Cagliyan Kurdak, Lu Li, Pramod Reddy, Vanessa Sih, Kai Sun, Liuyan Zhao, Jeff McMahon
Summary (Prepared by Lu Li)
This research area is focused on the of study topological and correlated quantum materials to realize robust qubits and ultrasensitive quantum detectors for both quantum commutations and quantum sensing. The strong correlation in quantum materials provides new quantum phenomena for detections. The topological nature also offers symmetry-based topological protection for qubits and quantum sensors.
This team is well prepared for these tasks. UM has been the leading place of correlated topological insulators. We are the first resolving the surface conductance, the robust bulk insulating gap, the Landau Level quantizations in magnetization and resistivities in topological Kondo insulators. We are also one of the leading places for nanoscale thermal sensing. Our scanning thermal microscopy images nanoscale thermal radiation and provides calorimetry as down to attowatt thermal power. The astrophysics team members are the leading technical experts for sensitive spectrometers for sensing and mapping the cosmic microwave background. Our strong collaboration offers a road map to revolutionize the field of quantum sensing.
Our team members are also experts detecting the optical nature of the quantum phenomena in quantum materials. We resolved the nature of the phonons and magnons in strongly correlated iridates. We also found the new coupling mechanism between nuclear spins and electron spins. These results lay the foundation for better quantum coherence in q-bits based on solid-state-materials.