Dr. Siyu Duan’s project of terahertz hybrid metasurfaces funded by the DFG Walter Benjamin Programme

Although the investigations of a few quantum materials have demonstrated remarkable nonlinear effects in the terahertz (THz) frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum, it remains experimentally challenging to generate strong THz electric field. Moreover, our understanding of the observed nonlinearity is still limited. At the same time, these nonlinear effects hold significant potential for the development of THz devices. In a two-year research project funded now by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through the Walter Benjamin Programme, Dr. Siyu Duan will employ an innovative approach using superconductor-metal hybrid metasurfaces to achieve nonlinear and ultrafast dynamic control of THz waves. She will extend her previous experience on time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy and fabrication of hybrid metasurfaces [e.g. Nature Communications 15, 1119 (2024)] to the studies of heterostructures based on unconventional superconductors, and aim to gain further insights on unconventional superconductivity and the possibilities of manipulating the involved nonlinear optical phenomena.