Welcome to the Zuerch Lab

The Zuerch Lab at the University of California at Berkeley experimentally explores structural, carrier and spin dynamics in novel quantum materials, heterostructures and on surfaces and at interfaces to answer current questions in materials science and physical chemistry. For this we pursue a multidisciplinary research program that combines the exquisite possibilities that ultrafast X-ray spectroscopy and nanoimaging offers and closely interface with material synthesis and theory groups. We employ state-of-the-art methods and develop novel nonlinear X-ray spectroscopies in our lab and at large-scale facilities. Specifically, we are interested in experimentally studying and controlling material properties on time scales down to the sub-femtosecond regime and on nanometer length scales to tackle challenging problems in quantum electronics, information storage and solar energy conversion.

Learn more about our research.

Latest news:

We are excited to welcome Jackson McClellan who joins us for the summer through the NSF-REU program. Jackson majors in Physics at the Ohio State University and will work over the summer on disentangling complex X-ray diffraction signatures of a photoexcited solid-state electrolyte.

Congratulations to Nadia! She got awarded the Departmental Citation in Chemistry which is one of the highest honors in the College of Chemistry for undergraduates and she also graduated with honors. Photo shows her receiving the award at the 2022 Commencement.

Under the motto “Get it done” we did our first group writing retreat with part of the group. We spent 2 days reading, writing and discussing research in the beautiful Napa Valley at the Napa River to catch up on a writing project we had been trying to work on for a while. It was a really productive two days and we also got to enjoy the start of summer.