EAGER: Enabling Quantum Leap: Room-temperature Photon Blockade and Quantum Gates Using Quantum Dots in 2D Materials

非技术描述：近年来，量子计算机的发展取得了显著进展，但前沿量子硬件仍然受到重大限制，包括只能在极端环境下运行（如超冷温度），以及难以扩展到更大的系统。该项目专注于一个平台，可以减轻这些缺点，并使量子计算机的构建块在室温等友好环境中运行，并促进系统扩展。该平台由二维超薄材料和量子点组成，这些量子点能够可控地发射单光子。这种材料与光学谐振器耦合在一起，光学谐振器能够使光子再循环，最终允许控制光的流动，从而控制系统中的信息。该项目包括与研究相结合的教育和推广活动，这些活动已经由pi发起，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。技术描述：光子封锁-在系统（谐振器）中单个光子的存在阻止另一个光子进入-是单光子水平非线性的最终演示。这是许多实现非平凡双光子量子比特量子门和量子模拟器的建议背后的潜在现象。这个项目的重点是使用一个新的平台来演示光子封锁：在二维材料中创建一个单量子点，与光学纳米腔耦合。二维材料的平台已经被证明可以在各种系统中允许单量子发射器的行为，在量子点的易于放置及其光谱可调性方面提供了重要的优势。计划中的实验构成了使用二维材料的量子科学和工程的新方法，并且有可能通过实现室温，可扩展的实验来推进量子工程和腔量子电动力学。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Nontechnical description: Remarkable progress in the development of quantum computers has been made in recent years, but leading-edge quantum hardware still suffers from major limitations, including operation only under extreme environments (such as ultracold temperatures) and difficulties in scaling to larger systems. This project focuses on a platform that may alleviate these drawbacks and enable operation of building blocks for quantum computers in friendly environments such as at room temperature, as well as facilitate system scaling. The platform consists of two-dimensional ultrathin materials with quantum dots capable of controllably emitting single photons of light. Such materials are coupled to optical resonators that are able to recirculate photons, ultimately allowing control of the flow of light, and therefore the information in the system. The project includes educational and outreach activities integrated with research, which the PIs have already initiated, 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 description: Photon blockade - in which the presence of a single photon in a system (resonator) blocks another photon from entering it - is the ultimate demonstration of a nonlinearity at a single photon level. It is the underlying phenomenon behind many proposals for implementation of nontrivial two photon qubit quantum gates and quantum simulators. This project focuses on the demonstration of photon blockade using a new platform: a single quantum dot created in a two-dimensional material coupled to an optical nanocavity. The platform of 2D materials, which has already been shown to allow single quantum emitter behavior in a variety of systems, provides important advantages in terms of ease of placement of the quantum dot and its spectral tunability. The planned experiments constitute a new approach for quantum science and engineering using two-dimensional materials and have the potential to advance quantum engineering and cavity quantum electrodynamics by enabling room-temperature, scalable experiments.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.