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:
Studying materials under the immense pressure of a diamond anvil cell (DAC) is key to discovering new states of matter, but a major hurdle has been the inability to directly measure their electronic properties. Our work overcomes this challenge by successfully implementing solid-state high harmonic generation (sHHG) spectroscopy inside a DAC.
By probing Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS₂) up to 30 GPa, we detected a pressure-induced crossover of its primary bandgap. This subtle electronic transition, confirmed by our first-principles simulations, manifested as a sharp, clear signal in our measurements—a minimum in harmonic intensity and a 30° rotation in the light’s polarization—all without any change to the material’s physical structure. Our results establish sHHG as a uniquely sensitive probe for exploring the electronic world of materials at high pressure.
The preprint can be found here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.14215
We are excited to share that Michael received the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. This prestigious international award recognizes researchers who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in their fields and anticipates further groundbreaking contributions. More information can be found in the College of Chemistry press release:
https://chemistry.berkeley.edu/news/michael-zuerch-awarded-friedrich-wilhelm-bessel-research-award
The group held its annual holiday party at Jupiter. Happy holidays to all group members, collaborators, colleagues, family and friends.
