Ultrafast Sciences in Quantum Materials

B. Keimer, Joel E. Moore

Fabio Caruso, Michael A. Sentef, Claudio Attaccalite +7 more

The exploration of ultrafast phenomena is a frontier of condensed matter research, where the interplay of theory, computation, and experiment is unveiling new opportunities for understanding and engineering quantum materials. With the advent of advanced experimental techniques and computational tools, it has become possible to probe and manipulate nonequilibrium processes at unprecedented temporal and spatial resolutions, providing insights into the dynamical behavior of matter under extreme conditions. These capabilities have the potential to revolutionize fields ranging from optoelectronics and quantum information to catalysis and energy storage. This roadmap captures the collective progress and vision of leading researchers, addressing challenges and opportunities across key areas of ultrafast science and condensed matter. Contributions in this roadmap span the development of ab initio methods for time-resolved spectroscopy, the dynamics of driven correlated systems, the engineering of materials in optical cavities, and the adoption of FAIR principles for data sharing and analysis. Together, these efforts highlight the interdisciplinary nature of ultrafast research and its reliance on cutting-edge methodologies, including quantum electrodynamical density-functional theory, correlated electronic structure methods, nonequilibrium Green’s function approaches, quantum and ab initio simulations.

Fabio Caruso, Michael A. Sentef, Claudio Attaccalite +27 more

Abstract The exploration of ultrafast phenomena is a frontier of condensed matter research, where the interplay of theory, computation, and experiment is unveiling new opportunities for understanding and engineering quantum materials. With the advent of advanced experimental techniques and computational tools, it has become possible to probe and manipulate nonequilibrium processes at unprecedented temporal and spatial resolutions, providing insights into the dynamical behavior of matter under extreme conditions. These capabilities have the potential to revolutionize fields ranging from optoelectronics and quantum information to catalysis and energy storage. This roadmap captures the collective progress and vision of leading researchers, addressing challenges and opportunities across key areas of ultrafast science and condensed matter. Contributions in this roadmap span the development of ab initio methods for time-resolved spectroscopy, the dynamics of driven correlated systems, the engineering of materials in optical cavities, and the adoption of FAIR principles for data sharing and analysis. Together, these efforts highlight the interdisciplinary nature of ultrafast research and its reliance on cutting-edge methodologies, including quantum electrodynamical density-functional theory, correlated electronic structure methods, nonequilibrium Green’s function approaches, quantum and ab initio simulations.

Matthew Strasberg

Eva Pavarini, Jeroen van den Brink, Erik Koch +1 more

Jian Wu

Advancements in optical quantum science and technology continuously give rise to new principles and techniques, driving the development of human civilization. Throughout the century of Nobel Prize history, several recognitions have been awarded for breakthroughs in ultrafast lasers. These achievements have played crucial roles in exploring the microscopic world and developing cutting-edge innovative technologies. While inventions like the optical microscope and X-ray diffraction have significantly enhanced our ability to uncover the nature, they mainly concentrate on obtaining steady-state information. However, the microcosm is a realm of dynamic evolution, with processes such as the vibrational motion of nuclei within molecules occurring on the picosecond (10 −12 s) or femtosecond (10 −15 s) timescales, driven fundamentally by electronic motions at the attosecond (10 −18 s) timescale. Therefore, achieving measurements and control of the evolutionary processes of the microscopic world at its characteristic time and spatial scales is indispensable for understanding physical mechanisms and achieving regulation. It will not only reveal novel physical phenomena and mechanisms but also provide new ideas for the design of new materials and structures. Utilizing ultrafast laser technology with multidimensional precise controls in the time and frequency domains, we can break through the limits of time and space measurements. Here, I will highlight our research progress in the precise measurement and control of ultrafast dynamics of molecular and macro quantum states, and provide an outlook on the frontier developments in ultrafast quantum physics.