Things that can happen when you "kick" a solid

What happens when you shine a very short but intense pulse of light at a solid (a sort of optical kick)? Usually, the answer is boring: the sample heats up momentarily. In some cases, however, remarkable effects are seen, such as phase transitions into otherwise inaccessible phases, or the temporary formation of superconductivity. In this talk, I will discuss some of these effects, as well as new dynamical phenomena that result from the suddenness of these phase transitions.

*** Refreshments will be served from 15:50 ***