ITR: Optical Processing of Information in Doped Semiconductors

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This award was made on a 'small' category proposal submitted in response to the ITR solicitation, NSF-02-168. It supports theoretical research to explore the storage and processing of information by optical techniques in semiconductors doped with impurities. Diluted impurities in semiconductors represent the solid state analogue of a collection of atoms. Unlike an atomic gas, impurities are (i) frozen spatially, and (ii) are embedded in an optically active host. State-of-the-art Nan-optical techniques can address a single impurity localized in a semiconductor. The optical properties of the host can be used to efficiently control the internal degrees of freedom of the impurities where the information is encoded. A novel aspect of this work lies in the focus on a solid-state system, with potential technological applications, where new quantum optical effects can be investigated. The research seeks to identify reliable schemes for the realization of information technology devices using the electronic and spin degrees of freedom of the impurities. The quantum nature of these systems will be taken into account and exploited. Impurities are a collection of identical objects, and this property can be used to efficiently encode information. A major question concerns the actual viability of these schemes. Investigations of optical and electronic properties of impurities and quantum kinetics simulations will fill the gap between model and real systems. Microscopic calculations will help to identify the most suitable materials. Future information networks may exchange information using light, eventually at the level of single photons. At the same time, the storage of information will require matter-based memories. The research aims to advance the knowledge of a system representing the ideal interface between light and matter, and will give direction for future efficient and secure communication technologies. The processing of information by ultrafast optical control in the proposed system may well be at the base of new revolutionary computing machines. Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained in actively applying physical ideas from quantum and statistical mechanics to information technology. The specific system considered in this project provides an excellent active-learning benchmark for understanding fundamental concepts in physics. With the help of collaborations, students involved in this project will be exposed to materials science, quantum optics, and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. The research involves developing numerical codes for quantum kinetics equations and microscopic properties of materials. This will improve student's skills in designing numerical codes to solve complex problems. %%%This award was made on a 'small' category proposal submitted in response to the ITR solicitation, NSF-02-168. It supports theoretical research to explore the storage and processing of information by optical techniques in semiconductors doped with impurities. Diluted impurities in semiconductors represent the solid state analogue of a collection of atoms. Unlike an atomic gas, impurities are (i) frozen spatially, and (ii) are embedded in an optically active host. State-of-the-art Nan-optical techniques can address a single impurity localized in a semiconductor. The optical properties of the host can be used to efficiently control the internal degrees of freedom of the impurities where the information is encoded. A novel aspect of this work lies in the focus on a solid-state system, with potential technological applications, where new quantum optical effects can be investigated. The research seeks to identify reliable schemes for the realization of information technology devices using the electronic and spin degrees of freedom of the impurities. The quantum nature of these systems will be taken into account and exploited. Impurities are a collection of identical objects, and this property can be used to efficiently encode information. A major question concerns the actual viability of these schemes. Investigations of optical and electronic properties of impurities and quantum kinetics simulations will fill the gap between model and real systems. Microscopic calculations will help to identify the most suitable materials. Future information networks may exchange information using light, eventually at the level of single photons. At the same time, the storage of information will require matter-based memories. The research aims to advance the knowledge of a system representing the ideal interface between light and matter, and will give direction for future efficient and secure communication technologies. The processing of information by ultrafast optical control in the proposed system may well be at the base of new revolutionary computing machines. Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained in actively applying physical ideas from quantum and statistical mechanics to information technology. The specific system considered in this project provides an excellent active-learning benchmark for understanding fundamental concepts in physics. With the help of collaborations, students involved in this project will be exposed to materials science, quantum optics, and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. The research involves developing numerical codes for quantum kinetics equations and microscopic properties of materials. This will improve student's skills in designing numerical codes to solve complex problems. ***