Two-dimensional Photonics Fabrication Facility

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Remarkable discoveries and advances in two-dimensional semiconductors beyond graphene, designer meta-surfaces, and integrated quantum or non-linear photonic devices are driving a revolution in optoelectronic and photonic technologies. The Two-Dimensional Photonics Fabrication Facility at Heriot-Watt University will facilitate this revolution in the UK with a user facility unique to the UK landscape. The centrepiece instrument, a "maskless" direct write laser, is a lithographic tool to rapidly fabricate large scale but bespoke 2D photonic devices with novel functionalities. The maskless laser writer bridges the gap in lateral resolution and write speed between electron beam lithography and conventional photolithography to enable rapid fabrication of nanoscale photonic devices over large areas. The unique lithography system will be augmented by an electron beam evaporator enabling deposition of high-quality metals and dielectrics with nanometre precision onto devices lithographically defined by the direct write laser. Finally, for the ultimate in thin-film, surface and materials metrology, a spectroscopic imaging ellipsometer will be used. This unique instrument is crucial for characterization, either pre- or post-fabrication by the lithographic tool, of emerging two-dimensional semiconductor devices. The facility will be integrated into the newly refurbished cleanroom at Heriot-Watt University housing an array of complementary equipment. This will underpin emerging 2D photonics research for numerous PhD students and early career and established academics at HWU and across the UK. The facility strongly leverages existing excellence in photonics research within the Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences at Heriot-Watt and a large cohort of prospective facility users exist within two EPSRC centres for doctoral training, two UK Quantum Technology Hubs, and the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Laser Based Production Processes. Four specific research thrusts will be enabled by the facility:1. Two-dimensional quantum photonics based on recently discovered quantum emitters embedded in 2D semiconductors 'beyond graphene' that can produce a remarkably wide range of electronic and optical properties. Novel devices will be fabricated to drive forward this exciting emergent quantum photonic platform.2. Ultrathin optical devices made from metasurfaces, which are two-dimensional metamaterials exhibiting unusual optical properties. The facility will enable rapid fabrication of large-scale metasurfaces to create 'flat' optics for potential applications (e.g. microscopes, cameras, displays, and mobile phones) across a range of frequencies (e.g. visible - terahertz). 3. Fabrication of integrated photonics devices including optimized single photon focal plane arrays, microlens arrays, mosaic filters, low-loss waveguides, and high-quality cavities for quantum, non-linear, and ultra-fast photonics. 4. High-resolution characterization for a wide-range of novel thin film and two-dimensional semiconductor materials and devices.