Can the electromagnetic environment be used to tailor the properties of a quantum material? In this seminar, I will introduce the rapidly advancing field of cavity quantum materials (arXiv:2604.08666) and discuss experimental evidence that optical cavities can modify collective states of matter. I will first present my contribution to the pioneering demonstration that a cavity can influence the metal-insulator transition in a correlated material (Nature 622, 487–492 (2023)). I will then discuss recent work on an underdoped cuprate superconductor, where we observe a cavity-enhanced superconducting response, suggesting a route to strengthen phase stiffness in a fluctuation-dominated regime (arXiv:2606.18084). These examples point to cavity electrodynamics as a promising new control knob for correlated materials, with the potential to stabilize, tune, and probe emergent quantum phases.
Location: Stuckelberg, École de Physique
Time: Friday, November 6, pizza from 12:30, seminar from 13:00