Since the first international conference on photoinduced phase transitions (PIPT) in 2001, this fascinating and challenging field has flourished tremendously. During the past two decades, the international research community has discovered intriguing photoinduced cooperative phenomena in condensed matter and unveiled novel microscopic dynamics on extremely short time scales using a suite of novel tools, such as time-resolved optical/THz spectroscopy, ultrafast X-ray and electron diffraction and photoemission spectroscopy, while also witnessing strong new developments in theories, large scale simulations and material synthesis.
Additionally, current developments like the explosive growth of data generation and use (AI) and its related and unsustainable growth in energy consumption of information technology strongly motivate the need for new materials and approaches for quantum information technologies and new photonic and electronic applications.
The goal of PIPT8 is to bring together leading experimentalists and theorists working in the field of ultrafast phenomena in cooperative systems. Rapid advances in ultrafast laser technologies, now allows highly selective probing of magnetic, electronic and structural degrees of freedom. Such advances are providing unprecedented information for guiding materials design and discovery, in which one can exploit the advantages quantum materials provide for quantum information technologies and new photonic and electronic applications, such as ultrafast switching and memory devices. Therefore, in addition to the standard PIPT topics, PIPT8 will also focus on several emerging areas, including: (i) New strategies for selectively perturbing interaction parameters to collectively transform matter into desired quantum phases; (ii) Discoveries of new thermodynamically inaccessible states of matter; and (iii) Uncovering emergent and universal behavior in quantum systems far from equilibrium.
PIPT8 will bring together a large international community of experts in the field, with participants from the EU, USA and Asia, crossing bridges between materials scientists, photonic experts and quantum chemists and physicists. PIPT8 will also give ample room for the future generation by having a program that both will include tutorial like contributions from senior scientists and latest developments and new directions from young emerging scientists, while simultaneously providing a podium for ample interaction and discussion.
In this way, PIPT8 will strengthen materials research and will also form an inspiring platform for the new generation of (PhD) students and postdocs who will continue their career in the high-tech sectors.