Probing quantum geometry with two-dimensional nonlinear optical spectroscopy

Abstract: Recent studies have shown that the nonlinear optical response of crystalline systems is fundamentally a quantum geometric property. In this work, we propose two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy (2DCS), which measures the nonlinear conductivity as a function of two independent frequencies using two time-delayed light pulses, as a probe of quantum geometry. We show how the two-frequency second-order nonlinear conductivity, which is naturally measured by 2DCS, decomposes into distinct quantum geometric contributions. We identify a term arising from the multi-band quantum connection that does not appear in linear response, and show that it can be measured in isolation by considering specific polarizations and enforcing time-reversal symmetry. We explore this finding via model calculations for transition metal dichalcogenides and Sr$_2$RuO$_4$. Through these examples, we demonstrate how 2DCS enables study of the quantum connection, providing a way to compare the quantum geometry of different materials. We also show that one can gain rough momentum-resolved knowledge of the quantum geometry by varying the chemical potential.