Prof Amir Yacoby

Professor Yacoby develops new ways to probe quantum matter, creating experimental tools that reveal how electrons behave and interact within materials. His research connects fundamental questions in quantum physics with opportunities in quantum sensing and quantum information science. At the heart of his research is the idea that new ways of measuring can open new ways of understanding. His group develops sensitive local probes to examine quantum behavior at very small scales, revealing properties that can be hidden in measurements of a material as a whole. This work brings together the discovery of quantum phenomena and the development of techniques to detect, understand, and ultimately control them.

Professor Yacoby joins the Cavendish from Harvard University, where he is Professor of Physics and Applied Physics. His path into physics began with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, followed by a master’s degree in theoretical physics and a PhD in experimental condensed matter physics from the Weizmann Institute of Science in 1994.