Enhancing Quantum Emissions from Atomically Thin Semiconductors with Metasurfaces

原子薄半导体是指只有一个或几个晶胞厚的材料。 它们可以通过从由弱结合的二维层组成的货车范德华材料剥离层来产生，或者使用半导体工业中已经开发的化学过程来生长。超表面是指一类平面光学器件，其包括小于光波长的工程单位单元。将原子级薄材料与超颖表面集成为量子技术带来了令人兴奋的新机遇。例如，一次产生一个光子的量子发射器阵列可以用于增强社区安全。在这个项目中，将设计和实施超颖表面工程策略来广播这样的量子发射器，例如由于量子集体现象，信号更亮，发射方向和效率更好地控制。拟议中的项目将为研究生和本科生提供极好的培训机会，并为量子技术的全球竞争做好准备。技术：当两个原子级薄的货车德瓦尔斯层垂直堆叠在一起时，层间的原子排列呈现出周期性变化，导致一种新型的面内超晶格，称为莫尔超晶格。它们代表了近几年来光子材料最令人兴奋的发展之一。在这个计划中，过渡金属二硫属元素云纹超晶格的量子发射将使用各种超颖表面来增强，绘制混合光子平台的新领域。具体目标包括（i）使用纳米天线广播在莫尔超晶格中托管的量子发射器阵列;（ii）使用手性超颖表面选择性激发谷极化发射器;（iii）实现具有零折射率超颖表面的集体量子发射。拟议的项目探索新型量子光子材料，有可能解决固态量子发射器的长期挑战。该计划将本科生和研究生教育与前沿研究活动相结合。该奖项反映了NSF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。

Atomically thin semiconductors refer to materials that are only one or a few unit-cell thick. They can be created by peeling off layers from van der Waals materials that consist of weakly bound two-dimensional layers or grown using chemical processes that have already been developed in the semiconductor industry. Metasurfaces refer to a class of flat optics that include engineered unit cells smaller than the wavelength of light. Integrating atomically thin materials with metasurfaces brings exciting new opportunities for quantum technology. As an example, an array of quantum emitters that generate one photon at a time can be used for enhancing community security. In this project, metasurface engineering strategies will be designed and implemented to broadcast such quantum emitters such as the signal is brighter due to quantum collective phenomena with better-controlled emission direction and efficiency. The proposed projects will provide excellent training opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students and prepare a workforce to compete globally in quantum technologies.Technical:When two atomically thin van der Waals layers are vertically stacked together, the atomic alignment between the layers exhibits periodical variations, leading to a new type of in-plane superlattices known as the moiré superlattices. They represent one of the most exciting developments of photonic materials that have just emerged in the last few years. In this program, the quantum emissions from transition metal dichalcogenides moire superlattice will be enhanced using various metasurfaces, charting new territories of hybrid photonic platforms. Specific goals include (i) broadcasting an array of quantum emitters hosted in moire superlattices using nano-antennas; (ii) selective excitation of valley polarized emitters using chiral metasurfaces; (iii) realizing collective quantum emission with zero-index metasurfaces. The proposed projects explore new types of quantum photonic materials with the potential to address long-standing challenges of solid-state quantum emitters. The program will integrate undergraduate and graduate education with cutting-edge research activities.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.