Itai Epstein

Dr. Itai Epstein is a Senior Researcher at the School of Electrical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, leading the Light-2D Matter Interaction group. His work focuses on experimental studies of light-matter interactions in atomically thin materials, including graphene, transition-metal-dichalcogenides, and van der Waals heterostructures. He employs electro-optical spectroscopy techniques to investigate plasmonics, exciton polaritons, and phonon polaritons for applications in nanophotonics and atomic-scale optoelectronic devices.

• University: Tel Aviv University
• School: School of Electrical Engineering
• Academic Rank: Researcher

The group explores the optical properties of 2D materials using advanced experimental techniques. Their research spans from UV to THz frequencies, with a focus on polaritons and their role in subwavelength optics. They develop novel methods to manipulate electromagnetic waves at nanoscale, enabling quantum material engineering and next-generation photonic devices.

Selected scientific trends from recent publications include:

• Quantum control of plasmon-exciton interactions in 2D systems
• Engineering hyperbolic materials using monolayer superlattices
• Advancing mid-infrared phononic resonators
• Valley-polarization phenomena in few-layer semiconductors
• Nonlinear frequency conversion for extended plasmon propagation
• Electrostatic tuning of collective excitations in graphene

The team includes PhD students Yonatan Gershuni, Michael Klein, and Anabel Atash, alongside multiple MSc students and postdoctoral researchers. Their work involves collaboration with researchers like Dr. Zehavit Bar On and Dr. Saroj Poudyal, supported by laboratory infrastructure for low-temperature and electro-optical measurements.