Next generation quantum light sources based on 2D materials

该计划将连接两个具有重要战略意义的研究领域：量子材料和量子信息。通过构建由二维（2D）量子材料（氮化硼、石墨烯、二硒化钨等）组成的新型异质结构器件，如透明电容器、p-i-n结和微柱腔，可以利用其独特的特性实现片上可调谐的量子信息单光子源。这些源不仅构成了许多涉及光子的量子通信和信息处理架构的组成部分（例如，量子密钥分发，量子中继器和线性光学量子计算），它们还可以用于解析超出衍射极限的特征，在量子成像和光刻中找到应用。因此，它们的发展，特别是在可扩展平台上的发展，对于推动一系列量子技术走向广泛的商业应用是必要的。特别是，该项目将开发一类光学活性缺陷，目前在氮化硼和二硒化钨中发现，当激发时发射单光子。光子可以存在于量子态的叠加态中，可以用来编码量子信息。由于它们以光速传播，与环境的相互作用很弱，因此它们可以将这些信息进一步远距离传播。因此，产生“按需”高纯度单光子（抑制多光子产生）的光源是量子信息技术的珍贵商品，特别是如果发射可以用电控制，以及高效率地产生和收集。与正在开发的其他单光子源相比，二维材料具有许多优点。所嵌入的缺陷具有天然的高纯度和发射效率。宿主的分层特性进一步允许方便地与器件和异质结构集成，既可以电操作缺陷，也可以捕获发射的光子。这种材料也可以在大面积上生长成薄膜，这有利于未来的可扩展性。通过利用其独特的性质，将展示以下成就：从二维材料的缺陷中开发可调谐的单光子源；使用这些光源的实验证明了高单光子纯度，以及产生和收集效率；硅片上的大规模器件集成。

The proposed program shall interface two strategically important research areas quantum materials and quantum information. By building novel heterostructure devices, such as transparent capacitors, p-i-n junctions, and micropillar cavities, consisting of two-dimensional (2D) quantum materials (boron nitride, graphene, tungsten diselenide, etc.), their unique properties can be exploited to realize on-chip, tunable single photon sources for quantum information. Such sources not only form integral components of many quantum communication and information processing architectures involving photons (e.g., quantum key distribution, quantum repeaters, and linear optics quantum computing), they can also be used to resolve features beyond the diffraction limit, finding applications in quantum imaging and lithography. Their development, especially in scalable platforms, is thus necessary to push forward a range of quantum technologies towards widespread commercial usage. In particular, the program will exploit a class of optically active defects, so far found in boron nitride and tungsten diselenide, that emit single photons when excited. Photons, which can exist in a superposition of quantum states, can be used to encode quantum information. Since they travel at the speed of light and interact weakly with the environment, they can further carry this information over long distances. As a result, sources that produce “on-demand,” single photons of high purity (multiphoton generation suppressed) are a prized commodity for quantum information technology, especially if the emission can be controlled electrically, as well as generated and collected with high efficiency. 2D materials offer a number of advantages over other single photon sources under development. The embedded defects have been shown to have naturally high purity and emission efficiency. The layered nature of the host further allows convenient integration with devices and heterostructures both to electrically manipulate the defects as well as to capture emitted photons. The materials can also be grown as thin films over large areas, allowing the benefit of future scalability. By exploiting their unique properties, the following achievements will be demonstrated: the development of tunable single photon sources from defects in 2D materials; experiments using these sources to demonstrate high single photon purity, as well as generation and collection efficiencies; large-scale device integration on silicon wafers.