Scalable Quantum Emitters Enabled through Rational Bottom-Up Synthesis

发射一束相同的光粒子的光源对基于光的量子技术的进步至关重要。这些技术包括安全量子通信和光量子计算。来自这样光源的光被称为量子光。明亮的量子光源将使今天的经典光源无法实现的光学技术成为可能，就像激光的发展为科学上的关键创新铺平了道路，并导致了大量重要的商业应用。该研究团队专注于开发能够发射量子光的纳米颗粒。这些纳米粒子可以在溶液中大量制造，为生产大量相同的量子光源铺平了道路。让女性和代表性不足的少数群体（urm）参与和留在科学领域是该团队通过各种互补努力解决的系统性挑战。该项目包括针对K-12学生和更广泛的社区的大学前拓展计划，促进对所进行的科学的曝光和兴奋。鼓励本科生获得研究经验，为研究生院做准备，通过一系列的举措，特别是关注URM的学生。该项目旨在开发能够作为单光子源的卤化铅钙钛矿纳米晶体，以实现广泛的量子信息技术应用。该项目采用多方面的方法，将化学探索的组成、形状、大小和配体环境与计算建模相结合。计算探索和化学合成之间的相互作用允许胶体量子发射器的设计和合成，胶体量子发射器可以以合理和可扩展的方式作为纳米电子器件的构建块。目前的卤化铅钙钛矿纳米晶体在相干单光子发射方面存在两个主要缺点，即晶格不稳定和竞争脱相。该团队合成并研究了新的配体和无机壳，以抑制晶体内的动态孪生，并使晶格刚性以减少声子耦合，旨在增加光子相干时间。优化的组成和几何探索产生更快的寿命和提高光子纯度。胶体纳米组件的结构用于减少寿命，为开发一系列具有变换限制发射的发射器铺平了道路。建立这种胶体系统作为一种可行的量子光源，极大地扩展了量子光子学的工具箱。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Light sources that emit a stream of identical particles of light are critical for the advancement of light-based quantum technologies. These technologies include secure quantum communication and light-based quantum computing. Light from such sources is referred to as quantum light. Bright sources of quantum light will enable optical technologies that are unachievable with today's classical light sources, much as the development of lasers paved the way for key innovations in science and led to a large body of essential commercial applications. The research team focuses on the development of nanoparticles that can emit quantum light. These nanoparticles can be made in solution and in quantity, paving the way for the production of large numbers of identical quantum light sources. Engaging and retaining women and underrepresented minorities (URMs) in the sciences is a systemic challenge the team addresses through a variety of complementary efforts. The project encompasses pre-college outreach programs targeting K-12 students and the broader community, fostering exposure and excitement about the science conducted. Undergraduates are encouraged to obtain research experience preparing them for graduate school through a set of initiatives, especially focusing on URM students. The project aims to develop lead halide perovskite nanocrystals capable of serving as single photon sources to enable a broad range of quantum information technology applications. The project follows a multifaceted approach combining chemical exploration of composition, shape, size and ligand environment together with computational modeling. The interplay between computational exploration and chemical synthesis allows for the design and synthesis of colloidal quantum emitters that can serve as building blocks in nano-electronic devices in a rational and scalable fashion. Current lead halide perovskite nanocrystals suffer from two main shortcomings with respect to coherent single photon emission, namely instability of the lattice and competitive dephasing. The team synthesizes and investigates new ligands and inorganic shells to suppress the dynamic twinning within the crystal and to rigidify the lattice to diminish phononic coupling, aiming to increase photon coherence times. Optimizations in composition and geometry are explored to yield faster lifetimes and improved photon purity. Construction of colloidal nano-assemblies are used to decrease lifetimes, paving the way for the development of a family of emitters with transform limited emission. Establishing this colloidal system as a viable source of quantum light critically expands the toolbox of quantum photonics.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.