MetaQuantum: Hybrid Plasmonic-Photonic Meta-Structures for Quantum Information Systems

光子是光的量子粒子，是量子通信、计算和传感等新兴量子信息科学与技术(QIST)应用的最有前途的平台之一。由于光子在没有推论的情况下以最快的速度长距离传播，量子光子学领域试图使量子设备能够使用光子进行QIST。该项目的目标是生产可以集成在芯片上的量子光子结构和设备，用于未来在量子计算和通信链路中的应用。作为努力的一部分，我们将解决几个挑战，例如量子态很难保持，特别是在室温下，以及量子系统可能由于光子损失而速度受限，这就是吸收。我们的目标是通过开发元器件来克服这些限制，这种元器件是利用金属薄膜和所谓的等离子体纳米颗粒的纳米级结构，可以独特地增强量子光源的发射。我们还将探索实现既包括元结构又包括传统光学元件的混合器件。我们将使用机器学习算法来帮助提前进行结构设计和量子测量。由于光子作为量子信息载体的独特性质，即与物质的弱相互作用和以光速传播，量子光子学已经成为量子信息科学与技术(QIST)平台最有前途的方法之一。该项目的目标是克服传统量子纳米光子结构面临的基本限制，这些限制包括室温下物质的运行缓慢、光学损耗和快速退相干速度。这项工作将通过从理论和实验上研究纳米级等离子体(金属基)结构和超材料中量子区域中强烈增强的、高度可控的光-物质相互作用，来解决开发高效、低损耗、超快(太赫兹速率)和紧凑的片上量子光子器件的迫切需要。该项目将把纳米等离子体与人工智能(AI)相结合，为室温量子系统实现等离子体-光子混合元结构，这种量子系统可以以太赫兹的速度运行，并提供小占地面积和前所未有的功能。该计划的目标是通过以下方式为实现先进的光子QIST组件创建一个全新的框架：(1)耦合到等离子体元结构的量子发射器的理论研究；(2)演示量子过程的等离子体加速和探索混合元结构，包括单光子源、确定性多光子门和量子频率转换器；以及(3)发展人工智能辅助量子器件的设计、集成和表征。该计划将推进新兴的QIST技术，预计将在量子信息和量子传感器领域产生巨大的业界兴趣。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Photons, which are quantum particles of light, are one of the most promising platforms for the emerging quantum information science and technology (QIST) applications including quantum communication, computing and sensing. As photons travel long distances without inference and at the ultimate speed, the field of quantum photonics seeks to enable quantum devices for QIST using photons. The goal of this project is to produce quantum photonic structures and devices that can be integrated on a chip for future applications in quantum computing and communication links. As part of the effort, we will address several challenges, such as the fact that quantum states are hard to preserve, particularly at room temperatures, and that quantum systems can be limited in speed due to photons loss, that is absorption. We aim to overcome these limitations by developing meta-devices, which are nanoscale structures utilizing metallic thin films and so-called plasmonic nanoparticles that can uniquely enhance emission from quantum light sources. We will also explore the realization of hybrid devices that incorporate both meta-structures and conventional optical components. We will employ machine learning algorithms to aid in advance structure designs and quantum measurements. Due to unique properties of photons as quantum information carriers, namely weak interaction with matter and propagation at the speed of light, quantum photonics has emerged as one of the most promising enabling approaches for quantum information science and technology (QIST) platforms. The goal of the project is to overcome fundamental limitations that conventional quantum nanophotonic structures are facing, which include slow operation, optical loss, and fast decoherence rates in matter at room temperature. This effort will address the critical need to develop efficient, low loss, ultra-fast (THz rates) and compact on-chip quantum photonic devices by investigating both theoretically and experimentally strongly enhanced, highly controllable light-matter interactions in the quantum regime in nanometer-scale plasmonic (metal-based) structures and metamaterials. This project will merge nanoplasmonics with artificial-intelligence (AI) to realize hybrid plasmonic-photonic meta-structures for room-temperature quantum systems that can operate at THz speeds and offer a small footprint and unprecedented functionality. The program objectives are to create a fundamentally new framework for realization of advanced photonic QIST components via (1) theoretical studies of quantum emitters coupled to plasmonic meta-structures; (2) demonstration of plasmonic speed-up of quantum processes and exploration of hybrid meta-structures, including single-photon sources, deterministic multi-photon gates and quantum frequency converters; and (3) development of AI-assisted design, integration and characterization of quantum devices. This program will advance the emerging QIST technologies and expected to generate a significant industry interest in the fields of quantum information and quantum sensors.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.