Electron-phonon interaction is an old yet evergreen problem in condensed matter physics. It is closely related to many quantum states we are concerned with, such as superconductivity, charge density waves, and polarons. It also profoundly affects, or often accompanies, critical phenomena such as the formation of excitonic insulators and metal-insulator transitions. When the system is driven out of equilibrium, for example pumped by an ultrafast laser pulse, the potential energy surface and thus the coupling in the excited states can be greatly reshaped, and this may open up a new avenue of ultrafast coherent control of quantum phases and topological orders. However, theoretical approaches often fail to capture the coupled dynamics of the non-thermal excited carriers and the nonequilibrium lattice order.

王亚娴, 中国科学院物理研究所副研究员。王亚娴于 2019 年在美国俄亥俄州立大学获得博士学位, 后在哈佛大学从事博士后研究。2022 年加入中国科学院物理研究所, 主要通过使用和发展第一性原理计算方法, 研究量子材料在外场下的非常规输运与激发态动力学。近年来在Nat. Mater., Nat. Phys., PRL, Nat. Commun.等期刊发表论文 30 余篇, 多次受邀在美国物理年会等学术会议做邀请报告。主持国家自然科学基金委面上项目、中科院人才项目等。