Correlations in van der Waals [Hetero]Structures by the Spectroscopic Fingerprints of Quasiparticles and Collective Excitations

Principal investigators

  1. Dante Marvin Kennes, RWTH Aachen University [webpage]
  2. Tim Wehling, University Hamburg [webpage]
  3. Ursula Wurstbauer, University of Münster [webpage]

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Abstract

Our joint experimental and theoretical research project focuses on correlation effects in van der Waals [hetero]structures. By combining microscopic strong and weak coupling theories with resonant inelastic light scattering spectroscopy of collective modes, we aim to shed light on the following fundamental questions: (i) How does the interplay of electron-electron and electron-phonon interaction determine emergent phenomena and ordering? (ii) How robust are correlations in van der Waals heterostructures with respect to local strain, disorder, and inhomogeneities? (iii) What can be learned by the exploration of new (optical) probes unique to van der Waals heterostructures for correlated phenomena?

We study emerging states in twisted TMDs in a combined experimental and theoretical approach utilizing millikelvin optical spectroscopies, i.e. resonant inelastic light scattering on collective inter-and intra-miniband excitations and first-principles based multi-scale modelling of interaction and correlation effects.