Liam T. Schmidt

DeLTA Lab Quantum Matter and Sensing Institute

I am a third-year PhD candidate at Northeastern University's Quantum Matter and Sensing Institute, working in the DeLTA Lab under Prof. Alberto de la Torre. My research focuses on quantum materials — particularly altermagnetism — using advanced X-ray spectroscopies (RIXS, XMCD, EXAFS) at international synchrotron and free-electron laser facilities.

Education
PhD in Condensed Matter Physics
Northeastern University
2023 — Present
BS in Mathematical Physics & Mathematics, Summa Cum Laude
Binghamton University (SUNY)
2019 — 2023
Interests
  • Altermagnetism
  • Quantum Materials
  • X-ray Spectroscopy
  • Synchrotron Science
  • Van der Waals & Frustrated Magnets
  • Superconductivity
  • Ultrafast Dynamics
Liam T. Schmidt
Research Areas
Research
Probing and engineering quantum materials with synchrotron light and ultrafast spectroscopies.
Altermagnetism

Altermagnetism

Probing the magnetic and electronic structure of altermagnets using RIXS, XMCD, and EXAFS at synchrotron facilities worldwide. With their potential to transform spintronics, I am looking for ways to control altermagnetism and its excitations.

Altermagnetism RIXS XMCD Spintronics
Strain Engineering

Strain Engineering

Strain is a well-known tuning knob, with epitaxial strain having profound effects on material properties. I am interested in engineering strain gradients and complex strain structures for disorder-free control of material properties — which entails careful structural characterization.

Strain Engineering Thin Films EXAFS
Superconductivity

Superconductivity

Studying unconventional superconductors through RIXS and Higgs spectroscopy, using THz FEL sources to directly couple to superconducting amplitude modes. Also investigating nickelate metal-insulator transitions and collective mode dynamics.

Superconductivity Higgs Spectroscopy THz FEL Nickelates
Van der Waals Magnets

Frustrated & 2D Magnets

X-ray spectroscopy of layered magnetic materials including CuCrP₂S₆ and AgCrP₂S₆, as well as THz pump–THz probe, THz-TDS, and THz pump–optical probe studies of geometrically frustrated K₂IrCl₆ in magnetic fields to investigate geometric frustration and optical control of magnetic orders.

2D Magnets Frustrated Magnets THz Spectroscopy XMCD
Global Reach
Synchrotron & Facility Experience
Facilities I've worked at.
Output
Publications
Peer-reviewed & Conference Proceedings
MnTe AHE

Conductivity scaling of the anomalous Hall effect in the altermagnetic semiconductor α-MnTe

Sara Bey, Shelby S. Fields, Nicholas G. Combs, … Liam Schmidt, … Badih A. Assaf

arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.00242 · Feb 2026
PDF arXiv
Altermagnetism MnTe AHE
tr-RIXS Kitaev

Ultrafast renormalization of the magnetic continuum in the proximal Kitaev quantum spin liquid H₃LiIr₂O₆ by tr-RIXS

Jungho Kim, Tae-Kyu Choi, Edward Mercer, Liam T. Schmidt, … Alberto De La Torre

Optical Materials Express, 15(7), 1395–1406 · Jun 2025
HTML
RIXS Kitaev Quantum Spin Liquid Ultrafast
ASEE Dice

Design of a Physical Electronic Dice System for Pseudorandom Number Generation

Dillon O'Malley, Amani Murray-Lompo, Dorothy Milam, Liam Schmidt, Don Heiman, Haridas Kumarakuru

Proc. ASEE Annual Conference, North Carolina · Jun 2026
Teaching Electronics ASEE
ASEE Lights Out

Building an Arduino-Based 'Lights Out' Logic Puzzle: Integrating Digital Logic and Arcade-Inspired Interaction

Isabella Hsia, Ryan Eggleston, Liam Schmidt, Don Heiman, Haridas Kumarakuru

Proc. ASEE Annual Conference, North Carolina · Jun 2026
Teaching Electronics ASEE
ASEE Lock

