Ultrafast femtosecond laser control of electron dynamics in two-dimensional strong spin-orbit coupling materials

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K13991
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 13020:Semiconductors, optical properties of condensed matter and atomic physics-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo (2023); National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (2022)
• Principal Investigator: Hashmi Arqum 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 特任研究員 (90815325)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: Ultrafast / TDDFT / Nonlinear optics / Spin-orbit coupling / femtosecond

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Owing to their extraordinary physical properties, 2D monolayers have become an emerging field, featuring strong light-matter interactions and ultrafast broadband optical responses. A comprehensive computational framework to explore and explain the different aspects of ultrafast dynamics is urgently needed.
To address this, we used the formalism of TDDFT with Maxwell equations as a benchmark to study ultrafast time-dependent electron dynamics. By incorporating spin-orbit couplings, our study explores various aspects of electron dynamics in 2D materials. We examined 2D semiconductors and semimetals, which can control electron dynamics on the sub-femtosecond timescale, faster than electron-electron (tens of fs) and electron-phonon scattering (hundreds of fs). We found the possibility to control carrier dynamics up to the femtosecond timescale through ultrashort pulses and explored spintronics at the femtosecond scale, opening opportunities for extremely fast information processing.

Free Research Field

Condensed matter physics

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

The scientific importance of this research is about understanding how electrons move really fast. It helps us learn how materials behave when interact with light. This can be useful for making new technologies like faster computers and communication devices and improved ways to store information.