Kin Fai Mak
Josephson Family Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences
Overview
Spectroscopy; two-dimensional quantum materials and their heterostructures; Berry curvature effects in solids; two-dimensional superconductivity and exciton condensation; magnetism; strong correlation physics.
Research Focus
Our research group explores new physical phenomena in atomically thin materials and their heterostructures. We study a wide range of materials with very different properties, which include semiconductors, superconductors and magnets etc. We stack them together to form heteostructures, and make electronics and opto-mechanical devices based on this material platform. To explore new phenomena, we also develop new measurement and imaging techniques suitable for specific problems on hand. Our ultimate goal is to push the limit on what can be seen and done in this two-dimensional world.
Postdocs
Jie Gu, Kihong Lee, Wenjin Zhao, Liguo Ma, Kelly Luo, Yihang Zeng, Chirag Vaswani
Graduate Students
Raymond Zhu, Kaifei Kang, Lizhong Li, Zui Tao, Phuong Nguyen, Bowen Shen
Publications
Strongly correlated excitonic insulator in atomic double layers, L. Ma, P.X. Nguyen, Z. Wang, Y. Zeng, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, A.H. MacDonald, K.F. Mak, & J. Shan, arXiv:2104.05066.
Continuous Mott transition in semiconductor moiré superlattices, T. Lis, S. Jiang, L. Li, Y. Zhang, K. Kang, J. Zhu, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, D. Chowdhury, L. Fu, J. Shan, & K.F. Mak, arXiv:2103.09779.
Stripe phases in WSe2/WS2 moiré superlattices, C. Jin, Z. Tao, T. Li, Y. Xu, Y. Tang, J. Zhu, S. Liu, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, J. C. Hone, L. Fu, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, Nature Materials (2021).
Correlated insulating states at fractional fillings of WSe2/WS2 moiré superlattices, Y. Xu, S. Liu, D. A. Rhodes, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, J. C. Hone, V. Elser, K. F. Mak, & J. Shan, Nature 587, 214-218 (2020).
Exchange magnetostriction in two-dimensional antiferromagnets, S. Jiang, H. Xie, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, Nature Materials 19, 1295-1299 (2020).
Imaging and control of critical fluctuations in two-dimensional magnets, C. Jin, Z. Tao, K. Kang, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, K. F. Mak, & J. Shan, Nature Materials 19, 1290-1294 (2020).
Simulation of Hubbard model physics in WSe2/WS2 moiré superlattices, Y. Tang, L. Li, T. Li, Y. Xu, S. Liu, K. Barmak, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, A. H. MacDonald, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, Nature 579, 353-358 (2020).
Evidence of high-temperature exciton condensation in 2D atomic double layers, Z. Wang, D. A. Rhodes, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, J. C. Hone, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, Nature 574, 76-80 (2019).
Nonlinear anomalous Hall effect in few-layer WTe2. K. Kang, T. Li, E. Sohn, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, Nature Materials 18, 324-328 (2019).
An unusual continuous paramagnetic-limited superconducting phase transition in 2D NbSe2. E. Sohn, X. Xi, W. He, S. Jiang, Z. Wang, K. Kang, J.-H. Park, H. Berger, L. Forró, K. T. Law, J. Shan, & K. F. Mak, Nature Materials 17, 504-508 (2018).
In the news
- Semiconductor lattice marries electrons and magnetic moments
- A&S welcomes 10 new Klarman Fellows to expanded program
- Physicist identifies how electron crystals melt
- $1.25M grant to advance control of 2D materials
- Semiconductor demonstrates elusive quantum physics model
- Three professors elected as APS fellows
- Researchers receive $5.4M to advance quantum science
- Researchers trap electrons to create elusive crystal
- Researchers control elusive spin fluctuations in 2D magnets
- Researchers raise the temperature for exciton condensation
- Three A&S faculty win White House early career awards