Advanced Quantum Materials and Photonic Devices: Catalyzing Chemical Engineering Approaches

Περίληψη

Integrating quantum materials with photonic systems offers transformative potential for chemical engineering applications due to their distinctive electronic, optical, and dynamical properties. Their demonstrated strong resilience to perturbations, high sensitivity to environmental changes, and unique behavior of excited states, make them highly suitable for applications in sensing, catalysis, and environmental remediation. However, challenges remain in effectively harnessing their properties for practical use in industrial and technological contexts.

In this presentation, we will explore recent progress in leveraging quantum materials for advanced sensing, and nanostructured device applications. I will highlight examples of how quantum materials, such as Weyl and Dirac semimetals, exhibit distinct behavior under excitation, and how integrated photonic devices can be engineered for precise control of light-matter interactions. Through a combination of experimental (Raman and pump-probe spectroscopy) and computational (Green's function and dynamical system modelling) approaches, the behavior of these materials will be analyzed under various conditions, aiming to optimize their efficiency, selectivity, and durability. This integrated approach enables the rational design of quantum-enhanced devices and materials that address critical challenges in chemical engineering, from quantum batteries to advanced environmental monitoring solutions.

Σύντομο Βιογραφικό Ομιλητή

Ioannis is a postdoctoral researcher with a Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics from the Institute for Theoretical Physics at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He has held positions at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University, USA, and currently holds joint appointments at the Department of Chemistry at UCLA and the Department of Physics at Harvard University. His research bridges condensed matter physics, materials science, and optics, focusing on how quantum materials interact with light, and their importance for next-generation photoelectric technologies. Ioannis’ work specifically delves into the quantum geometry of correlated electrons and their interplay with photons. He has made significant contributions to understanding how structural and electronic properties combine to create unconventional quantum phases, including connecting nonlinear dielectric and magnetic properties to the electronic band structure, extending topological transport descriptions to include spin degrees of freedom, elucidating collective quantum phenomena such as the axial Higgs mode and the Nambu-Goldstone mode in nodal-line and Weyl semimetals, and proposing advanced photonic and electronic devices for practical applications.