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Imaging Emergent Quantum States at the Atomic Scale
March 17, 2026 @ 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Speaker: Ilija Zeljkovic, Boston College
Hosts: Prof. Arun Bansil & Prof. Kin Chung Fong
Abstract
Understanding how collective electronic states emerge in quantum materials is a central challenge in condensed matter physics. Scanning tunneling microscopy provides a powerful way to probe these systems by imaging electronic structure directly at the atomic scale. In this talk, I will discuss how atomic-scale imaging has enabled the discovery of unexpected electronic phenomena in quantum materials, focusing in particular on kagome metals. Our measurements reveal a cascade of symmetry-broken states, including novel charge density waves and nematic order alongside superconductivity, illustrating how local probes can reveal broken symmetries often hidden to conventional bulk techniques. I will also outline future directions in which scanning probe microscopy is combined with quantum sensing and machine-learning-assisted analysis to accelerate the discovery and control of emergent quantum phenomena. These approaches open new opportunities for interdisciplinary research linking quantum materials, nanoscale devices, and data-driven experimentation.
About the Speaker
Ilija Zeljkovic is a Professor of Physics at Boston College. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard University in 2013, where he built a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope to study the interplay of structural, chemical, and electronic properties of high-temperature superconductors. His research focuses on the synthesis and atomic-scale characterization of quantum materials using molecular beam epitaxy and advanced scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, with the goal of uncovering and controlling novel electronic phases. Zeljkovic is the recipient of the DARPA Young Faculty Award (2017), NSF CAREER Award (2017), ARO Young Investigator Award (2017), DOE Early Career Award (2019), the Marko Jaric Award (2023), and is a Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigator (2024).
Venue: Elliott Hall – Room 130C, 147 S. Bedford St, Burlington, MA
Remote: MS Teams Link