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The modification of electronic band structures and the subsequent tuning of electrical, optical, and thermal material properties is a central theme in the engineering and fundamental understanding of solid-state systems. In this scenario,…
Topological insulators (TI) are a phase of matter that host unusual metallic states on their surfaces. Unlike the states that exist on the surface of conventional materials, these so-called topological surfaces states (TSS) are protected…
We study the 2D crystalline phases of paramagnetic colloidal particles with dipolar interactions and constrained on a periodic substrate. Combining theory, simulation, and experiments we demonstrate a new scenario of first-order phase…
Phase-change materials based on Ge-Sb-Te alloys are widely used in industrial applications such as nonvolatile memories, but reaction pathways for crystalline-to-amorphous phase-change on picosecond timescales remain unknown. Femtosecond…
We investigate two-dimensional (2d) melting in the presence of a one-dimensional (1d) periodic potential as, for example, realized in recent experiments on 2d colloids subjected to two interfering laser beams. The topology of the phase…
Thin films of VO$_2$ on different substrates, Al$_2$O$_3$ and SiO$_2$/Si, have been prepared and characterized from room temperature up to 360 K. From the band structure in the rutile metallic phase and in the monoclinic insulating phase…
Quantum materials exhibiting phase transitions which can be controlled through external stimuli, such as electric fields, are promising for future computing technologies beyond conventional semiconductor transistors. Devices that take…
Conventional optical elements are bulky and limited to specific functionalities, contradicting the increasing demand of miniaturization and multi-functionalities. Optical metasurfaces enable tailoring light-matter interaction at will,…
The phase-change material antimony sulfide (Sb$_2$S$_3$) relies on rapid and reversible phase transitions between crystalline and amorphous states, which are critical for their performance in data storage and photonics applications. In this…
Certain alumino-silicates display exotic properties enabled by their framework structure made of corner-sharing tetrahedral rigid units. Using \textit{in situ} diamond-anvil cell x-ray diffraction (XRD), we study the pressure-induced…
Using first-principles density functional theory calculations, combined with a topological analysis, we have investigated the electronic properties of $Cd_3As_2$ and $Na_3Bi$ Dirac topological semimetals doped with non-magnetic and magnetic…
We present molecular dynamics simulations of a realistic model of an ultrathin film of BaTiO$_3$ sandwiched between short-circuited electrodes to determine and understand effects of film thickness, epitaxial strain and the nature of…
Phase transitions in metastable $\alpha$-, $\kappa(\epsilon)$-, and $\gamma$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ films to thermodynamically stable $\beta$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ during annealing in air, N$_2$, and vacuum have been systematically investigated via in-situ…
We demonstrate that switching of ferroelectric thin-films sandwiched between metallic electrodes can be controlled by laser-assisted heating, reminiscent of heat-assisted magnetic recording. We employ electrical switching cycles that…
The Kosterlitz-Thouless and the Hexatic phase transitions are celebrated examples of dipole (vortex, dislocation) induced transitions in condensed matter physics. For very clear reasons, these important ``topological" transitions are…
First-order phase transition in a highly correlated electron system can manifest as a dynamic phenomenon. The presence of multiple domains of the coexisting phases average out the dynamical effects making it nearly impossible to predict the…
The most characteristic functional property of antiferroelectric materials is the possibility to induce a phase transition from a non-polar to a polar phase by an electric field. Here, we investigate the effect of this field-induced phase…
Atomically thin films of layered chromium triiodide (CrI$_3$) have recently been regarded as suitable candidates to a wide spectrum of technologically relevant applications, mainly owing to the opportunity they offer to achieve a reversible…
Photoexcitation has been utilized to control quantum matter and to uncover metastable phases far from equilibrium. Among demonstrations to date, the most common is the photo-induced transition from correlated insulators to metallic states;…
Optical metasurfaces enable to engineer the electromagnetic space and control light propagation at an unprecedented level, offering a powerful tool to achieve modulation of light over multiple physical dimensions. Here, we demonstrate a…