Efficient Generation of N-Photon Bundles Using a Solid State Cavity QED System

该项目的目标是开发一个新的平台（系统），用于研究光与物质之间的强相互作用，并利用它来产生包含精确确定的整数（n）个不可分割的光子粒子的光脉冲。该系统包括一组纳米尺寸的镜子，这些镜子使光（纳米级空腔）围绕半导体人造原子（量子点）再循环。这使得单个光子之间的强相互作用成为可能，否则这是不可能的。该系统用一系列激光脉冲探测（由非相互作用的光子组成，其中每个脉冲的光子数没有明确定义）。当激光脉冲进入这种介质时，介质过滤（选择）每个脉冲所需数量的光子并将其传输到输出端。潜在的应用包括改进安全量子通信，量子模拟和量子传感。因此，这项工作将光子和量子工程与材料科学，纳米技术和基础物理学相结合。该项目包括与研究相结合的教育和推广活动，包括积极招募少数民族和妇女从事科学和工程职业，开发新课程和教科书，本科生研究和咨询，以及参与K-12学生和教师的推广计划。更具体地说，探索这种系统在失谐状态下的强非线性特性，并使用从这些研究中获得的知识来开发高度相关光子（按需不可区分的单光子和n光子束）的芯片上源。实现这些目标的平台包括高品质因数和小模式体积光子晶体谐振器，其耦合到单个电可调谐量子点。这种方法可以导致几乎完美的光子不可吸收性和高光子束生成速率，同时优先生成每个脉冲所需数量的光子。具体的研究目标是研究共振驱动和失谐的强耦合量子点-腔系统，并利用它来开发具有高计数率的不可分辨单光子和n光子束的源。产生超越单光子水平的非经典光态的能力为量子通信和量子传感的新概念铺平了道路。因此，这里描述的研究活动不仅对专注于量子纳米光子学或非线性光学的社区产生了广泛的影响，而且对探索传感器或量子技术的社区也产生了广泛的影响。

Non-technical descriptionThe goal of this project is to develop a new platform (system) for studying the strong interaction between light and matter, and to employ it to generate pulses of light containing a precisely determined integer number (n) of indivisible particles of light - photons. The system comprises a set of nano-sized mirrors that recirculate light (a nanoscale cavity) around a semiconductor artificial atom (a quantum dot). This enables a strong interaction between individual photons, which is otherwise impossible. The system is probed with a series of laser pulses (consisting of non-interacting photons, where the number of photons per pulse is not well-defined). When laser pulses enter this medium, the medium filters (selects) a desired number of photons per each pulse and transmits them to the output. The potential applications include improvements in secure quantum communication, quantum simulation, and quantum sensing. This work therefore combines photonic and quantum engineering with materials science, nanotechnology, and fundamental physics. The project contains educational and outreach activities integrated with research, including active recruitment of minorities and women for science and engineering careers, development of new classes and textbooks, undergraduate research and advising, and participation in outreach programs for K-12 students and teachers.Technical descriptionThe focus of this project is to continue fundamental studies of quantum dot-nanocavity quantum electrodynamics, and more specifically, to explore the strong nonlinear properties of such systems in the detuned regime, and to use the knowledge gained from these studies to develop on-chip sources of highly correlated photons (indistinguishable single photons and n-photon bundles on demand). A platform to achieve these goals consists of high quality factor and small mode volume photonic crystal resonators that are coupled to single, electrically tunable quantum dots. This approach can lead to nearly perfect photon indistinguishability and high photon bundle generation rates, while preferentially generating the desired number of photons per pulse. The specific research goals are to study the resonantly driven and detuned strongly coupled quantum dot-cavity system, and to use it to develop sources of indistinguishable single photons and n-photon bundles on demand with high count rates. The ability to generate nonclassical states of light beyond the single-photon level paves the way for novel concepts in quantum communication and quantum sensing. Therefore, the research activities described here have a broad impact on not only the communities focused on quantum nanophotonics or nonlinear optics, but also on those exploring sensors or quantum technologies.