Lara Benfatto
Sapienza University of Rome
Date
5 March 2025
Host
Steven Johnson
Title
Coherent control of superconducting collective modes via THz pulses
Abstract
In solid-state systems, the detection and optical manipulation of the collective electronic modes emerging after a phase transition offer a unique window to access the material’s properties. In this talk I will review our theoretical progresses in the understanding of the non-linear optical response of the amplitude (Higgs) and phase (plasma) modes of superconductors, measured via innovative experimental protocols based on strong THz pulses. On more general grounds, I will discuss how superconductors represent a perfect benchmark to understand theoretically the interplay between fermionic and bosonic degrees of freedom in correlated systems driven by intense THz light, moving the field from the current state of empirical exploration to the level of rational design.
Recording
