QUOMATERS · Plasmonics of Quantum Materials: from surface plasmon condensation to quantum metamaterials
FP7 — People (Marie Curie Actions)
- Duration
- 2014-03-01 → 2017-07-31
- EU contribution
- €265,737
- Participants
- 2
- Scheme
- MC-IOF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Periodic Report Summary 1 - QUOMATERS (Plasmonics of Quantum Materials: from surface plasmon condensation to quantum metamaterials)
The overall goal of the QUOMATERS project is the exploitation of quantum materials for nanophotonic and optoelectronic devices. Quantum materials have properties that emerge from the interaction between their constituent units. In particular, the project explores two parallel routes that rely either on ensembles of quantum emitters or on novel solid-state materials, respectively, to harness their unique properties for light-matter interaction at the nanoscale. In relation to the first route based on ensembles of quantum emitters, the project has already resulted in a demonstration of strong light-matter coupling between silicon nanoantennas and molecular aggregates. Spectral splitting resulting from the interaction of both narrow resonators has been observed and quantified through experiments and simulations, therefore demonstrating that strong coupling can effectively modify the optoelectronic properties of a material. Regarding the second route based on novel solid-state systems, the project has studied the coupling of spins and plasmons by using transition metal dichalcogenides. Through simulations and experiments, spin-polarized light emission was coupled to plasmonic waveguide modes propagating in different directions. This provides a new way to bridge spintronics and nanophotonics, two promising technologies for the next generation of information processing. Additionally, during the project phase at the outgoing host institution, the researcher in the project also contributed to related efforts in semiconductor-based nanophotonics and in layered semiconductors, expanding the impact of the project. The final part of the project will be devoted to study light emission by many-emitter systems and on further exploiting the links between spins and plasmons offered by novel quantum materials. Both approaches to quantum materials for plasmonics will result in novel resources for the design of classical and quantum nanophotonic devices.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Interfacing quantum optics with nanotechnology could boost the prospects for the integration of scalable quantum information technologies. Quantum information processing is a key future technology that promises superior communication and computing performance beyond classical information. Any candidate to realize its full potential will require solid-state coherent units with long-range interactions. The most promising approaches rely on photons and spins.Recent demonstrations of the quantized character of surface plasmons – oscillations of electrons bound to photons – have spurred research in miniaturized quantum optics with plasmons, known as quantum plasmonics. Despite the interest, experiments aiming at nanoscale quantum circuits and communication with plasmons are still in their infancy because of the difficult generation of a coherent interaction between different single-plasmon nanosources.Here we propose a conceptually new route to quantum plasmonics that harnesses the properties of quantum materials. These are tunable quantum systems with properties that emerge from the strong interaction between coherent units, with macroscopic states that are determined by collective quantum many-body physics.We will create a unique quantum state: a Bose-Einstein condensate of surface plasmons for which quantum properties become apparent in a many-emitter system. This will allow the construction of a quantum metamaterial, a reconfigurable optical material that exploits coherence.Topological insulators – another fascinating quantum material that is metallic on its surface, insulating in its bulk and locks electronic spin to current direction – will be shown to support plasmons and spin-plasmons (a plasmon travelling with a spin wave). This will bridge spintronics and nanophotonics, the two most promising approaches for integrated quantum information.Both plasmonic quantum materials will be novel resources for classical and quantum nanophotonic devices.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN · EindhovenCoordinatorNetherlands
- FUNDACIO INSTITUT DE CIENCIES FOTONIQUES · CastelldefelsSpain
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union