IFIMAC+ICMM Joint Seminar Series focuses on cutting-edge research on condensed matter physics, bringing speakers from all over the world to our Cantoblanco Campus. All talks are streamed online. Some of them will be celebrated on campus and onsite participation will also be possible. You need to subscribe to our mailing list at the link provided below to get the links to the seminar room. https://listas-correo.uam.es/sympa/subscribe/seminarios-ifimac-icmm-l

High Harmonic Spectroscopy of Strongly Correlated and Topological Materials

Rui E.F. Silva, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM) – CSIC, Spain

November 04, 2021, 12:00 CET

Abstract:

The recent discovery of high harmonic generation in solids [1], merging the fields of strong field and condensed matter physics, opened the door for the direct observation of Bloch oscillations [1], all-optical reconstruction of the band structure [2] and direct observation of the influence of the Berry curvature in the optical response [3]. In this work, we will focus on high harmonic generation in strongly correlated and topological materials. First, I will show how high harmonic spectroscopy can be used to induce and time resolve insulator-to-metal transitions in strongly correlated materials, using the Hubbard model [4]. I will further demonstrate how high harmonic spectroscopy can be used to identify topological phases of matter and how the Berry curvature leaves its fingerprint in the nonlinear optical response of the material [5]. Using a combination of w-2w counter-rotating strong circular fields, we demonstrate that we are able to induce valley polarization in hexagonal 2D materials and use HHG spectroscopy to read the valley polarization [6]. At last, I will show how the use of Wannier orbitals can be useful in the calculation of the nonlinear optical response of solids [7].

References:

[1] S. Ghimire et al., Nat. Phys., 7 138-141 (2011)

[2] G. Vampa et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 115 193603 (2015)

[3] H. Liu et al., Nat. Phys., 13 262-265 (2017)

[4] R. E. F. Silva, I. Blinov, A. Rubtsov, O. Smirnova and M. Ivanov, Nat. Phot., 12 266-270 (2018)

[5] R. E. F. Silva, Á. Jiménez-Galán, B. Amorim, O. Smirnova, M. Ivanov, Nat. Phot., 13 849-854 (2019)

[6] Á. Jiménez-Galán, R. E. F. Silva, O. Smirnova, M. Ivanov, Nat. Phot. Nat. Phot. 14 728-732 (2020)

[7] R. E. F. Silva, F. Martin, M. Ivanov, Phys. Rev. B, 100 195201 (2019)