Light Control of Superconductivity by Subcycle Dynamic Symmetry Breaking

非技术摘要：科学家和工程师最近开始意识到某些材料，如超导体，具有可用于量子信息和能源科学应用的特性，例如处理，记录，存储和通信。光可以用来创造和控制超导性。这使得在超导体中设计奇异的特性成为可能，这些特性可以用于制造计算、传感和通信设备。这个计划的目的是研究一组被称为铁离子超导体的材料。这些材料将被激光快速扰动，并使用高速测量记录其响应。目标是提取这些材料中超导性的细节，以便它们可以用于制造量子信息和能源应用的设备。教育是这一提议中不可或缺的组成部分。制定了具体的计划，以指导大学教授/本科生，并通过“物理日”计划吸引高中教师和学生；并为少数族裔学生提供研究和培训机会。技术摘要：超导电子学及其量子信息应用的实现面临的一个重大挑战是如何建立通用的量子控制原理，以切换相干顺序和调制超电流，其速度快于太赫兹时钟速率，几乎“零热”能量耗散。该项目旨在证明利用光驱动相干性和非线性来探测和控制特定选择的铁镍超导体中的量子相和集体模式的可行性。具体来说，我们将使用定制的光脉冲来实现亚周期动态对称破缺原理，以非热调制相关间隙和/或周期性偏置超电流。研究目标是：(1)探索具有不同磁阶和涨落、清洁和肮脏极限、不同配对对称性的激光驱动超导体系；(2)通过光致超电流揭示集体模式；(3)利用“定制”激光脉冲串实现超导序相干控制的概念验证。了解如何测量、操纵和收获超导体中的相干性和纠缠，以及前所未有的超快可视化，可能会为材料发现开辟新的领域——实现室温超导性，增加相干时间，并在技术相关的许多纳秒时间尺度之外稳定瞬态相。达到这样一个基本的理解和实现动态量子开关将推进量子飞跃，这是美国国家科学基金会十大理念之一。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-technical abstract: Scientists and engineers have recently come to realize that certain materials, such as superconductors, have properties that can be exploited for applications in quantum information and energy science, e.g., processing, recording, storage and communication. Light can be used to create and control superconductivity. This makes it possible to design exotic properties in superconductors which can then be used in making devices for computing, sensing and communication. The proposed project aims to study one group of these materials called iron pnictide superconductors. These materials will be rapidly perturbed by laser light and their responses recorded using high speed measurements. The goal is to extract details of superconductivity in these materials so that they can be utilized in making devices for quantum information and energy applications. Education is an integral and essential component in this proposal. Specific plans have been made to mentor college professors/undergraduates, to engage high school teachers and their students through "A Physics Day" program; and to provide research and training opportunities for underrepresented minority students. Technical abstract: A grand challenge underlying the implementation of superconducting electronics and its quantum information applications is how to establish universal quantum control principles for switching coherent orders and modulating supercurrents at faster-than-terahertz clock rates with nearly "zero-heat" energy dissipation. The project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of harnessing light-driven coherence and nonlinearity to probe and control quantum phases and collective modes in specifically-chosen iron pnictide superconductors. Specifically we will implement a subcycle dynamic symmetry breaking principle using a tailored light pulse to nonthermally modulate correlation gaps and/or periodically bias supercurrents. The research goals are: (1) explore the laser-driven superconducting systems with different magnetic orders and fluctuations, clean vs. dirty limit, different paring symmetries; (2) Reveal collective modes via light-induced supercurrents; (3) Achieve proof-of-concept validation of coherent control of superconducting orders using "tailored" laser pulse trains. Understanding how to measure, manipulate and harvest coherence and entanglement in superconductors with unprecedented ultrafast visualization can potentially break new grounds for materials discovery - to achieve room temperature superconductivity transiently, increase the coherence times, and stabilize the transient phases beyond technologically-relevant, many nanosecond timescales. Reaching such a fundamental understanding and implementing dynamical quantum switching will advance Quantum Leap, one of the 10 Big Ideas of the National Science Foundation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.