Our lab is driven by a holistic approach towards material-physics: using a variety of optical and electron spectroscopy tools to characterize synthesized and naturally occurring materials. The philosophy is to measure fundamental dynamics, to discover new physical phenomena, and synthesize non-naturally occurring materials leading to advances in opto-electronics and quantum computing.

We are currently in the golden age of material physics, where discovery of new physical phenomena and new materials are driven by each other. A perfect example of material physics are isolated single layers of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which have dramatically distinct properties from the bulk, resulting from extreme quantum confinement and thinness of the materials. However to fully utilize these layered systems, we have to answer many outstanding questions about the nature of coupling, carrier dynamics, and defect control. Optical excitation can be used to measure coupling and fundamental carrier dynamics, which are responsible for limits on speed and performance in opto-electronics. Material synthesis can help tune defects and create novel materials. Complementary information about structure and defects can be found by utilizing electron microscopy (EM). We use TMDs as a model system, for developing general rules and principles applicable to wide variety of layered materials and semiconductors.

Please check the specific theme pages to get a flavor of the research being performed/planned in our lab. The theme pages are available by hovering on the “research areas” menu.