Ultrafast THz Spectroscopy Laboratory
Cooke Group 2024 (left to right): Dave Cooke, Rustam-Jan Kalyani-Janssen, Rodrigo Paulino, Victory Friesen, Benjamin Dringoli, Laurent David, Valentina Mazzotti, Angela Moskal. (A nice balance of khaki and Canadian tuxedo).
Welcome
Our lab is focused on the development and use of ultrafast spectroscopic tools to probe and control material properties relevant to both fundamental condensed matter physics and applications related to energy harvesting.
NEWS
10/25 - Announcing the new CFI JELF funded Facility for Quantum Materials Growth and Characterization!
Co-PI’s Cooke and Siwick have received CFI JELF funding ($1.1M) to establish a new facility for quantum materials growth and characterization in the Dept. of Physics. Read more here.
08/25 - Quantum Dynamics Lab is officially opened!
Many years in the making (started in 2017!) we, along with Prof. Brad Siwick’s group, finally get the keys to the new Quantum Dynamics Laboratory!
08/25 - Congratulations Angela Moskal on completing a MSc!
Angela’s thesis was titled: Developing grating-based electro-optic sampling for rapid detection in two-dimensional terahertz spectroscopy
Congratulations and good luck in your PhD at the University of Geneva!
08/24 - Congratulations Ben Colmey on completing a MSc!
Ben’s thesis was titled: Electron Emission from Metal Nanotips Driven by Plasma-Generated THz Pulses for Electron Microscopy
Congratulations and good luck in your PhD at the University of Cambridge!
06/24 - A THz flying focus
Congratulations Rodrigo Paulino and Ben Colmey!
In this paper we show an interesting spatio-temporal artifact of using standard off-axis parabolic mirrors to collect and re-focus an ultrabroadband THz pulse generated by a two-colour laser plasma in air. The interaction emits THz pulses in a cone eminating from each point in a long filament. Each cone is imaged to a singular point in the sample region, creating a flying focus moving at roughly 1/3 the speed of light down the axis. Such flying focus beams have been used to accelerate sub-relativistic charged particles.
Read more about it in Optics Express! Link to paper
03/24 - SnSe has a light-induced electronic phase transition
Congratulations Ben Dringoli!
In this paper we show the record-setting thermoelectric material SnSe has a light-induced phase transition, corresponding to a band gap collapse. Our measurements indicate a sudden heterogeneous nucleation of this new phase at a critical excitation fluence. This new phase is not thermally accessible, and may possess interesting new properties that we are currently exploring.
Read more about it in Physical Review Letters! Link to paper
04/24 - Ben C. and Rodrigo in Marburg for OTST 2024
Ben Colmey and Rodrigo Paulino presenting their work at OTST 2024 poster session in Marburg, Germany.
Congratulations to Ben Dringoli & team at TRAQC
PhD student and co-founder of startup company TRAQC was announced the winner of the $10,000 top prize at the 14th annual SPIE Startup Challenge. Their real-time inspection solution for the printed electronics industry utilizes THz radiation and metamaterial technology to ensure quality while reducing waste. The press release is here and more information about TRAQC is here.
09/23 - Congratulations Huiwen on completing a Masters degree!
Congratulations to Huiwen Shen on getting your Masters! Huiwen’s thesis is titled: Ultrafast photoconductivity dynamics in the lead bromide perovskites studied with time-resolved THz spectroscopy.
IRMMW-THz 2023 in Montreal was a success!
