Overview
• Two-dimensional quantum materials and heterostructures
• Spectroscopy
• Exciton physics
• Strong correlation physics
• Berry curvature effects
• Magnetism
• Superconductivity
Research Focus
Our research group explores new physical phenomena in atomically thin materials and their heterostructures. We study a wide range of materials with very different properties, which include semiconductors, superconductors and magnets etc. We stack them together to form heteostructures, and make electronics and opto-mechanical devices based on this material platform. To explore new phenomena, we also develop new measurement and imaging techniques suitable for specific problems on hand. Our ultimate goal is to push the limit on what can be seen and done in this two-dimensional world.
Graduate Students
Yichi Zhang
Postdocs
Jie Gu, Kihong Lee, Wenjin Zhao, Liguo Ma, Kelly Luo, Yihang Zeng, Chirag Vaswani
Publications
Y. Zeng, Z. Xia, K. Kang, J. Zhu, P. Knüppel, C. Vaswani, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, K. F. Mak, & J. Shan, “Thermodynamic evidence of fractional Chern insulator in moiré MoTe2,” Nature (2023), arXiv:2305.00973.
W. Zhao, B. Shen, Z. Tao, Z. Han, K. Kang, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, K. F. Mak, & J. Shan, “Gate-tunable heavy fermions in a moiré Kondo lattice,” Nature 616, 61-65 (2023).
K. F. Mak, & J. Shan, “Semiconductor moiré materials,” Nature Nanotech. 17, 686-695 (2022).
T. Li, S. Jiang, B. Shen, Y. Zhang, L. Li, Z. Tao, T. Devakul, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, L. Fu, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, “Quantum anomalous Hall effect from intertwined moiré bands,” Nature 600, 641-646 (2021).
L. Ma, P. X. Nguyen, Z. Wang, Y. Zeng, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, A. H. MacDonald, K. F. Mak, & J. Shan, “Strongly correlated excitonic insulator in atomic double layers,” Nature 598, 585-589 (2021).
T. Li, S. Jiang, L. Li, Y. Zhang, K. Kang, J. Zhu, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, D. Chowdhury, L. Fu, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, “Continuous Mott transition in semiconductor moiré superlattices,” Nature 597, 350-354 (2021).
C. Jin, Z. Tao, T. Li, Y. Xu, Y. Tang, J. Zhu, S. Liu, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, J. C. Hone, L. Fu, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, “Stripe phases in WSe2/WS2 moiré superlattices,” Nature Mater. 20, 940-944 (2021).
Y. Xu, S. Liu, D. A. Rhodes, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, J. C. Hone, V. Elser, K. F. Mak, & J. Shan, “Correlated insulating states at fractional fillings of moiré superlattices,” Nature 587, 214-218 (2020).
Y. Tang, L. Li, T. Li, Y. Xu, S. Liu, K. Barmak, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, A. H. MacDonald, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, “Simulation of Hubbard model physics in WSe2/WS2 moiré superlattices,” Nature 579, 353-358 (2020).
Z. Wang, D. A. Rhodes, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, J. C. Hone, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, “Evidence of high-temperature exciton condensation in 2D atomic double layers,” Nature 574, 76-80 (2019).
In the news
- Klarman Fellow: Studying electron interactions with ultrafast lasers and more
- Quantum speed from a sea of excitons
- A&S honors 23 faculty with endowed professorships
- Semiconductor lattice marries electrons and magnetic moments
- A&S welcomes 10 new Klarman Fellows to expanded program
- Physicist identifies how electron crystals melt
- $1.25M grant to advance control of 2D materials
- Semiconductor demonstrates elusive quantum physics model
- Three professors elected as APS fellows
- Researchers receive $5.4M to advance quantum science
- Researchers trap electrons to create elusive crystal
- Researchers control elusive spin fluctuations in 2D magnets
- Researchers raise the temperature for exciton condensation
- Three A&S faculty win White House early career awards
