The Chemistry of Quantum Materials

Abstract: Quantum materials are hoped to change technology in various aspects. However, most of the desired applications are hindered by the lack of suitable materials. In my group we are using concepts from chemistry to understand, predict and synthesize new quantum materials. In this talk, I will show how simple concepts, such as measuring bond distances, allow us to make predictions about electronic structures of materials, which we can then use to find new quantum materials. I will also show how we can use chemical exfoliation, a synthesis method that is much more used in energy science to create 2D nanosheets, to synthesize novel 2D quantum materials. Examples are 2D magnets and superconductors, for which our synthesis method allows for large-scale productions of inks to print electronics.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Leslie M. Schoop received her Diploma in Chemistry from Johannes Gutenberg University (2010) and PhD in Chemistry from Princeton University (2015). She then went on to work as a Minerva fast-track fellow under Professor Bettina Lotsch at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research (2015-2017). Dr. Schoop joined the Princeton University Department of Chemistry Faculty in 2017 and was tenured in 2022. In 2019 she won the Beckman Young Investigator award and became a Moore foundation EPiQS Materials Synthesis Investigator. In 2020 she was awareded the Packard fellowship for science and engineering and in 2021 the Sloan fellowship in Chemistry and the DOD Office of Naval Research Young Investigator award. In 2022 you was awarded the NSF CAREER award. The Schoop Lab is working at the interface of chemistry and physics, using chemical principles to find new materials with exotic physical properties.