Quantum Interference Effects in 2D Materials for Light-field-driven Petahertz Electronics

By controlling the relative phases of a bichromatic, coherent light source like a femtosecond pulsed laser, we can control currents in certain materials at frequencies approaching the petahertz frontier by utilizing quantum interference. This ability will advance optoelectronics and information processing if present in suitable materials. Researchers have observed this phenomenon in materials like Low-Temperature Gallium Arsenide, but what happens with two-dimensional materials like Molybdenum Disulfide is relatively unexplored. As transistors shrink according to Moore’s law, we approach a regime where the properties of two-dimensional materials are more important than ever. We designed optical, electronic, and software laboratory infrastructure to detect quantum interference in materials. We verified our experimental setup by reproducing this effect in Low-Temperature Gallium Arsenide. Quantum interference effects were not detected in the two-dimensional Molybdenum Disulfide sample.