Quantum Matter Seminar Series

Electrons inside matter can behave as complex particles that do not exist in the Standard Model. These seemingly impossible effects are examples of emergent phenomena—that is, unexpected collective behavior—of electrons in quantum materials. However, these effects often manifest in subtle ways, and thus detecting them requires developing new, more sophisticated measurement tools. In this talk, I will demonstrate how a class of experimental techniques called scanning probe microscopy can be a general tool for unlocking new phenomena in quantum materials. To illustrate the power of this approach, I will first focus on our recent observation of symmetry-broken states and fractional Chern insulators in magic-angle graphene, enabled by scanning single-electron-transistor microscopy. As a second example, I will introduce a new, general method for probing the thermodynamic properties of neutral excitations that leverage their strong influence on the bulk charge gap of symmetry-broken states. Finally, I will highlight other examples in which scanning probe microscopy permits the discovery of novel phases in other quantum materials, and outline how pushing the boundaries of existing scanning probe microscopy will enable the discovery and characterization of new emergent phenomena and functionalities in quantum materials, devices, and circuits.