Physics Club: Andrea Cavalleri, Max Planck Institute, “Nonlinear phononics: dynamical control of solids through the crystal lattice”

In this talk, I will discuss how coherent electromagnetic radiation at TeraHerz frequencies can be used to coherently rearrange atoms within the crystal lattice of a solid. The motion of atoms can be made large, and such nonlinear phononics allows for the dynamical control of metal insulator transitions, magnetic phenomena, superconductivity and ferroelectricity.

I will also discuss how femtosecond x-ray beams from free electron lasers are integral to these studies, and are used to image structures during these non-equilibrium processes.