them: tracking the real-time evolution of order parameters, uncovering hidden or non-equilibrium phases, and opening nonlinear pathways for stabilizing or switching emergent orders.
Light-Driven Energy Transport
The efficient transport of energy carriers underpins technologies for energy conversion, storage, and information processing. These carriers range from ions in solid-state electrolytes to excitons in organic photovoltaics and atomically thin semiconductors, and extend to more exotic modes such as spin waves and polaritons. Their motion is governed by microscopic interactions among lattice vibrations, spins, and charges, which set the fundamental pathways and limits of energy flow. To probe and ultimately shape these processes, we develop spectroscopic tools with exceptional spatiotemporal resolution, using the insights they provide to design strategies that direct energy transport in materials through tailored light fields.
Photochemistry at Heterogeneous Interfaces
The Gao group will study how light initiates chemical and electrochemical reactions at interfaces — particularly those that convert sunlight into clean fuels. These reactions unfold on ultrafast timescales, often within picoseconds, and involve complex couplings between electronic, lattice, and spin degrees of freedom. By capturing and dissecting these transient processes, the group aims to reveal the microscopic mechanisms that govern (electro)photocatalytic activity and selectivity, providing a foundation for the rational design of advanced materials for solar fuel production and sustainable catalysis.
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