Research Projects

The electron transport in ultra-clean two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as hBN-encapsulated graphene, offers a unique platform to explore emergent collective phenomena beyond the conventional diffusive regime. In these systems, strong electron-electron (e-e) interactions can dominate momentum-relaxing processes, leading to a hydrodynamic regime where charge carriers behave as a viscous fluid. Graphene, in particular, is predicted to host a "Dirac fluid" state near its quantum critical point, exhibiting distinct signatures like viscous flow profiles, current vorticity, and violations of the Wiedemann-Franz law. While compelling indirect evidence exists from electrical and thermal transport measurements, direct, real-space visualization of the current flow patterns, especially the elusive electron current vortices, remains a significant scientific challenge. This proposal aims to bridge this critical gap by developing an innovative on-chip Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometry platform. By directly integrating high-sensitivity SQUID sensors with ultra-clean graphene devices, we will directly image the localized magnetic fields generated by electron current patterns. This will provide unambiguous experimental verification of electron hydrodynamics, including the induction and characterization of current vortices in graphene, and explore the platform's broader applicability to other quantum materials exhibiting similar phenomena. This research promises fundamental insights into the collective behavior of quantum fluids and has the potential to guide the development of novel, dissipation-less electronic device architectures.