Research Projects

Propelled by groundbreaking fundamental research, the rapid rise of innovative quantum technologies in computation, communication, optics, sensors, and devices is poised to shape our future for decades. Quantum materials are one of the centerpieces, providing the primary platform to build these technologies. Despite being a critical component, we lack the expertise or experimental facility to produce high-purity quantum materials domestically. Instead, these materials are usually imported from commercial companies at unreasonably high prices, which is a significant hurdle in building a sustainable national quantum technologies research ecosystem. Through this proposed project, we aim to address this issue by developing a state-of-the-art single-crystal growth facility comprising various growth techniques for quantum materials synthesis. It would be a long-term experimental asset that can boost the indigenous production of high-quality materials for numerous research groups and build a thriving collaboration network. In this project, we will utilize this facility to synthesize new topological van der Waals and Kagome materials, both of which have fundamental and technological implications. Van der Waals systems offer a unique proposition for designing integrated nanoscale functional devices that exploit topological quantum states. On the other hand, topological Kagome materials are ideal for investigating correlated quantum phenomena, especially the interplay between magnetism, topological states, and strong electron correlation. In this project, we proposed to refine quantum material prediction through structural symmetry-based chemical reasonings followed by theoretical calculations, establish a cutting-edge single-crystal growth facility to synthesize the predicted compounds, explore electronic band engineering via chemical doping, and employ rigorous electronic transport, magnetic, and spectroscopic measurements to investigate the quantum phenomena in these systems. This multifaceted approach ensures a comprehensive exploration of correlated and functional properties of topological materials and their potential use in technological applications.