Quantum Straintronics with Single Photon Emitters in van der Waals Materials

这个研究小组将研究称为光子的单包光（量子）与可以向多个方向移动的原子薄机械振荡器之间的强耦合。从这些二维材料发射的单光子可以用比最先进的技术更安全的方式来传输私人数据。此外，这些二维材料的可控拉伸有望调整发射的单光子的特性。不寻常的影响，如单光子改变振荡器的频率，是预期的，并代表了一个未探索的灵敏度制度。从这样的研究中获得的理解可以应用于基于量子科学的未来技术，例如量子传感器，它可以超越传统的同类产品。与这项研究相结合，埃默里物理学院的材料与工程物理研究型培训课程正在培养本科生成为下一代量子革命所需的“量子工程师和科学家”的一部分。与传统黑人学院和大学合作的年度暑期项目将实施，为来自代表性不足的社区的学生提供材料研究领域的暑期机会，最终目标是为他们的学术生涯做好准备。此外，我们亦会举办有关科学课题的公开讲座，鼓励本地社区参与，并鼓励年青一代选择STEM领域的职业。技术摘要：量子系统与固体的集体激励（如振动）耦合的行为是探索经典世界与量子世界边界的广泛研究问题。最近原子薄材料的发现为我们进一步了解量子杂化系统的基本行为提供了一个理想的系统。由于其极低的质量，原子薄介观振子尽管具有许多自由度，但具有很大的量子涨落。这允许与其他量子自由度的强耦合，例如由这种二维材料中的量子发射体产生的单光子。目标是使用动态的，可调的机械应变作为在原子薄材料中创建和控制量子发射器的手段，使它们之间实现前所未有的强量子光声耦合，并创建一个模拟和传感量子行为的游乐场。除了探索量子发射体的行为及其与机械应变的耦合外，目标还在于理解原子薄材料的一些定义特征所起的作用，如谷伪自旋、贝里曲率（互反空间中的有效磁场）和强库仑相互作用。从这项研究中获得的理解应该允许具有动态控制的量子阵列的可能的片上可扩展性，除了促进对具有强库仑相互作用的系统中未探索的强量子光力学耦合机制的基本理解之外。这些特性在大多数其他量子发射器中是不存在的，为这个项目的范围增加了丰富性，并为量子科学和技术提供了潜在的新功能。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。

Non-technical AbstractThis research team will investigate strong coupling between a single packet (quantum) of light called photon and an atomically thin mechanical oscillator which can move in many directions. Single photons which are emitted from these two-dimensional materials can be used to communicate private data in a more secure fashion than the state-of-the-art. Moreover, controllable stretching of these two-dimensional materials is expected to tune the properties of the emitted single photons. Unusual effects such as a single photon changing the frequency of the oscillator are expected and represent an unexplored regime of sensitivity. The understanding gained from such a study can be applied for future technologies based on quantum science such as quantum sensors which can outperform their classical counterparts. Integrated with the research, a research-oriented training course in Materials and Engineering Physics at Emory Physics is preparing undergraduate students as a part of the future generation of “quantum engineers and scientists” needed for the next quantum revolution. An annual summer program in partnership with historically black colleges and universities will be implemented to offer summer opportunities in the area of materials research to students from underrepresented communities with an eventual goal of preparing them for academic careers. In addition, public lectures on scientific topics will be conducted to engage the local community and inspire younger generation to choose careers in STEM. Technical AbstractThe behavior of a quantum system coupled to collective excitations of a solid such as vibrations is widely studied problem exploring the boundary between classical and quantum world. The recent discovery of atomically thin materials offers an ideal system to further our fundamental understanding of behavior of quantum hybrid systems. Owing to their extremely low mass, atomically thin mesoscopic oscillators have large quantum fluctuations in spite of their many degrees of freedom. This allows for very strong coupling to other quantum degrees of freedom such as single photons arising from quantum emitters present in such two-dimensional materials. The goal is to use dynamic, tunable mechanical strain as a means of creating and controlling quantum emitters in atomically thin materials, enabling unprecedented strong, quantum opto-acoustic coupling between them and creating a playground for simulating and sensing quantum behavior. In addition to exploring the behavior of quantum emitters and their coupling to mechanical strain, the goal is to also understand the role played by some of the defining features of atomically thin materials such as valley pseudospin, Berry curvature – an effective magnetic field in the reciprocal space, and strong Coulomb interactions. The understanding gained from this research should allow for possible on-chip scalability of quantum arrays featuring dynamic control besides furtherance of fundamental understanding of unexplored regimes of strong quantum opto-mechanical coupling in a system with strong Coulomb interactions. These features, which are absent in most other quantum emitters, add richness to scope of this project and offer potential novel functionalities for quantum science and technology.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.