We are a research group at Aarhus University that exploits ultra-short pulses of laser light from across the entire electromagnetic spectrum to explore and control the properties of materials.
Our focus is on understanding the properties of "quantum materials", materials that show interesting and unexpected phenomena at unusually high temperatures, such as high temperature superconductivity. By using photons that range in energy from 5 meV to 15 keV we can study atomic, spin and electron dynamics on nanometer lengthscales and femtosecond timescales.
Our work exploits laboratory sources of laser light, as well as the use of X-ray lasers around the world.
Interested in joining?Are you interested in joining our group as a Postdoc or PhD student, or for a masters or bachelor's project? If so, contact us now to discuss the possibilities. |
Thomas, Signe and Emil all successfully defend their masters thesis in the group.
Congratulations to all and a special thanks for thesis examine Robert Feidenhans'l
06/2025
Emmanuel successfully defends his PhD thesis at ICFO in Barcelona. Congratulations Emmanuel!
06/2025
A pre-print describing our linear and non-linear optical setup paper is now available on the arXiv.
05/2025
Xiang Li joins our group as a visiting PhD student from Shanghai Tech University
03/2025
Mads Galsgaard Frederiksen joins our group for his bachelor's project on dynamics in the ϕ4-model of phase transitions.
02/2025
Our latest work from SwissFEL on the role of surface heterogeneity on the melting of orbital ordering is now available on the arXiv
07/2024
Nitesh and Hanna both pass their masters thesis defense and will soon start their PhDs in Germany and France.
Well done on some great work and good luck with the next step!
07/2024
Nature Physics has published a Research Breifing article that summerize our recent paper on using transient correlated disorder to enhance the efficiency of photo-induced phase transitions. It also provides some "behind the scenes" motivation for the work and why the referees and editors found the paper interesting.
05/2024
Our work on improving the energy efficiently of the light-induced phase transition in VO2 has now been published in Nature Physics.
We show that using two delayed femtosecond pulse can drive the phase transition with more efficiency than a signle femtosecond pulse. By measuring the time-resolved diffuse scattering signal in the low fluence regime, we show that this energy saving comes from the formation of non-thermal polarons which lower the barrier for the phase transition.
04/2024
Our paper on using the change in reflectivity in materials resulting from coherent phonons as a tool for determining the spectral phase of a laser pulse has been published in Optics Express.
All data is open access and available from Zenodo
01/2024
Our work using the SACLA FEL to study the dynamics of the photo-induced phase transition in VO2 when excited at low temperatures has been published in Nature Physics!
This work shows that elements beyond simple changes in the atomic potentials are needed to re-create the dynamics of the phase transition.
06/2023
Our work, recently publihsed in Nature Physics was made the cover story for the February print edition!
02/2023
