Vortex Light-driven Structured Quantum Matter
Dr. Mahmoud Asmar1, Assistant Professor
Co-PI: Dr. Nancy Sandler2, Professor
1: Kennesaw State University Research and Service Foundation, Kennesaw, GA 30144
2: Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701
Light-driven materials offer unique opportunities to create and control new out-of-equilibrium states with novel electronic properties, like the Floquet topological insulator. However, most research has focused on uniform light exposure, leaving space-time-dependent phenomena largely unexplored. This study will use structured light, such as vortex beams, to explore new phenomena that emerge from the combined space- and time-modulations. By intertwining the unique properties of structured light with engineered quantum matter, we aim to uncover new phases of matter. A key focus is overcoming challenges like dissipation and thermalization while optimizing both material modulation and light parameters to reveal these novel states. This research will provide theoretical insights into the conditions required to observe these phenomena, highlighting the benefits and limitations of space- and time-modulated systems. This study will pursue three primary objectives: (1) Emergent Photon-dressed States in Vortex Light Beam Driven Dirac-like Materials, (2) Light-matter Interactions in Space and Time Modulated Systems, and (3) Observables, Dissipation and Interactions in Irradiated Open Systems.
This work will combine numerical and analytical approaches, including effective low-energy and tight-binding models for material descriptions. Time dependence will be addressed by Floquet theory, with effective two-band Floquet Hamiltonians for weak light-matter coupling and non-perturbative inclusion of all relevant Floquet bands for strong coupling. We will handle the resulting space-dependent Hamiltonian by identifying light polarization conditions that preserve conservation laws and employing techniques such as Bessel decomposition, finite differences, and recursive methods for systems with boundary conditions. The Keldysh- Floquet formalism will be adapted for space-time-dependent systems in contact with reservoirs to accurately account for thermalization in physical observables. For numerical calculations, this study will develop efficient graphics processing unit (GPU)-based methods to implement these techniques.
This work will advance space-time-modulated systems, impacting Floquet systems, strain engineering, and thermalization in open systems. The findings of this research will guide experimentalists in exploring complex systems and identifying novel states, thus enhancing both theory and practical applications. Additionally, the project will substantially impact training undergraduate students at Kennesaw State University (KSU), offering valuable research opportunities and internships through collaboration with Ohio University. This initiative will enhance KSU’s research capacity while providing meaningful experiences for undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
This research was selected for funding by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences.
