Light-matter interactions and quantum photonics in nano-scale semiconductor structures and devices

我们提出了一个中心到中心的财团，由10名学者从谢菲尔德大学（USHEF）和多特蒙德技术大学（TUD），利用先进材料中的光物质相互作用，实现非线性光学，单光子现象和自旋控制的纳米级设置的进步。我们将研究超纯氧化亚铜，原子薄的二维半导体和III-V半导体纳米结构，所有这些都是现代研究的前沿。该合作为英国提供了重要的附加价值，通过与TUD最高质量的科学家的密切互动，以及使用他们世界领先的实验基础设施，支持尖端的研究主题。光与物质的相互作用是物理，化学，生物学等众多自然现象和应用的核心。在这个项目中，我们将使用潜在的变革性方法，通过使用专门设计的纳米结构材料来利用这些现象，并探索微米和纳米光子结构中的非线性和量子光学现象。其目标是在纳米结构中增强和控制光-物质相互作用的基础上，播种和开发新的研究方向。为此，我们将使用广泛的新型材料，包括原子薄层的过渡金属二硫属化物（TMD），超纯Cu 2 O和位于III-V半导体纳米光子结构内的量子点。该联盟将讨论三个相互关联的主题，这些主题具有相当大的协同作用和技术与物理的共享，包括：非线性和量子光学与氧化亚铜中的里德伯激子-极化激元;货车德瓦尔斯异质结构中的谷现象;超快量子纳米光子学。所有三个主题都涉及在新材料系统中利用光-物质相互作用。纳米级设计是一个共同的主题，在整个使新的光学和量子光学现象的发现。此外，它们都依赖于在极端极限下对激子性质的控制。除了引领开创性的新物理学之外，该计划还具有在量子通信和自旋电子器件方面开辟长期应用的潜力，仅举两个例子。高度整合的合作计划充分利用了中心对中心合作的好处，将得到谢菲尔德和多特蒙德之间博士后双向访问的支持，为期60个月。

We propose a Centre-to-Centre consortium formed of 10 academics from the University of Sheffield (USHEF) and the Technical University of Dortmund (TUD) to exploit light-matter interactions in advanced materials, achieving agenda-setting advances in non-linear optics, single photon phenomena and spin-control on the nanoscale. We will study ultra-pure cuprous oxide, atomically thin two-dimensional semiconductors, and III-V semiconductor nano-structures, all at the forefront of modern day research. The collaboration provides major added value to the UK by enabling cutting-edge research themes supported by close interaction with highest quality scientists at TUD, as well as access to their world-leading experimental infrastructure.The interaction of light and matter is at the heart of a huge range of natural phenomena and applications in physics, chemistry, biology etc. In this project, we will use potentially transformative approaches to harnessing these phenomena by using specially designed nano-structured materials, and exploring non-linear and quantum optical phenomena in micro- and nano-photonic structures. The ambition is to seed and develop new research directions based on enhancing and controlling light-matter interactions in nanoscale structures. To this end we will use a broad base of novel materials including atomically thin layers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), ultra-pure Cu2O, and quantum dots located within III-V semiconductor nano-photonic structures. The consortium will address three inter-related themes having considerable synergy and sharing of techniques and physics including: non-linear and quantum optics with Rydberg exciton-polaritons in cuprous oxide; valley phenomena in van der Waals heterostructures; ultrafast quantum nano-photonics.All three themes involve the harnessing of light-matter interactions in novel material systems. Design on the nanoscale is a common theme throughout enabling the discovery of new optical and quantum-optical phenomena. Furthermore, they all rely on the control of the properties of excitons in extreme limits. As well as leading to ground-breaking new physics, the programme has potential to open up long term applications in quantum communications and in spintronic devices to give just two examples.The highly integrated collaboration programme, exploiting to the full the benefits of the Centre-to-Centre cooperation, will be supported by a total of 60 months of extended visits by postdocs in both directions between Sheffield and Dortmund.