CAREER: Atomically Manipulated Quantum Materials

非技术描述这项研究通过开发使用光而不是电子的材料，解决了对更快、更有效地处理和传输信息的日益增长的需求。这将通过将光与物质的相互作用控制到单原子级别来实现，这将导致更强大和可扩展的计算和通信设备。长期以来，这样的原子精度一直是一个难以实现的目标，但现在有了通过使用高能电子束聚焦的方法来实现这一目标的方法。该团队将利用这些工具直接操纵固体的原子结构，并创建有用的发光中心。在这个项目中，该小组将建立一个理论和实验研究计划，以研究由于改变所谓的二维材料的原子结构而产生的新性质，即只有一个原子厚度的材料。PI的长期研究目标是将光与物质的相互作用控制到极小的纳米级，以开发新的材料和设备，以实现更快的计算和传感。该项目的研究活动将与纽约市立大学当地处境不利的中学和人数较少的少数族裔人口的教育宣传活动相结合。这些教育活动将在多个教育层次揭开量子技术的神秘面纱，教授量子技术。不同级别的代表性不足的学生将参与前沿研究机会，这将帮助他们更好地为大学和科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)的职业生涯做准备。该团队将与当地高中的科学教师合作，创建一个基于量子科学的项目，将年轻一代和代表不足的群体与先进研究联系起来。目标是增加这些学生对量子研究和STEM的参与，并使他们成为未来社会的积极参与者。技术描述本研究的总体目标是建立一项理论和实验研究活动，以前所未有的精度表征和控制原子图案化二维材料中的固态发射体，如激子和类原子系统。PI结合了高分辨率电子显微镜、基于神经网络的先进图像分析、高分辨率成像和光谱分析，以创建二维材料中活性缺陷的规则网络，并研究这些新系统中的光-物质相互作用。这项研究有两个目的：(I)塑造二维半导体中的激子势场，以设计多功能原子尺度激子电路。通过原子操纵来设计介电功能，PI是控制激子限制、相互作用和发射的开创性方法，它使用专门设计的原子超晶格和陷阱，结合在一起创建功能强大的原子电路，以增强激子的传输和相干。(Ii)裁剪2D材料中确定性产生的结构缺陷的单光子发射。回答有关单光子发射体性质的基本问题，可能会为大规模发射体阵列与光子谐振器的受控相互作用和集成而产生新的量子制度开辟道路。拟议的方法有可能改变固态量子技术的格局，提供对量子材料以及生产和控制它们的工具的科学理解的新水平。通过以许多光学设备的构建块为目标，该项目将把量子光子学建立为一种可靠的、内在强大的计量、通信和信息处理技术。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。

Non-technical DescriptionThis research addresses the increasing demand for faster and more efficient ways to process and transfer information by developing materials that use light instead of electrons. This will be realized by controlling light-matter interactions down to the single-atom level, which will result in more powerful and scalable devices for computation and communication. Such atomic precision has long been an elusive goal, but now there are methods to reach it by using focused beams of high-energy electrons. The team will employ these tools to directly manipulate the atomic structure of solids and create useful light emitting centers. In this project, the group will establish a theoretical and experimental research program to investigate the new properties resulting from altering the atomic structure of so-called two-dimensional materials, namely materials that are only one atom thick. The PI’s long-term research goal is to control light-matter interactions down to an extremely small scale, the nanoscale, to develop new materials and devices for faster computing and sensing. The research activity of this project will be integrated with educational outreach to local, disadvantaged secondary schools and the large underrepresented minority population at the City University of New York. These educational activities will demystify and teach quantum technology at multiple educational levels. Underrepresented students at different levels will take part in cutting-edge research opportunities that will help them to better prepare for college and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The team will collaborate with science teachers at local high schools to create a program based on quantum science that connects younger generations and underrepresented groups with advanced research. The goal is to increase these students’ participation in quantum research and STEM and equip them to become active players in the future of society.Technical Description The overarching goal of this research is to establish a theoretical and experimental research activity to characterize and control with unprecedented precision solid-state emitters, such as excitons and atom-like systems, in atomically-patterned two-dimensional materials. The PI combines high resolution transmission electron microscopy, advanced image analysis based on neural networks, high resolution imaging and spectroscopy to create regular networks of active defects in two-dimensional materials and study light-matter interactions in these new systems. Two objectives drive this research: (i) Shape the exciton potential landscape in two-dimensional semiconductors to design multifunctional atomic-scale excitonic circuits. By engineering the dielectric function through atomic manipulation, the PI is pioneering methods for controlling exciton confinement, interaction, and emission with specifically designed atomic superlattices and traps that, combined together, create functional atomic circuits for enhanced exciton transport and coherence. (ii) Tailor the single-photon emission of deterministically produced structural defects in 2D materials. Answering fundamental questions about the nature of single-photon emitters may open pathways to new quantum regimes arising from large-scale emitter arrays with controlled interaction and integration with photonic resonators. The proposed approach has the potential to change the landscape of solid-state quantum technologies, providing a new level of scientific understanding of quantum materials as well as the tools to produce and control them. By targeting the building blocks of many optical devices, this project will establish quantum photonics as a reliable and inherently powerful technology for metrology, communication, and information processing.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.