Applied Physics | New Regimes of Coherent Light-Matter Interaction in Van Der Waals Materials

Van der Waals materials have emerged as a revolutionary platform for photonics, offering a unique combination of direct-bandgap semiconductor properties and unprecedented flexibility for heterostructure integration. These materials exhibit simultaneously strong optical responses and unusual physical properties that enable access to coherent light-matter interaction regimes previously considered inaccessible in traditional bulk materials.

In this talk, we will discuss a few examples, including the observation of collective Lamb shift and achievement of perfect absorption within a same monolayer, the development of unconventional types of strong-coupling systems with unique properties, and an approach that utilizes some of the novel effects to enable a dynamic matter-light hybrid Chern insulator. These advances open new pathways to next-generation photonic devices and quantum technologies.