Probing Cooperative Phenomena in Solids by Terahertz Magnetospectroscopy

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dc.contributor.advisorKono, Junichiro
dc.creatorLi, Xinwei
dc.date.accessioned2019-07-17T15:53:18Z
dc.date.available2020-08-01T05:01:08Z
dc.date.created2019-08
dc.date.issued2019-07-01
dc.date.submittedAugust 2019
dc.date.updated2019-07-17T15:53:19Z
dc.description.abstractCooperative phenomena emerge in condensed matter when interactions between the constituent particles significantly impact, or even govern, the quantum dynamics of the system. The system then exhibits phases and properties that are undescribable by single-particle theories. For understanding the physics behind cooperative phenomena, it is important to disentangle the interplay between different degrees of freedom, including spin, charge, lattice, and orbit. In this dissertation work, we demonstrated that terahertz (THz) magnetospectrosocpy is a powerful tool for probing and elucidating cooperative phenomena in solids by studying four different types of quantum materials. First, we observed a narrow-band THz gain peak in a dense two-dimensional magnetoexciton gas in a photoexcited semiconductor quantum well. Second, by using THz polarimetry, we probed the collective magnetooptical response of surface carriers in a topological insulator in pulsed high magnetic fields. Third, we detected singular charge fluctuations in a quantum critical heavy-fermion metal in the form of ``$\omega/T$-scaling" in THz conductivity. Finally, we discovered that the exchange coupling between two spin systems in a magnetic insulator follows the scaling behavior expected for Dicke cooperativity, a well-kown many-body process in quantum optics. The experiments and analyses in these studies can be extended to a variety of other quantum materials for advancing the understanding of many-body physics.
dc.embargo.terms2020-08-01
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.citationLi, Xinwei. "Probing Cooperative Phenomena in Solids by Terahertz Magnetospectroscopy." (2019) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/106146">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/106146</a>.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/106146
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.
dc.subjectCondensed matter physics
dc.subjectTerahertz spectroscopy
dc.subjectMagnetic field
dc.titleProbing Cooperative Phenomena in Solids by Terahertz Magnetospectroscopy
dc.typeThesis
dc.type.materialText
thesis.degree.departmentElectrical and Computer Engineering
thesis.degree.disciplineEngineering
thesis.degree.grantorRice University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy
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