Heonjoon (Joon) Park
Postdoctoral Scholar, Physics
Honors & Awards
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Stanford Science Fellow, Stanford University (2025)
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Hans G. Dehmelt Prize, University of Washington (2023)
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Clean Energy Institute Graduate Fellowship, Clean Energy Institute (2022)
Professional Education
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Doctor of Philosophy, University of Washington (2025)
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Master of Science, University of Washington (2021)
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Ph.D., University of Washington, Physics (2025)
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B.S., Seoul National University, Physics (2020)
All Publications
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Observation of dissipationless fractional Chern insulator
NATURE PHYSICS
2026
View details for DOI 10.1038/s41567-025-03167-2
View details for Web of Science ID 001674739100001
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Local probe of bulk and edge states in a fractional Chern insulator.
Nature
2024; 635 (8039): 578-583
Abstract
The fractional quantum Hall effect is a key example of topological quantum many-body phenomena, arising from the interplay between strong electron correlation, topological order and time-reversal symmetry breaking. Recently, a lattice analogue of the fractional quantum Hall effect at zero magnetic field has been observed, confirming the existence of a zero-field fractional Chern insulator (FCI). Despite this, the bulk-edge correspondence-a hallmark of a FCI featuring an insulating bulk with conductive edges-has not been directly observed. In fact, this correspondence has not been visualized in any system for fractional states owing to experimental challenges. Here we report the imaging of FCI edge states in twisted MoTe2 (t-MoTe2) using microwave impedance microscopy1. By tuning the carrier density, we observe the system evolving between metallic and FCI states, the latter of which exhibits insulating bulk and conductive edges, as expected from the bulk-boundary correspondence. Further analysis suggests the composite nature of the FCI edge states. We also observe the evolution of edge states across the topological phase transition as a function of interlayer electric field and reveal exciting prospects of neighbouring domains with different fractional orders. These findings pave the way for research into topologically protected one-dimensional interfaces between various anyonic states at zero magnetic field, such as gapped one-dimensional symmetry-protected phases with non-zero topological entanglement entropy, Halperin-Laughlin interfaces and the creation of non-abelian anyons.
View details for DOI 10.1038/s41586-024-08092-7
View details for PubMedID 39567787
View details for PubMedCentralID 11464376
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Observation of fractionally quantized anomalous Hall effect.
Nature
2023; 622 (7981): 74-79
Abstract
The integer quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect is a lattice analogue of the quantum Hall effect at zero magnetic field1-3. This phenomenon occurs in systems with topologically non-trivial bands and spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking. Discovery of its fractional counterpart in the presence of strong electron correlations, that is, the fractional QAH effect4-7, would open a new chapter in condensed matter physics. Here we report the direct observation of both integer and fractional QAH effects in electrical measurements on twisted bilayer MoTe2. At zero magnetic field, near filling factor ν = -1 (one hole per moiré unit cell), we see an integer QAH plateau in the Hall resistance Rxy quantized to h/e2 ± 0.1%, whereas the longitudinal resistance Rxx vanishes. Remarkably, at ν = -2/3 and -3/5, we see plateau features in Rxy at [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively, whereas Rxx remains small. All features shift linearly versus applied magnetic field with slopes matching the corresponding Chern numbers -1, -2/3 and -3/5, precisely as expected for integer and fractional QAH states. Additionally, at zero magnetic field, Rxy is approximately 2h/e2 near half-filling (ν = -1/2) and varies linearly as ν is tuned. This behaviour resembles that of the composite Fermi liquid in the half-filled lowest Landau level of a two-dimensional electron gas at high magnetic field8-14. Direct observation of the fractional QAH and associated effects enables research in charge fractionalization and anyonic statistics at zero magnetic field.
View details for DOI 10.1038/s41586-023-06536-0
View details for PubMedID 37591304
View details for PubMedCentralID 10533412
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Universal Magnetic Phases in Twisted Bilayer MoTe<sub>2</sub>
NANO LETTERS
2025: 18044-18050
Abstract
Twisted bilayer MoTe2 (tMoTe2) has emerged as a robust platform for exploring correlated topological phases, yet the evolution of its magnetism and topology with twist angle remains an open question. Here, we systematically map the magnetic phase diagram of tMoTe2 by using local optical spectroscopy and scanning nanoSQUID-on-tip magnetometry. We identify spontaneous ferromagnetism at filling factors ν = -1 and -3 across twist angles from 2.1° to 3.7°, revealing a universal, twist-angle-insensitive ferromagnetic phase. At 2.1°, we further observe robust ferromagnetism at ν = -5, absent at larger twist angles. Temperature-dependent measurements reveal a contrasting twist-angle dependence of the Curie temperatures between ν = -1 and -3, indicating a distinct interplay between the exchange interactions and bandwidth for the two Chern bands. Despite broken time-reversal symmetry, no topological gap is detected at ν = -3. Our results establish a global framework for understanding and controlling magnetic order in tMoTe2.
View details for DOI 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c04751
View details for Web of Science ID 001644281800001
View details for PubMedID 41413379
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Microscopic signatures of topology in twisted MoTe<sub>2</sub>
NATURE PHYSICS
2025; 21 (8)
View details for DOI 10.1038/s41567-025-02877-x
View details for Web of Science ID 001479670100001
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Ferromagnetism and topology of the higher flat band in a fractional Chern insulator
NATURE PHYSICS
2025; 21 (4)
View details for DOI 10.1038/s41567-025-02804-0
View details for Web of Science ID 001450723300001
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Frozen non-equilibrium dynamics of exciton Mott insulators in moiré superlattices
NATURE MATERIALS
2025; 24 (4): 527-534
Abstract
Moiré superlattices, such as those formed from transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures, have emerged as an exciting platform for exploring quantum many-body physics. They have the potential to serve as solid-state analogues to ultracold gases for quantum simulations. A key open question is the coherence and dynamics of the quantum phases arising from photoexcited moiré excitons, particularly amid dissipation. Here we use transient photoluminescence and ultrafast reflectance microscopy to image non-equilibrium exciton phase transitions. Counterintuitively, experimental results and theoretical simulations indicate that strong long-range dipolar repulsion freezes the motion of the Mott insulator phase for over 70 ns. In mixed electron-exciton lattices, reduced dipolar interactions lead to diminished freezing dynamics. These findings challenge the prevailing notion that repulsion disperses particles, whereas attraction binds them. The observed phenomenon of frozen dynamics due to strong repulsive interactions is characteristic of highly coherent systems, a feature previously realized exclusively in ultracold gases.
View details for DOI 10.1038/s41563-025-02135-8
View details for Web of Science ID 001435526500001
View details for PubMedID 40033108
View details for PubMedCentralID 7531884
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3895-9589