Quantum and Many Body Physics Enabled by Advanced Semiconductor Nanotechnology

先进半导体纳米技术支持的量子和多体物理

基本信息

批准号：
EP/V026496/1
负责人：
Dmtriy Krizhanovskii
金额：
$ 783.19万
依托单位：
University of Sheffield
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2021
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2021 至无数据
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FV026496%2F1
关键词：
Quantum Many Body Physics Enabled

项目摘要

Light emitting semiconductor materials and devices dominate many aspects of everyday life. Their influence is all pervasive providing the sources which enable the internet, large area displays, room and street lighting to give just a few examples. Their existence relies on the high quality semiconductor structures which may be prepared by advanced crystal growth and sophisticated nanofabrication. Our proposal aims to capitalise on the advanced growth and fabrication to achieve similar advances in the quantum world where often counter-intuitive behaviour is governed solely by the laws of quantum mechanics. Our overall aim is to explore the behaviour of nano-devices operating in regimes where fundamentally new types of quantum-photonic phenomena occur, with potential to underpin the next generation of quantum technologies. We focus on two complementary systems: III-V semiconductors with their highly perfect crystal lattices, proven ability to emit photons one by one and long coherence quantum states, and atomically-thin graphene-like two dimensional (2D) semiconductors enabling new band structures, stable electron-hole bound states (excitons) and easy integration with patterned structures. The combination of the two material systems is powerful enabling phenomena ranging from the single photon level up to dense many-particle states where interactions dominate. A significant part of our programme focusses on on-chip geometries, enabling scale-up as likely required for applications. The semiconductor systems we employ interact strongly with photons; we will achieve interactions between photons which normally do not interact. We will gain entry into the regime of highly non-linear cavity quantum electrodynamics. Excitons (coupled electron-hole pairs) and photons interact strongly, enabling ladders of energy levels leading to on-chip production of few photon states. By coupling cavities together, we will aim for highly correlated states of photons. These advances are likely to be important components of photonic quantum processors and quantum communication systems. In similar structures, we access regimes of high density where electrons and holes condense into highly populated states (condensates). We aim to answer long-standing fundamental questions about the types of phase transitions that can occur in equilibrium systems and in out-of-equilibrium ones which have loss balanced by gain. We will also study condensate systems up to high temperatures, potentially in excess of 100K, and of the mechanisms underlying phase transitions to condensed states. The condensed state systems, besides their fundamental interest, also have potential as new forms of miniature coherent light sources.Nanofabrication will play a vital role enabling confinement of light on sub-wavelength length scales and fabrication of cavities for photons such that they have very long lifetimes before escaping. The ability to place high quality emitters within III-V nanophotonic structures will receive enhancement and potential world lead from a crystal growth machine we have recently commissioned, specially designed for this purpose, funded by the UK Quantum Technologies programme. Similar impact is expected from our ability to prepare 2D heterostructures (atomically thin layers of two separate materials placed one on top of the other) under conditions of ultrahigh vacuum free from contamination, enabling realisation of bound electron-hole pair states of very long lifetime, the route to condensation to high density states. The easy integration of 2D heterostructures with patterned photonic structures furthermore enables nonlinear and quantum phenomena to be studied, including in topological structures where light flow is immune to scattering by defects.Taken all together we have the ingredients in place to achieve ground-breaking advances in fundamental quantum photonics with considerable potential to underpin next generations of quantum technologies.

发光半导体材料和器件主导着日常生活的许多方面。它们的影响无处不在，例如互联网、大面积显示器、房间和街道照明等。它们的存在依赖于高质量的半导体结构，这些结构可以通过先进的晶体生长和复杂的纳米加工来制备。我们的提议旨在利用先进的生长和制造技术，在量子世界中实现类似的进步，在量子世界中，反直觉的行为通常仅受量子力学定律的支配。我们的总体目标是探索纳米器件在发生新型量子光子现象的情况下的行为，并有可能支撑下一代量子技术。我们专注于两个互补系统：具有高度完美晶格的 III-V 半导体，已被证明能够逐一发射光子和长相干量子态，以及原子薄的类石墨烯二维 (2D) 半导体，可实现新的能带结构，稳定的电子-空穴束缚态（激子）并且易于与图案结构集成。这两种材料系统的结合是强大的，可以实现从单光子水平到相互作用占主导地位的密集多粒子状态的现象。我们计划的一个重要部分侧重于片上几何结构，从而能够根据应用的需要进行扩展。我们使用的半导体系统与光子发生强烈的相互作用；我们将实现通常不相互作用的光子之间的相互作用。我们将进入高度非线性腔量子电动力学领域。激子（耦合的电子空穴对）和光子强烈相互作用，形成能级阶梯，导致片上产生少量光子态。通过将空腔耦合在一起，我们的目标是获得高度相关的光子态。这些进步可能是光子量子处理器和量子通信系统的重要组成部分。在类似的结构中，我们可以进入高密度区域，其中电子和空穴凝结成高度密集的状态（凝聚态）。我们的目标是回答有关平衡系统和损益平衡的非平衡系统中可能发生的相变类型的长期基本问题。我们还将研究最高温度（可能超过 100K）的凝聚系统，以及相变到凝聚态的机制。凝聚态系统除了其根本利益外，还具有作为新型微型相干光源的潜力。纳米加工将发挥至关重要的作用，使光能够限制在亚波长长度尺度上，并制造光子空腔，使它们具有很长的寿命。逃脱前的一生。我们最近委托专门为此目的设计的晶体生长机，由英国量子技术计划资助，将增强在 III-V 纳米光子结构中放置高质量发射器的能力，并具有潜在的世界领先地位。我们在无污染的超高真空条件下制备二维异质结构（两种独立材料的原子薄层，一层放置在另一种之上）的能力预计会产生类似的影响，从而实现非常长寿命的束缚电子空穴对状态，凝结成高密度态的途径。二维异质结构与图案化光子结构的轻松集成还可以研究非线性和量子现象，包括光流不受缺陷散射的拓扑结构。总之，我们已经具备了在以下领域取得突破性进展的要素：基础量子光子学具有支撑下一代量子技术的巨大潜力。