Speaker: Zhe Fei (Iowa State University)

Title: Shining light at the 2D flatlands

Abstract: Nano-optics is a frontier of research that studies light-matter interactions in the nanometer length scale. In this talk, I will discuss our latest progress in the nano-optical studies of a variety of 2D layered materials and heterostructures. Due to the reduced dimensionality and interlayer interactions, this class of materials has shown many unique optoelectronic properties and functionalities. Our research was performed mainly using scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy – a powerful technique enabling nano-optical imaging and spectroscopy in a wide spectral range from terahertz to visible. With this powerful tool, we discovered anisotropic exciton-polaritons in layered tin sulfide, coherent charge transfer at the graphene/pentacene interface, and nonequilibrium hot-electron-phonon interactions in few-layer graphene. Novel physics and potential applications associated with these discoveries will be discussed.

Short Bio: Zhe Fei is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Iowa State University. He received his Ph.D. in Physics (2014) at the University of California, San Diego, B.S. in Physics (2006), and M.S. in Physics (2009) at Nanjing University. Before joining ISU, he served as an Assistant Scientist at the Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory. His research is focused on exploring the nano-optical physics and properties of low-dimensional materials with advanced optical imaging and spectroscopy techniques.