Exploiting light: from quantum nanophotonics to advanced fabrication

光子学是21世纪世纪的关键技术。NSERC DG的资助将使我的团队能够利用光物质相互作用的应用，从解决关键的制造问题到探索新的纳米结构。我们的重点是揭示这一过程的动力，并以创新的方式利用光来控制它。通过新的合作和数百万美元的基础设施投资，我们将帮助解决我们这个时代的两大技术挑战，即如何使我们的社会更可持续和更安全。我们还将扩大超灵敏传感和超快动力学的前沿。 为了更有效地利用我们的资源，我们需要新的制造工艺，以产生更轻，更高效的组件，减少浪费。基于激光的增材制造（LAM）有望通过其直接“写入”复杂3D金属部件的能力彻底改变制造业，但其广泛采用受到强烈光/物质相互作用的复杂性的阻碍。通过激光写入过程中的高速原位监测，我们将解决LAM质量保证和控制问题。* 由于光纤网络的巨大进步，信息流动前所未有，但失去安全性可能会产生可怕的后果。几乎所有的安全传输都依赖于公钥加密，但专家们一致认为，它的过时只是一个时间问题。至关重要的是，我们必须迅速转向由物理定律保证的加密系统，例如量子密钥分发（QKD），它依赖于编码到单个光子上的比特。广泛实施QKD的一个重要障碍是缺乏适当的量子光源，可以扩大规模以满足技术需求。我们将开发高亮度，高保真度的单光子源集成到一个芯片上，利用标准的半导体制造技术。 机械系统为我们周围的世界提供了非常敏感的探针，当插入光学腔时，可以通过光进行控制和读取。我们将探索混合机械光学系统的最终量子极限（例如，单原子厚膜，单光子光场），以发现量子力学和光学状态创建，量子信息转导的新能力，并创建在最终量子极限下工作的高灵敏度传感器。 这一提议的时机至关重要：DG资助的HQP将能够利用最近由CFI资助的女王纳米光子学研究中心（730万美元）。这项研究的成果包括：在对加拿大工业至关重要的领域培训11名研究人员（加上15名本科生），使用激光进行精密制造的新方法，用于安全电信和传感的新型纳米材料，以及提高对激光束尖端存在的基本物理学的理解。

Photonics is a key enabling technology of the 21st century. NSERC DG funding will allow my team to exploit light-matter interaction for applications ranging from solving key manufacturing problems to exploring novel nanostructures. Our focus is on unravelling the dynamics of the process, and using light in innovative ways to control it. Powered by new collaborations and multi-million dollar investments in infrastructure, we will help solve two of the major technical challenges of our age, namely how to make our society more sustainable and more secure. We will also expand the frontiers of ultrasensitive sensing and ultrafast dynamics.**** To become more efficient with our resources, we need new manufacturing processes that generate lighter and more efficient components with less waste. Laser-based additive manufacturing (LAM) promises to revolutionise manufacturing with its ability to directly "write" intricate 3D metal components, but its widespread adoption is being impeded by the complexity of the intense light/matter interaction. By high-speed in situ monitoring during laser writing, we will solve the LAM quality assurance and control problem.**** Due to the great advances in fiber optic networks, information flows like never before but loss of security can have dire consequences. Almost all secure transmissions rely on public key encryption, but experts agree that its obsolescence is only a matter of time. It is crucial that we move quickly to encryption systems guaranteed by physical law, such as quantum key distribution (QKD) which relies on bits encoded onto single photons. A significant roadblock to widespread QKD implementation is the lack of appropriate quantum optical sources that can be scaled up to meet technological needs. We will develop high brightness, high fidelity single-photon sources integrated onto a chip, exploiting standard semiconductor fabrication technology.**** Mechanical systems provide exquisitely sensitive probes of the world around us, and when inserted into a optical cavity, can be controlled and read out by light. We will explore the ultimate quantum limit of hybrid mechanical-optical systems (e.g., single-atomic thick membranes, single-photon light fields) to discover new capabilities for quantum mechanical and optical state creation, transduction of quantum information, and creation of high-sensitivity sensors working at the ultimate quantum limit.**** Timing of this proposal is critical: DG-funded HQP will be able to exploit the recently CFI-funded Queen's Nanaophotonics Research Centre ($7.3M). Outcomes of this research include: training of 11 researchers (plus 15 undergraduates) in fields of key importance to Canadian industry, novel methods of using lasers for precision manufacturing, novel nanomaterials for secure telecommunications and sensing, and improved understanding of the underlying physics present at the tip of a laser beam.**