The Condensed Matter Dynamics group is led by Prof. Andrea Cavalleri and focuses on non-equilibrium phenomena in solids. Especially, we investigate how electronic and structural order can emerge as a result external drives, how transitions occur in solids dynamically and how energy flows into and away from a solid. Light-control of superconductivity, ferroelectricity, magnetism and of topological phase transitions have been at the centre of our research.
Recent Research Highlights














Nonlinear Phononics
Probing the Interatomic Potential of Solids with Strong-Field Nonlinear Phononics
A. von Hoegen et. al., Nature, 555, 79–82 (2018)
Nonlinear lattice dynamics as a basis for enhanced superconductivity in YBa2Cu3O6.5
R. Mankowsky et. al., Nature, 516 , 71–73 (2014)
Nonlinear phononics as an ultrafast route to lattice control
M. Först et. al., Nature Physics, 7, 854–856 (2011)
Read more ...
Nonlinear Phononics
Probing the Interatomic Potential of Solids with Strong-Field Nonlinear Phononics
A. von Hoegen et. al., Nature, 555, 79–82 (2018)
Nonlinear lattice dynamics as a basis for enhanced superconductivity in YBa2Cu3O6.5
R. Mankowsky et. al., Nature, 516 , 71–73 (2014)
Nonlinear phononics as an ultrafast route to lattice control
M. Först et. al., Nature Physics, 7, 854–856 (2011)
Read more ...
Nonlinear Phononics
Probing the Interatomic Potential of Solids with Strong-Field Nonlinear Phononics
A. von Hoegen et. al., Nature, 555, 79–82 (2018)
Nonlinear lattice dynamics as a basis for enhanced superconductivity in YBa2Cu3O6.5
R. Mankowsky et. al., Nature, 516 , 71–73 (2014)
Nonlinear phononics as an ultrafast route to lattice control
M. Först et. al., Nature Physics, 7, 854–856 (2011)
Read more ...
Light induced Superconductivity in alkali doped C60
M. Mitrano et. al., Nature, 530, 461–464 (2016)
Pressure tuning of light-induced superconductivity in K3C60
A. Cantaluppi et. al., Nature Physics, 14, 837–841 (2018)
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Light induced Superconductivity in high-Tc cuprates
Light induced Superconductivity in a Stripe-ordered Cuprate.
D. Fausti et. al., Science, 331, 6014 189-191 (2011)
Optically enhanced coherent transport in YBa2Cu3O6.5 by ultrafast redistribution of interlayer coupling. W. Hu et. al., Nature Materials, 13, 705–711 (2014)
Nonlinear lattice dynamics as a basis for enhanced superconductivity in YBa2Cu3O6.5
R. Mankowsky et. al., Nature, 516 , 71–73 (2014)
Read more ...
Nonlinear control at hetero-interfaces
Spatially resolved ultrafast magnetic dynamics launched at a complex-oxide hetero-interface.
M. Först et. al., Nature Materials, 14, 883-888 (2015)
Ultrafast Strain Engineering in Complex Oxide Heterostructures
A. D. Caviglia et. al., Physical Review Letters, 108, 136801 (2012)
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Josephson Plasmonics
Parametric amplification of a superconducting plasma wave
S. Rajasekaran et. al., Nature Physics, 12, 1012–1016 (2016)
Optical excitation of Josephson plasma solitons in a cuprate superconductor
A. Dienst, et. al., Nature Materials, 12, 535-541 (2013)
Bi-directional ultrafast electric-field gating of interlayer charge transport in a cuprate superconductor. A. Dienst et. al., Nature Photonics, 5, 485-488 (2011)
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Dynamical Ferroelectricity
Metastable ferroelectricity in optically strained SrTiO3
T. Nova et. al., Science, 364, 645 1075-1079 (2019)
Ultrafast reversal of the ferroelectric polarization
R. Mankowsky et. al., Physical Review Letters, 118, 197601 (2017)
Nonlinear THz spectroscopy of Quantum Materials
Probing optically silent superfluid stripes in cuprates
S. Rajasekaran et. al., Science, 369, 6375, 575-579 (2018)