Light-matter interactions and quantum photonics in nano-scale semiconductor structures and devices

我们提议由谢菲尔德大学（USHEF）和多特蒙德技术大学（TUD）的10名学者组成一个中心对中心的联盟，以利用先进材料中的光-物质相互作用，在非线性光学，单光子现象和纳米级自旋控制方面取得议程设置进展。我们将研究超纯氧化亚铜、原子薄二维半导体和III-V半导体纳米结构，这些都是现代研究的前沿。通过与TUD最优秀的科学家密切互动，以及使用其世界领先的实验基础设施，该合作为英国提供了前沿研究主题，为英国提供了重要的附加价值。光与物质的相互作用是物理、化学、生物等领域大量自然现象和应用的核心。在这个项目中，我们将通过使用特别设计的纳米结构材料，探索微观和纳米光子结构中的非线性和量子光学现象，使用潜在的变革方法来利用这些现象。其目标是在纳米级结构中增强和控制光-物质相互作用的基础上，播种和发展新的研究方向。为此，我们将使用广泛的新材料，包括过渡金属二硫族化合物（TMDs）的原子薄层，超纯Cu2O和位于III-V半导体纳米光子结构中的量子点。该联盟将解决三个相互关联的主题，这些主题具有相当大的协同作用和技术和物理学的共享，包括：氧化亚铜中Rydberg激子极化的非线性和量子光学；范德华异质结构中的谷现象；超快量子纳米光子学。这三个主题都涉及在新型材料系统中利用光-物质相互作用。纳米尺度上的设计是一个共同的主题，贯穿于发现新的光学和量子光学现象。此外，它们都依赖于在极限条件下对激子性质的控制。除了引领突破性的新物理学之外，该项目还具有在量子通信和自旋电子设备方面开辟长期应用的潜力，这里仅举两个例子。这个高度整合的合作项目将充分利用中心对中心合作的好处，并将得到谢菲尔德和多特蒙德之间总共60个月的博士后双向访问的支持。

We propose a Centre-to-Centre consortium formed of 10 academics from the University of Sheffield (USHEF) and the Technical University of Dortmund (TUD) to exploit light-matter interactions in advanced materials, achieving agenda-setting advances in non-linear optics, single photon phenomena and spin-control on the nanoscale. We will study ultra-pure cuprous oxide, atomically thin two-dimensional semiconductors, and III-V semiconductor nano-structures, all at the forefront of modern day research. The collaboration provides major added value to the UK by enabling cutting-edge research themes supported by close interaction with highest quality scientists at TUD, as well as access to their world-leading experimental infrastructure.The interaction of light and matter is at the heart of a huge range of natural phenomena and applications in physics, chemistry, biology etc. In this project, we will use potentially transformative approaches to harnessing these phenomena by using specially designed nano-structured materials, and exploring non-linear and quantum optical phenomena in micro- and nano-photonic structures. The ambition is to seed and develop new research directions based on enhancing and controlling light-matter interactions in nanoscale structures. To this end we will use a broad base of novel materials including atomically thin layers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), ultra-pure Cu2O, and quantum dots located within III-V semiconductor nano-photonic structures. The consortium will address three inter-related themes having considerable synergy and sharing of techniques and physics including: non-linear and quantum optics with Rydberg exciton-polaritons in cuprous oxide; valley phenomena in van der Waals heterostructures; ultrafast quantum nano-photonics.All three themes involve the harnessing of light-matter interactions in novel material systems. Design on the nanoscale is a common theme throughout enabling the discovery of new optical and quantum-optical phenomena. Furthermore, they all rely on the control of the properties of excitons in extreme limits. As well as leading to ground-breaking new physics, the programme has potential to open up long term applications in quantum communications and in spintronic devices to give just two examples.The highly integrated collaboration programme, exploiting to the full the benefits of the Centre-to-Centre cooperation, will be supported by a total of 60 months of extended visits by postdocs in both directions between Sheffield and Dortmund.