Nancy Sandler
Education
PhD UIUC - 1998
MSc UIUC - 1994
Licenciada en Ciencias Fisicas, UBA, Argentina - 1991
Research Interests
My research is focused on theoretical condensed matter and, in particular, the properties of low-dimensional systems. In addition to electronic and magnetic properties, recently, I began investigating the effects of vortex light irradiation on exotic materials. I am also interested on the properties of spin qubits in semiconductors connected to microwave cavities.
Effect of combined mechanical deformations and magnetism on electronic properties of two-dimensional systems: Because strain and magnetism can represent different roles played by gauge fields on matter, the study of strained, non-interacting, and interacting systems can shed light on new regimes for gauge field-matter interactions.
Time-dependent phenomena: characterization of driven and quenched dynamics in interacting and non-interacting electronic systems: With the development of twisted-light sources鈥攍ight with orbital angular momentum鈥攊t is possible to study a particular type of light-matter interaction. The long-term goal is to understand better dynamical phenomena where traditional equilibrium concepts cease to apply.
Spin Qubits in microwave cavities: Scaling of spin qubits represents one of the most critical challenges in developing quantum computer architectures. Spins in Silicon, the most accessible material for integration with current platforms, are good candidates to solve the 'scaling problem.' Their control and manipulation are achieved via photonic cavities, which require strategies to strengthen the electron-photon coupling. The main objective of these studies is to investigate the optimal conditions for qubit stability and operations.
Research Projects
Electronic Properties of Strained Graphene
Due to its intrinsic thinness, graphene is easily deformed. Deviations from a flat geometry introduce changes in bond lengths and angles, which affect the material's electronic properties. We have shown that individual out-of-plane deformations introduce a charge redistribution between the two sublattices that can be detected with local probes. The breaking of the sublattice symmetry is also reflected in the separation of valley currents in real space. Our recent work shows that periodic deformations can render isolated quasi-flat bands with a non-trivial valley Chern number. We proposed that these phenomena can be realized in samples deposited on engineered substrates.
Phenomena Induced by Twisted Light Irradiation
The two traditional parameters of light beams that induce electronic and magnetic phenomena in materials are the light intensity and the beam's polarization. However, light beams can also carry orbital angular momentum鈥攁ka vortex light鈥攖hus opening the door to exploring new non-equilibrium states. Recently, in collaboration with Prof. Mahmoud Asmar's group at Kennesaw State University, we showed that irradiation of vortex light on massive Dirac materials produces vortices in the electronic charge distribution that trap Caroli-de Gennes states.
Spin Qubits in Coupled Cavities
The scaling of spin qubits in semiconductors is an outstanding challenge for developing quantum computers. Double quantum dots in Si have been used to host qubits inside a microwave cavity, using photons to induce qubit-qubit interactions. We are exploring structures of several coupled cavities containing a limited number of qubits for optimal control.
Collaborations
Currently, I am collaborating with:
at Kennesaw State University, USA
at the Instituto de Nanociencia y Tecnologia, CONICET and Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Argentina
at the University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene, Algeria.
at Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Funding
We are grateful for the support received over the years from these institutions: National Science Foundation, Nanoscale & Quantum Phenomena Institute, , and the .
Research and Educational Outreach
Tutorial: Deformed Graphene
The tutorial was recorded to provide introductory material for my presentation at the 鈥淐arbonlinehagen conference鈥 held online during COVID-19 (2021). It provides an accessible overview of the theoretical description of strained graphene.
Science Cafe: 'Physics of New Materials: From Lasagna to Pancakes and Back"
This presentation, part of the Science Cafe series at 天堂鸟先生, introduces graphene with its very extraordinary properties and other two-dimensional materials in a non-technical language.
The Lotus
With support from the American Physical Society, we produced a stop-motion animation video in collaboration with Prof. Kate Raney from the School of Media Arts and Studies and her undergraduate students at OHIO. We used the lotus leaves to explain how the microscopic structure makes them repel water at the macroscopic scale. The script was based on a story produced by undergraduate students in the Creative Writing program at OHIO.
WOUB: Solar Energy
The Ohio Department of Education supported the creation of a series of videos for K-2 recorded by WOUB Public Media, promoting STEM literacy and environmental awareness. I participated on this one and it was a great experience.
Publications
2025
Massaro, Lauren I., Connor Meese, Nancy P. Sandler, and Mahmoud M. Asmar. 2025. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
2024
Belayadi, A., P. Vasilopoulos, and N. Sandler. 2024. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
2023
Mahmud, Md Tareq, Dawei Zhai, and Nancy P. Sandler. 2023. 鈥溾. Nano Letters.
de Mendon莽a, Bruna S., Antonio L. R. Manesco, Nancy P. Sandler, and Luis G. G. V. Dias da Silva. 2023. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
2020
Mahmud, Md. Tareq, and Nancy P. Sandler. 2020. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
Faria, D., C. Le贸n, L. R. F. Lima, A. Latg茅, and N. Sandler. 2020. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
2019
Zhai, D., K. Ingersent, S. E. Ulloa, and N. Sandler. 2019. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
Zhai, D., and N. Sandler. 2019. 鈥溾. Modern Physics Letters B.
2018
Wu, Y., D. Zhai, C. Pan, B. Cheng, T. Taniguchi, K. Watanabe, N. Sandler, and M. Bockrath. 2018. 鈥溾. Nano Letters.
Zhai, D., and N. Sandler. 2018. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
Rode, J. C., D. Zhai, C. Belke, S. J. Hong, H. Schmidt, N. Sandler, and R. J. Haug. 2018. 鈥溾. 2D Materials.
2017
Georgi, A., P. Nemes-Incze, R. Carrillo-Bastos, D. Faria, Viola Kusminskiy, D. Zhai, M. Schneider, et al. 2017. 鈥溾. Nano Letters.
2016
Wong, A., S. E. Ulloa, N. Sandler, and K. Ingersent. 2016. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
Mastrogiuseppe, D., N. Sandler, and S. E. Ulloa. 2016. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
Carrillo-Bastos, R., C. Le贸n, D. Faria, A. Latg茅, E . Y. Andrei, and N. Sandler. 2016. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
2015
Faria, D., R. Carrillo-Bastos, N. Sandler, and A. Latg茅. 2015. 鈥溾. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter.
Schneider, M., D. Faria, Viola Kusminskyi, and N. Sandler. 2015. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B (R).
Guassi, M. R., G. S. Diniz, N. Sandler, and F. Qu. 2015. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.
2014
Mastrogiuseppe, D., A. Wong, K. Ingersent, S. E. Ulloa, and N. Sandler. 2014. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B (R).
Mastrogiuseppe, D., N. Sandler, and S. E. Ulloa. 2014. 鈥溾. Phys. Rev. B.