Ultrafast Optical Control of Quantum Materials

Advances in non-liner optics open new ways of investigating and controlling ultrafast dynamics in the solid state. Ultrashort light pulses manipulating the interplay of multiple degrees of freedom in quantum materials allow triggering competing orders or stabilise novel non-equilibrium states; e.g. most remarkable I will discuss light induced superconductivity. As new tool I will introduce Higgs-Spectroscopy to trace collective order parameter dynamics in condensates and its potential to expose their coupling to external modes.