We developed a new theoretical framework to understand how materials respond to light and electromotive forces. This framework, which combines principles of quantum mechanics and classical physics, was the first to show how the quantum metric—a fundamental property of quantum systems—plays a key role in these nonlinear effects. Our predictions were confirmed experimentally in collaboration with a Singapore-based group, leading to the first-ever observation of the quantum metric through nonlinear transport measurements. This work has sparked a growing interest in using nonlinear resistance to explore the quantum metric in condensed matter physics.
Additionally, we discovered the topological electronic properties of DNA-like quantum materials and uncovered the overlooked role of orbitals in chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS), a fascinating yet debated phenomenon. Our theoretical predictions were validated through experiments with chiral molecular devices in collaboration with a Florida-based group. These findings open new pathways to study magnetochiral interactions involving spin, charge, and chirality in complex chemical and biological systems, which are highly dynamic and nonlinear by nature.
Finally, our theoretical studies inspired a new method to detect orbital currents using a specially designed spin-orbit coupling layer. This innovation led to a patent application (US Patent App. 18/042,212) and has the potential to revolutionize the design of orbitronic devices, connecting fundamental discoveries to real-world applications.
