Quantum Transport, Mesoscopic Physics, Spintronics, Topological Materials, Quantum Thermodynamics , Quantum Information and Computation

• A schematic resmallresentation of our proposed spintronics device. Spin accumulates at the boundaries of a topological insulator (green) due to applied current. The spins can be injected into a side pocket (blue). A gate potential can be tuned to manipulate the polarization of the extracted spins.
• A schematic resmallresentation of our group’s design; a quantum heat engine based on a quantum spin Hall insulator interacting with nuclear spins. The working principle of this device, which we dub the name Quantum Information Engine, is based on conversion of information entropy of the nuclear spin subsystem into usable electrical work. 
• Our smallroposed device to do topological quantum computation and the protocol to demonstrate braiding between four edge vortices. The timelines of the edge vortices are shown in the right panel.

The Theoretical Condensed Matter group at Sabanci University studies fundamental physics problems that arise in nano-scale systems and exotic new materials called topological insulators and superconductors.

Quantum Thermodynamics and Quantum Transport is a research area that aims to understand the relation between internal degrees of freedom such as spin and/or valley, as well as heat flow and entropy in quantum systems. It is expected that such research will lead to new nanoelectronics devices, heat engines that operate in the quantum domain which might provide new functionalities or simply be more efficient.

In the field of Quantum Information and Computation, our group focuses on exploiting fundamental phenomena to develop devices that can process quantum information with high fidelity. 

One of the main research interests of our group is the physics of topological materials. We are interested in the quantum dynamics of charge carriers, be it electrons, holes or Cooper pairs, exploring new transport phenomena that are unique to these systems. We are also interested in exploiting these new phenomena for designing new devices for nanoelectronics and spintronics applications, paving the way to future electronics.

Another main interest in our group is quantum thermodynamics. We propose and investigate devices that operate as quantum heat engines in the microscopic world. Such an engine, which we call a Quantum Information Engine, among other things, can use stored resources (memory) to convert heat into electrical work, mimicking a Maxwell’s demon that is implemented as a nanodevice. We show that such a device will outperform conventional means of energy storage (two US patents granted).

A final interest of our group is to find new ways to do quantum computation, by studying exotic excitations called the edge vortices. Such objects can be induced at the edge of a topological superconductor and feature nonabelian statistics, which can be used for topological quantum computation.

• Fig. 1: A snapshot of a carrier wave packet coherently propagating under a spatially continuous, dynamic disorder field formed by acoustic lattice deformations. A charge carrier quasielastically scatters in this disordered and dynamic landscape.
• Fig. 2: A thermoshape junction of made out of core–shell nanostructures having different shapes in each pillar. Transport properties modify differently in each pillar due to quantum shape effect, and a thermoshape voltage is induced because of temperature and shape differences.

Quantum Energy Research Group at Sabanci University focuses on theoretical and computational studies in condensed matter physics, statistical physics, quantum thermodynamics/transport, and nano energy science & technology. The theory of quantum materials and designing/modeling novel quantum energy devices are among our primary research interests.

Quantum materials encompass materials whose properties defy classical descriptions. Intriguing quantum phenomena, such as energy quantization, quantum coherence, correlations, and entanglement are at play. Some notable examples of quantum materials include quantum-confined nanostructures, strange metals, twisted-bilayer graphene, and topological materials. Our focus lies in developing theoretical frameworks that offer precise descriptions and predictions of the physical properties inherent to these systems.

Our research in quantum thermodynamics & transport is the realm where quantum mechanics intersects with the principles of thermodynamics and the mechanisms of particle or energy transport. At the quantum scale, both the thermodynamic and transport properties undergo modifications due to quantum effects. Our research endeavors encompass developing novel quantum-thermodynamic cycles and heat machines, designing cutting-edge quantum devices, and probing into quantum chaos and non-thermalizing systems.

In the theme of nanoscale energy applications, we're pioneering approaches that offer fresh perspectives beyond traditional paradigms. We have introduced single-material unipolar thermoelectricity, where by merely tweaking geometric properties, we can harness thermoelectric voltage from identical materials under a temperature gradient. Our exploration of various quantum effects offers avenues for superior nanoscale thermoelectric devices.

Please see group website for more details: Website