JOŽEF STEFAN INSTITUTE
Department of Complex Matter
Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Dynamics of Quantum matter

We explore non-equilibrium many-body dynamics in quantum systems that experience symmetry-breaking, topological, or jamming transitions. These systems encompass superconductors, charge-density wave, and magnetic materials.

Experimental Soft Matter Physics

The research is conducted within the “Light and Matter” research program. The interaction of light with matter is one of the most important fields of physics and optical processes are indispensable in many branches of modern industry.

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December 15 - 19, 2024 , Krvavec, Slovenia
Together with the Department of Theoretical Physics at JSI we are organizing the 13th Nonequilibrium Quantum Workshop. The workshop intends to bring together scientists working in the field of: Ultrafast ...
Home / News / Cavity-mediated thermal control of metal-to-insulator transition in 1T-TaS2 just…

Cavity-mediated thermal control of metal-to-insulator transition in 1T-TaS2 just published in Nature

October 18, 2023

The macroscopic properties of quantum materials arise from microscopic quantum phenomena and cannot be understood solely through classical physics and chemistry. Sometimes, they behave entirely counter to intuition. In an article recently published in the journal Nature, a group of authors from Italy, the IJS (Jožef Stefan Institute), and Germany revealed an unusual quantum effect, where the properties of a quantum material change significantly when it is placed in a cavity with cooled mirrors. The experiment, seemingly straightforward, demonstrates a remarkably large shift in the transition temperature between insulator and metal in a crystal of 1T-TaS2, a substance which is known for its very intriguing quantum properties. The observations are unusual because the material during the experiment is not in contact with its surroundings, and the influence of the mirrors implies a strong coupling between the motion of electrons in the crystal and quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field – or light-  in vacuum, which almost magically alter the transition temperature. The effect is entirely of a fundamental nature but also holds potential applications, such as for specialized sensors. Importantly, the experiment paves the way for research into new quantum effects and highlights 1T-TaS as a very quantum material. The material was synthesized by Petra Sutar at IJS, while Peter Prelovšek and Dragan Mihailović collaborated on the theoretical and experimental aspects.

You can read the article here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06596-2