A Modular Electronic Locking System Utilizing Hexadecimal Input and Logic-Based Verification

Victor Li, Ryan Slezak, Liam Schmidt, Don Heiman, Haridas Kumarakuru

Proc. ASEE Annual Conference, North Carolina · Jun 2026
Teaching Electronics ASEE
Dissemination
Talks & Presentations
Invited talks, contributed presentations, and posters at international conferences.
MnTe APS

Strain-tunable altermagnetic α-MnTe thin films

Liam Schmidt, Sara Bey, Alberto de la Torre Durran, Badih Assaf

APS March Meeting 2025 · Anaheim, CA
AltermagnetismMnTeRIXS
NU Magnetics Talk

RIXS Studies of Cr-Based Magnets

Liam T. Schmidt

NU Cross-College Magnetics Center Workshop · Invited Talk · Oct 2025
RIXSChromium Magnets
AlFe2B2 APS

Spectroscopic Investigation of Earth Abundant Magnetocaloric AlFe₂B₂ Single Crystals

David Andersen, Edward Mercer, Liam Schmidt, … Alberto de la Torre Durran

APS March Meeting 2025 · Anaheim, CA
MagnetocaloricXMCDARPES
Nickelate APS

Spectroscopy-guided simulations of the metal-insulator transition in RENiO₃

Edward Mercer, Carlos Galdino, Liam Schmidt, … Alberto de la Torre Durran

APS March Meeting 2025 · Anaheim, CA
NickelatesRIXS
NU Magnetics Poster

Chiral Excitations and Dark Excitons in Altermagnetic α-MnTe

Liam T. Schmidt, Edward Mercer, Rikkie Joris, … Alberto de la Torre

NU Cross-College Magnetics Center Workshop · Poster · May 2025
AltermagnetismMnTeRIXS
MnTe SMT

Resonant x-ray studies of altermagnetic α-MnTe thin films

Liam T. Schmidt, Edward Mercer, Rikkie Joris, … Alberto de la Torre

SMT 2025 · Mar 2025
AltermagnetismMnTeRIXS

Ultrafast engineering of the magnetic Hamiltonian in frustrated magnets

Alberto de la Torre, Edward Mercer, Liam Schmidt, … Jan-Christoph Deinert

SMT 2025 · Mar 2025
UltrafastFrustrated MagnetsTHz

X-ray spectroscopy study of the quantum spin liquid candidate, TbInO₃

Edward Mercer, Johanna Nordlander, … Liam T. Schmidt, … Alberto de la Torre

SMT 2025 · Mar 2025
Quantum Spin LiquidRIXSXMCD

Probing Magnetic Anisotropy in 2D Magnets with X-ray Spectroscopy

Liam T. Schmidt

IEEE ATC-ATG 2024 · Oct 2024
2D MagnetsX-ray Spectroscopy

X-ray Spectroscopies of 2D Magnets

Liam T. Schmidt

Northeast Quantum Forum 2024 · Poster · Oct 2024
2D MagnetsX-ray Spectroscopy
Mentorship
Teaching
Northeastern University
Electronics Lab

Electronics Laboratory

Mentored 12 undergraduate students through hands-on electronics projects, leading to co-authored publications at ASEE and FYEE 2026.

Fall 2025
E&M II

Electricity & Magnetism II

Problem sets and office hours for upper-division E&M course covering Maxwell's equations, radiation, and waveguides.

Spring 2025
Statistical Thermodynamics

Statistical Thermodynamics

Problem-solving sessions and office hours covering classical and quantum statistical mechanics, partition functions, and phase transitions.

Spring 2025
Physics for Engineers

Physics for Engineers I & II

Recitation sections and laboratory sessions covering mechanics, waves, thermodynamics, electricity, and magnetism.

2023 — 2024
Physics for Life Sciences

Physics for Life Sciences I & II

Interactive learning sessions for pre-med and life sciences students covering mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity, and optics.

2023 — 2024