Symposium CH06: Exploring Fast and Ultrafast Dynamics of Matter with Electrons and Photons
December 03, 2024
Ido Kaminer, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
Exploring Fast and Ultrafast Dynamics of Matter with Electrons and Photons
Written by Andrew M. Fitzgerald
In their work, Ido Kaminer from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and colleagues from the Technion, Harvard University, and Columbia University have built upon the use of near-field microscopy to observe and characterize terahertz fields. Traditional optical near-field microscopy has long found use in studying photonic excitations at the nanoscale. Recent advances extend these capabilities to terahertz frequencies, enabling researchers to access the spatio-temporal dynamics of phononic and electronic phenomena during nonlinear processes. This study demonstrates how terahertz near-field microscopy can characterize terahertz pulses emitted during laser-driven phase transitions, which can carry lots of information about the physics underlying these phase transitions. By using this approach, Kaminer and colleagues show how they can analyze ultrafast dynamics, including topological transitions in quantum materials. This work showcases the potential of terahertz techniques to impact the study of phase transitions and dynamic materials properties.
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