Welcome to the
The Zuerch Lab at the University of California at Berkeley experimentally explores structural, carrier and spin dynamics in novel quantum materials, heterostructures and at material 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 announce that Michael has been selected as a Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholars for 2024. This prestigious award is given to faculty members in the early stages of their academic careers who have demonstrated significant achievements in scholarship and a strong commitment to education. As part of this recognition, the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation grants an unrestricted research grant of $100,000, which will further support our ongoing research endeavors at the intersection of chemistry, physics, and materials science. This award not only recognizes our past achievements but also reinforces our commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and education.
Michael has been selected as a fellow for the Scialog: Sustainable Minerals, Metals, and Materials program. This initiative, co-sponsored by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, aims to advance sustainable practices in materials science. It’s an honor to be part of this interdisciplinary community of early career researchers from across North America, collaborating to address key challenges in sustainability.
For more details about the program, please visit the Scialog announcement page.
Solid-state high harmonic generation spectroscopy (sHHG) has emerged as a pivotal technique for delving into electronic structure, symmetry, and dynamics in condensed matter systems. In our latest manuscript, we introduce an advanced cryogenic sHHG spectrometer, uniquely designed with a vacuum chamber and a closed-cycle helium cryostat. With the aid of an in situ temperature probe, we’ve ascertained that the sample interaction region maintains cryogenic temperatures even during the application of high-intensity femtosecond laser pulses, which are responsible for generating high harmonics. Our approach paves the way for temperature-dependent sHHG measurements down to a few Kelvin. Such advancements in sHHG spectroscopy present a novel tool for investigating phases of matter that manifest at low temperatures, an area of particular intrigue for highly correlated materials.
Published article in the Review of Scientific Instruments:
https://pubs.aip.org/aip/rsi/article/95/2/023906/3267761/A-solid-state-high-harmonic-generation
Pre-print is available here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.01049
