We use neutron scattering techniques to study strongly correlated quantum materials, including unconventional superconductors, low-dimensional magnets, frustrated systems, and transition-metal oxides. Our research focuses on crystal structures, magnetic structures, spin excitations, and phase transitions in these materials.

Neutron scattering is a uniquely powerful probe of nuclear and magnetic structures, lattice dynamics, and spin excitations in condensed matter systems because neutrons offer several important advantages:

Neutrons carry no electric charge: they penetrate deeply into materials without strong Coulomb interactions, making them well suited for probing bulk properties.

Neutrons have spin 1/2 and a magnetic dipole moment: they are ideal probes of microscopic magnetic structures and magnetic fluctuations.

The wavelength of thermal neutrons is comparable to interatomic distances: this makes neutron scattering highly sensitive to crystal structures.

The energy of thermal neutrons matches the energy scale of many elementary excitations: inelastic neutron scattering can resolve lattice and spin dynamics with high sensitivity.

Our current research interests include:

High-temperature and unconventional superconductivity
We investigate superconducting states that go beyond conventional phonon-mediated pairing, with a focus on high-temperature superconductors such as iron-based superconductors, cuprates, and nickelates. A central goal is to understand how electronic correlations, magnetism, orbital degrees of freedom, lattice structure, and dimensionality work together to produce superconductivity. Using neutron scattering and complementary probes, we study crystal structures, magnetic correlations, spin excitations, and pressure- or doping-induced phase transitions across different material families. By comparing these systems on equal footing, we aim to identify the common ingredients that enable unconventional and high-temperature superconductivity.

Quantum magnetism
We explore quantum magnetic materials in which frustration, low dimensionality, spin-orbit coupling, or competing interactions produce unusual magnetic ground states and excitations. These systems can host rich phenomena such as strong quantum fluctuations, continuum-like magnetic excitations, field-induced phases, and proximity to quantum criticality. Neutron scattering allows us to determine magnetic structures directly and to map spin dynamics across momentum and energy space. Through these measurements, we seek to understand how microscopic exchange interactions give rise to emergent collective behavior in quantum magnets.

Complementary transport, thermodynamic, X-ray scattering, and high-pressure measurements
In addition to neutron scattering, we use a broad range of complementary experimental probes to characterize quantum materials. Electrical transport, magnetotransport, magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, and other thermodynamic measurements provide essential information about phase transitions and electronic ground states. X-ray scattering measurements help resolve crystal structures, lattice distortions, and charge orders, while high-pressure techniques allow us to tune materials across competing phases and reveal hidden electronic or magnetic states.

Growth of large, high-quality single crystals
We grow high-quality single crystals of strongly correlated materials using traveling-solvent floating-zone (TSFZ), flux, and Bridgman methods.