Understanding A Few Nanoscale Light-Matter-Spin Interactions by Combining Ultrafast Optical Spectroscopy and Colloidal Quantum Functional Materials

****技术摘要****该奖项支持一项实验研究计划，该计划通过超快光谱学来了解涉及预先设计的零维胶体量子结构中的新兴光物质自旋过程。这项研究计划将直接涉及研究生的工具和技术培训，以解决几个基本问题：共振等离子体-激子相互作用的控制；利用自旋等离子体和自旋声子相互作用实现胶体量子结构中的超快自旋控制和回波新型胶体量子磁半导体器件的研制。此计画的完成，将促进我们对纳米尺度光辅助自旋依赖现象的基本认识和材料工程。这项工作还很重要，因为零维量子结构代表了可以用于基于自旋自由度的量子信息处理的最小维单位。除了学生培训，该奖项还将允许将前沿研究活动与本科教育计划、K-12外展、课堂示范和教师培训相结合。****非技术摘要****该奖项支持实验研究，以理解和控制与纳米尺度下电子自旋相关的各种基本相互作用。自旋是电子固有的量子力学性质，可以潜在地导致新技术和设备的发展。时间分辨光谱学可以用超短光脉冲提供极高的时间分辨率，将应用于发射、探测和操纵纳米级自旋相关过程。这将包括应用超短光脉冲来创建半导体中自旋与等离子体（金属纳米结构中电子的集体运动）和声子（固体中原子晶格的集体运动）的耦合，在非常快的时间尺度上操纵半导体量子结构的自旋，并发现纳米级磁体和半导体自旋之间的新相互作用。本项目将采用多学科实验工具，包括量子结构的化学合成、超快光谱学和纳米器件工程，从而为学生的培训、K-12推广和课程开发提供肥沃的土壤。

****Technical Abstract****This award supports an experimental research program to understand emerging light-matter-spin involving processes within pre-designed zero-dimensional colloidal quantum structures by ultrafast optical spectroscopy. This research plan will directly involve graduate students training in tools and techniques needed to address a few fundamental issues: control of resonant plasmon-exciton interactions; realization of ultrafast spin control and echo in colloidal quantum structures by spin-plasmon and spin-phonon interactions; and development of new class of colloidal quantum magneto-semiconductor devices. Accomplishment of this project should advance our fundamental understanding and materials engineering of light assisted spin-dependent phenomena at the nanoscale. This work is additionally important because zero-dimensional quantum structures represent the smallest dimensional units that can be used for quantum information processing based on the spin degree of freedom. In addition to student training, this award will also allow to integrate cutting-edge research activities with undergraduate education program, K-12 outreach, classroom demonstration and teacher training.****Non-Technical Abstract****This award supports experimental research to understand and control various fundamental interactions that are of relevance to the spin of electron at the nanometer scale. Spin is an intrinsic quantum mechanical property of electron that can potentially lead to new technology and device development. Time-resolved spectroscopy that can provide extremely high temporal resolution with ultrashort light pulses will be applied to launch, probe and manipulate nanoscale spin-dependent processes. This will include application of ultrashort light pulse to create coupling of spin in semiconductor with plasmon (that is a collective motion of electrons in metal nanostructures) and phonon (that is atomic lattice collective motion in a solid), to manipulate spin of semiconductor quantum structures in a very fast time scale, and to discover novel interactions between spins of nanoscale magnets and semiconductors. This project will be accomplished by employing multidisciplinary experimental tools, including chemical synthesis of quantum structures, ultrafast optical spectroscopy and nano-device engineering, and thus provide a fertile ground for students' training, K-12 outreach and curriculum development.