Optical Processing of Information in Doped Semiconductors

技术综述：该奖项支持凝聚态物质和材料中基本现象的理论研究和教育。它为未来网络基础设施的知识基础做出了贡献。PI试图更好地理解半导体纳米结构中的相干光磁性。通过超快激光脉冲控制介质的磁化可以是提供快速存储器和信息处理的有效方式。在许多磁光器件中，磁化强度的控制是通过吸收光或光掺杂产生的热效应来实现的。在这个项目中，PI将研究更快的非热能和非耗散控制方法的理论，在这种方法中，光不被介质吸收。鉴于纳米光学技术的最新进展，这种相干光学控制可以在纳米尺度上实现。PI将研究块体、量子点和微腔中的相干光磁效应。他计划考虑基于掺锰半导体的纳米系统，目前正在研究其铁磁性。光可以在这些材料中诱导磁性相变，还可以控制磁化的临界温度和取向。PI的目标是确定材料、结构和控制参数，以实现这种相干控制的最佳实施，并解决关于铁磁性和强非平衡光物质耦合下的相变的基本问题。该项目将涉及与欧盟和美国的理论家和实验学家的合作。在欧伊斯欧洲和欧亚项目的共同资助下，PI旨在启动与希腊理论家的合作，并为学生提供国际研究经验。研究生和本科生将参与该项目，并将接受量子光学、固态物理和统计力学方面的培训。这项研究包括开发一套计算工具，用于计算磁性半导体的非线性光学性质，并将公开。学生参与这些工具的开发将使他们能够扩展他们设计数字代码以解决复杂问题的技能。非技术总结：该奖项支持凝聚态物质和材料中基本现象的理论研究和教育。它为未来网络基础设施的知识基础做出了贡献。PI将研究材料中的量子力学状态如何被激光操纵，以及由此产生的新现象。特别令人感兴趣的是光可以操纵半导体和纳米结构中杂质的磁态的机制，以及可能出现的新现象。PI的目的是解决由于光与材料的强烈相互作用而导致的铁磁性和相变的基本问题。光学控制提出了一种有趣的、积极的材料科学方法：此类研究的目标超出了对材料的一般光学性质的研究，直接专注于基本的凝聚态物质和量子现象，这些现象可能导致设计具有功能作用的光学设备，例如，存储器、信息处理器或网络组件。该项目可能会对信息技术产生影响，因为它为现象奠定了智力基础，从而可能导致基于光的新的、非耗散的和可逆的计算和数据存储方法。这些相干控制方案将为量子计算的实现以及目前的技术应用提出新的想法，如磁光记录或可调磁开关和放大器。该项目将涉及与欧盟和美国的理论家和实验学家的合作。在欧伊斯欧洲和欧亚项目的共同资助下，PI旨在启动与希腊理论家的合作，并为学生提供国际研究经验。研究生和本科生将参与该项目，并将接受量子光学、固态物理和统计力学方面的培训。这项研究包括开发一套计算工具，用于计算磁性半导体的非线性光学性质，并将公开。学生参与这些工具的开发将使他们能够扩展他们设计数字代码以解决复杂问题的技能。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This award supports theoretical research and education on fundamental phenomena in condensed matter and materials. It contributes to the intellectual foundations of future cyberinfrastructure. The PI seeks a better understanding of coherent photo-magnetism in semiconductor nanostructures. The control of magnetization of a medium by ultra-fast laser pulses may be an efficient way to provide fast memories and information processing. In many magneto-optic devices, the control of the magnetization is realized through thermal effects produced by the absorption of light or by photo-doping. In this project, the PI will investigate the theory of much faster non-thermal and non-dissipative control methods in which the light is not absorbed by the medium. Given recent advances in nano-optics techniques, this coherent optical control can be realized at the nano-scale.The PI will investigate coherent photo-magnetic effects in bulk, quantum dots, and micro-cavities. He plans to consider nano-systems based on Mn-doped semiconductors, which are currently being investigated for their ferromagnetic properties. Light can induce magnetic phase transitions in these materials and it can also control the critical temperature and the orientation of magnetization. The PI aims to identify materials, structures, and control parameters for an optimal implementation of this coherent control, and to address fundamental questions on the nature of ferromagnetism and phase transitions under strong and non-equilibrium light-matter coupling.The project will involve collaborations with theorists and experimentalists in the EU and in the US. With cofunding from the Europe and Eurasia Program in OISE, the PI aims to initiate collaboration with a theorist in Greece and provide international research experience for students. Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in the project and will be trained in quantum optics, solid state physics and statistical mechanics. The research involves the development of a suite of computational tools for the calculation of the nonlinear optical properties of magnetic semiconductors that will be made public. The involvement of students in the development of those tools will enable them to expand their skills in designing numerical codes to solve complex problems.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This award supports theoretical research and education on fundamental phenomena in condensed matter and materials. It contributes to the intellectual foundations of future cyberinfrastructure. The PI will investigate how quantum mechanical states in materials can be manipulated by lasers and the novel phenomena that arise as a consequence. Of particular interest is the mechanism through which light can manipulate magnetic states of impurities in semiconductors and nanostructures and new phenomena that can arise. The PI aims to address fundamental questions on the nature of ferromagnetism and phase transitions as a consequence of the strong interaction of light with materials.Optical control suggests an intriguing active approach to materials science: the goal of such studies lies beyond the investigation of the general optical properties of materials, and directly focuses on fundamental condensed matter and quantum phenomena that may lead to the design of optical devices with a functional role in, for example, memories, information processors, or network components. This project may impact information technology by laying the intellectual foundations of phenomena that may lead to new, non-dissipative and reversible methods of computation and data storage, based on light. These coherent control schemes will suggest new ideas for quantum computing implementations, as well as for present technology applications, such as magneto-optical recording or tunable magnetic switches and amplifiers.The project will involve collaborations with theorists and experimentalists in the EU and in the US. With cofunding from the Europe and Eurasia Program in OISE, the PI aims to initiate collaboration with a theorist in Greece and provide international research experience for students. Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in the project and will be trained in quantum optics, solid state physics and statistical mechanics. The research involves the development of a suite of computational tools for the calculation of the nonlinear optical properties of magnetic semiconductors that will be made public. The involvement of students in the development of those tools will enable them to expand their skills in designing numerical codes to solve complex problems.