Our research activities are focused on unconventional superconductivity, magnetism and their coexistence in novel materials. The overarching goal is the development of advanced approaches and identification of new phenomena relevant for energy-related quantum technologies, specifically based on magnetic quantum effects. This generally requires very low temperatures and, often, high magnetic fields.

For this purpose, we develop and use various electromagnetic and thermodynamic measurement techniques that works under extreme conditions such as ultra-low temperature (~20 mK), high magnetic field (16 Tesla in the lab and 80 Tesla in specialized facilities), pressure (~20 kbar), and controlled strain. Most of our techniques are quite unique and not something one could purchase. For example, tunnel diode-driven self-resonating circuit for precision measurements of dynamic magnetic susceptibility, modular and portable electric and heat transport to look at the electronic behavior in the bulk, and polarized-light low-temperature magneto-optics that allows us to literally see magnetic fields.

More recently, we added new and very challenging project to develop the NV-centers in diamond optical magnetometry, which utilizes completely new “quantum sensing” where we interrogate quantum states of the NV center and use it for sensing of extremely weak magnetic fields. This development will allow us to interrogate fragile states in quantum materials, such as topological insulators, unconventional superconductors and various artificial hybrid structures. Here we are specifically interested in materials and technologies relevan for Quantum Information Science (QIS), which is emerging as the next Big Effort among various agencies, DOE including.

Our general research interests are:

• electromagnetic and thermodynamic properties of novel superconducting and magnetic materials
• pattern formation in superconducting and magnetic systems
• symmetry of the order parameter in unconventional superconductors
• coexistence of superconductivity and long-range magnetic order
• magnetic signatures of quantum criticality in superconducting and magnetic systems
• dimensional effects (shape, anisotropy, nanoscale)
• effects of disorder and geometric frustration
• synthesis and properties of nanocomposites
• development of advanced experimental techniques to study all above