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:
With results in hand, most group members submitted their work to PacifiChem, a conference held only once every four years. We went all in combining conference attendance with a group retreat and a holiday dinner, all in one memorable occasion to conclude 2025.
Jacob produced an excellent video highlighting his research in our group and outlining his future plans at the conclusion of his A. O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellowship. With support from other group members, he handled all filming and editing himself to create this masterpiece.
The video is available here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7c2r–KTp4
A new study from our group, carried out with collaborators at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, UC Berkeley, LBNL, UNLV, and UC San Diego demonstrates how soft X-ray second harmonic generation can directly probe the hydrogen-bonding environment at the liquid water surface. Using flat liquid-sheet microjets and terawatt-scale attosecond soft-X-ray pulses from LCLS, the team measured SXSHG from the water/vapor interface and observed a spectrum that is markedly shifted relative to bulk X-ray absorption, revealing a distinct interfacial electronic structure. First-principles calculations trace this sensitivity to specific H-bond motifs—particularly singly H-bond–accepting molecules that are enriched at the surface. This work establishes SXSHG as a powerful element- and interface-selective probe of aqueous interfacial structure.
From our group Jacob and Bailey have contributed to this research. The collaboration has largely been assembled from the California Interfacial Science Institute (CISI). The experiments were conducted at the LCLS Free Electron Laser at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
The paper is now online with open access at Nature Communications:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-65514-4
