Abhishek Banerjee
Experimental Quantum Physicist
I build qubit-style devices using novel quantum materials like twisted graphene, 2D semiconductors, and superconductor-semiconductor hybrids. These materials have unique quantum wavefunctions that help address fundamental questions in many-body quantum mechanics, high-temperature superconductivity, and fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Postdoc Kim Lab, 312 LISE, Department of Physics, Harvard University
Techniques
I combine state-of-the-art techniques from the worlds of Quantum Information and Quantum Materials.
Quantum Materials: Superconductor-Semiconductor hybrid, Two-dimensional Materials, Twisted 2D Matter
Quantum Information: Microwave Reflectometry, Time-domain microwave techniques, Mesoscopic Devices (Quantum point contact, Quantum dots, and Josephson Junctions)
Research Interests
Motivation: Quantum correlations are greatly enhanced in 2D materials, particularly when twisted at "magic" angles, leading to exotic quantum mechanical states of electrons that were previously impossible to stabilize. A deep understanding of these states has fundamental implications for the correlated electron problem, high-Tc superconductivity, and many-body quantum mechanics, including table-top tests of theories that attempt to unite gravity and quantum mechanics.
I am developing techniques inspired by quantum computing to probe and harness these quantum states that are otherwise inaccessible by conventional methods. These techniques include microwave resonator devices, microwave reflectometry-based readout, time-domain pulsing, and coupling to superconducting resonators.
Current Projects (Harvard University, 2022 - present):
1. Measuring the Superfluid Stiffness in Twisted graphene superconductors (Nature 638, 93-98(2025) )
2. Quantum Geometry measurements of graphene Landau Levels (in prep)
3. Contactless measurements of electronic solids in bilayer MoSe2 (in prep)
4. Kinetic inductance measurements in WTe2 superconductors (in collaboration with Yacoby group).
Motivation: Superconductor-semiconductor hybrids fuse the best of two worlds: the macroscopic quantum coherence of superconductors with the electric controllability of semiconductors.
Hybrid quantum devices built from these materials are poised for breakthrough innovations in quantum science and technology, including topological and protected qubits, Andreev bound states, long-distance light-matter coupling, and artificial superconducting matter.
Past Projects (Microsoft Quantum/Niels Bohr Institute, 2019-2021):
1. Planar Josephson junction based topological qubit
2. Measuring the topological gap
3. Spatial control of Andreev bound states
4. The Josephson diode effect
Current Projects:
1. Programmable Josephson Junction arrays (in prep with Daniel Sanchez, Charlie Marcus)
Motivation: Two major ideas in quantum physics, a) topology and b) many-body quantum mechanics, have begun to manifest in modern quantum materials. The combination of topology and many-body quantum mechanics of electrons, allows some special materials to host electronic states that are naturally "protected" from noise and decoherence, and are lucrative alternatives to conventional qubit materials like Aluminum and Silicon.
I am developing tools, both conceptual and experimental, that help identify, develop and harness these protected quantum materials for realizing next-generation quantum information devices. Examples of protected quantum materials include topological insulators and superconductors, rhombohedral graphene, and twisted BSCCO.
Past Projects (Indian Institute of Science, 2013-2018):
1. Fu-Kane topological superconductivity in topological insulator-superconductor hybrids
2. Discovery of granular and weak topological insulators
3. Topological Insulator Field Effect Transistor
Current Projects (Harvard University, 2022-present):
1. Kinetic inductance measurements in twisted BSCCO (ongoing experiments with Philip Kim)
2. Intrinsic topological superconductivity in graphene-based superconductors (continuation of superfluid stiffness experiments in twisted graphene).
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