September 9, 2024

n September 9-10, Quantum Design, in partnership with The Chicago Quantum Exchange and Lake Shore Cryotronics, hosted the first-ever "Magneto-Optics in Quantum Materials Conference" which served as the inaugural OptiCool user meeting at the University of Chicago. The two-day event featured cutting-edge advancements in magneto-optics, ultrafast phenomena in magnetic fields, and scanning probe nanoscopy in quantum materials.

This conference originated from an idea proposed by Prof. Mengkun Liu from the State University of New York at Stony Brook back in December 2023. A leader in low-temperature nanoscopy and a committed OptiCool user, Prof. Liu was instrumental in shaping the event. We are deeply thankful for his exceptional leadership. We also extend our gratitude to our distinguished scientific committee—Professors David Awschalom (University of Chicago), Dmitri Basov (Columbia University), and Richard Averitt (UCSD)—whose expertise and guidance were vital to the conference's success. Special recognition goes to Andrea Jett, David Shimomura, Dr. Kate Timmerman, Dr. Rick Hapanowicz, Jesse Gallop, and Michelle Lehman for their hard work in making this event possible.

One of the conference highlights was the research laboratory tours at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, including a visit to the OptiCool Research Laboratory — a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to advancing quantum materials research and education. This laboratory, part of a collaboration between the Quantum Design Discovery Teaching Laboratory and the Chicago Quantum Exchange, promises to make a significant impact on the future generation of quantum researchers. We are excited to see this partnership come to life and thank Prof. Awschalom for spearheading the transition of quantum information science from the lab to practical, real-world applications.

With over fifty scientific publications using data from the OptiCool measurement system, the conference provided ample opportunities for in-depth discussions. Attendees engaged with the presentations, networked with peers, and shared their latest unpublished results for the first time. More than just a knowledge-sharing platform, the event aimed to inspire fresh ideas, foster collaborations, and drive innovation in the field. To further fuel innovation, the Quantum Design Q-Works team, composed of Dr. Randy Black, Dinesh Martien, and Dr. William Neils, the brilliant minds behind the OptiCool system, was present at the conference and eager to gather feedback for future developments, including new customizations, measurement modes, and hardware configurations. As Prof. Peter Armitage from Johns Hopkins University remarked, “These kinds of focused meetings are my favorite. It was a very interesting two days, and I look forward to future versions of it.”

The first day of the conference concluded with a reception, offering a fantastic opportunity for networking and for Quantum Design's CEO Greg DeGeller and VP Stefano Spagna to present Prof. Mengkun Liu with a recognition prize for his pioneering research and inspiring leadership in the field of Magneto-Optics in Quantum Materials.

To view the complete list of presentation abstracts, click here.