CAREER: Collective Quantum Phenomena of Matter and Light by Design

* 技术摘要 * 本项目使用具有强物质-光耦合的新型半导体腔系统研究新颖的集体量子现象。它建立在光子晶体和极化激元-强耦合半导体激子-光子模式的最新进展之上。新的腔结构集成了一个可设计的光子晶体镜，不仅可以灵活地控制极化激元，而且还可以相干耦合多个极化激元系统，从而开辟了一条新的途径，在极化激元研究超越凝聚物理。对量子气体的新控制将阐明令人困惑的集体量子现象的物理学。新的量子现象将通过有目的地设计系统的基本性质来寻求。多体哈密顿量将被研究和模拟与耦合极化激元晶格。 该研究将提高我们对物质-光相互作用和集体量子现象的基本理解，并将在研究前沿接口腔量子电动力学，多体物理学和量子模拟提供实验平台。将举办公开讲座、国际暑期学校和K-12科学竞赛，以传播知识和培养对科学的兴趣。非技术摘要 * 量子力学是一门描述微观世界的语言，这个世界由单个或少数粒子组成，比如光子和原子。当粒子的数量变大时，相互作用破坏了粒子之间的量子关联，系统进入经典世界。然而，在某些特殊情况下，量子关联存在于宏观大系统中的宏观数量的粒子之间，导致显着的集体量子现象及其应用。例子包括激光、超导体和用于精密测量的原子气体的玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚。这个CAREER计划将在一个独特的可设计和可扩展的系统中创建，控制和模拟新颖的集体量子现象，在固态平台上，具有内置的物质-光接口，温度比所需的高出许多数量级，例如，原子气体这将通过开发一种新的物质-光混合量子气体腔结构来实现：半导体微腔极化激元。该研究将包括计算机辅助设计和建模，纳米制造，先进的光谱学和量子光学测量的协同作用。通过前沿研究，年轻科学家将被招募和培养为未来的科学和技术领导者。抽象量子现象的知识及其与人们日常生活的联系将通过公开讲座和国际暑期学校传达给广大观众。此外，亦会举办物理比赛及示范活动，以培养学生对科学的兴趣。在技术上实用的平台上创造集体量子现象将为未来的量子技术奠定基础，例如具有超低能量阈值的量子光源，超快光自旋电子器件和量子模拟器。

****TECHNICAL ABSTRACT****This program studies novel collective quantum phenomena using a new semiconductor cavity system with strong matter-light couplings. It builds on the recent advancement in both photonic crystals and polaritons - strongly coupled semiconductor exciton-photon modes. The new cavity structure integrates a designable photonic-crystal mirror to enable not only flexible control of the polaritons, but also coherent coupling of multiple polariton systems, thereby opening a new path in polariton research beyond condensation physics. Physics of perplexing collective quantum phenomena will be elucidated by new controls over the quantum gas. Novel quantum phenomena will be sought after by purposeful design of the fundamental properties of the system. Manybody Hamiltonian will be investigated and modeled with coupled-polariton lattices. The research will improve our fundamental understanding of matter-light interactions and collective quantum phenomena, and will provide an experimental platform at the research frontier interfacing cavity-quantum-electrodynamics, manybody physics, and quantum simulation. Public lectures, international summer schools, and K-12 science competitions will be held to disseminate the knowledge and cultivate interest in science.****NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT****Quantum mechanics is the language for the microscopic world of single or few particles like photons and atoms. When the number of particles grows large, interactions destroys quantum correlations among the particles and the system enters the classical world. In some special cases, however, quantum correlations survive among a macroscopic number of particles in a macroscopically large system leading to remarkable collective quantum phenomena and their applications. Examples include lasers, superconductors, and Bose-Einstein Condensation of atomic gasses used in precision measurements. This CAREER program will create, control and simulate novel collective quantum phenomena in a uniquely designable and scalable system, on a solid-state platform, with a built-in matter-light interface, at temperatures many orders of magnitude higher than required by, e.g., atomic gases. This will be accomplished by developing a new cavity structure for a matter-light hybrid quantum gas: the semiconductor microcavity polaritons. The research will consist of a synergy of computer-aided design and modeling, nano-fabrication, and advanced spectroscopy and quantum optical measurements. Through the cutting edge research, young scientists will be recruited and trained as the future leaders in science and technology. The knowledge of abstract quantum phenomena and their connection to people's daily lives will be communicated to a broad audience via public lectures and international summer schools. Physics competitions and demos will be organized to cultivate interest in science among K-12 students. The creation of collective quantum phenomena on a technologically practical platform will lay the groundwork for future quantum technologies, such as quantum light sources with ultra-low energy threshold, ultrafast opto-spintronics devices, and quantum simulators.