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Oka Group

member
Professor OKA, Takashi
Research Associate NUMASAWA, Tokiro
Project Research Associate CHAUDHARY, Swati

Research Subjects

  • Floquet engineering of quantum materials
  • Nonequilibrium states in quantum many-body systems
  • Application of field theory to biology and information physics

Our primary research focus around studying quantum materials driven far from equilibrium by external fields. Our objective is to discover new fundamental laws of physics that govern these exotic states and explore methods to control their collective dynamics. To achieve this, we employ innovative theoretical frameworks like Floquet engineering, which allows us to comprehend nonequilibrium physics at a similar depth as equilibrium systems. Additionally, we draw valuable insights from other research fields such as turbulence, neural networks, and nonlinear semiconductor optics, and apply them to investigate new exotic quantum materials. Our target materials encompass a wide range, including topological systems and strongly correlated systems. We will also investigate novel nonlinear response phenomena, such as the heterodyne Hall effect, wherein the quantum Hall effect is induced by oscillating magnetic fields. Furthermore, we have a keen interest in exploring problems beyond traditional condensed matter physics, such as chemical reaction networks in biological systems and information theory.

fig1
Floquet engineering in quantum materials. T. Oka, S. Kitamura, Annu. Rev. Condens. Matter Phys. 10, 387-408 (2019).
fig2
Application of Floquet engineering to optogenetics and control of cell signalling.

Publications and Research Highlights