ENOSIS · ENhancing and prObing Strong light-matter Interactions in 2D materials by ultrafaSt optical techniques
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-06-01 → 2023-05-31
- EU contribution
- €171,473
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
ENhancing and prObing Strong light-matter Interactions in 2D materials by ultrafaSt optical techniques
Light technologies are the key enabler for broad trends of society such as Internet of Things, big data, artificial intelligence, autonomous transportation and robotics. For example, IBM predicts that future computing hardware will not be based on standard silicon transistors but on optical circuits, enabling significant advances in computing speed, with lower energy dissipations, creating entirely new digital technologies, which rely on the classical and quantum properties of light. Strong light-matter coupling in microcavities comprising atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and their stacked bilayers could lead to radically innovative photonic devices which merge the properties of polaritons, arising from the mix of excitons and photons confined in microresonators, with the outstanding properties of TMD excitons. Highly non-linear polariton devices, potentially covering large areas, could be building blocks of future photonic circuits. The main goal of this project is to enable and enhance the most advantageous properties of polaritons in TMD-based devices, by developing novel structures to be characterized with advanced optical spectroscopies. To this aim, microcavities embedding TMD monolayers (MLs) and bilayers (BLs) have been fabricated during this project and characterized by innovative hyperspectral microscopy techniques. Moreover, ultrafast spectroscopy revealed intriguing valley polarization phenomena in TMDs and distinctly different dynamics of hybridized interlayer excitons in bilayers. The SC between hybridized excitons in TMD bilayers and microcavity photons allowed to merge their favourable properties, leading to increased polaritonic interactions.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Strong coupling (SC) between light and matter in microcavities has shown to produce striking phenomena such as lasing at low power thresholds, Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) and superfluidity in the solid state. Embedding transitional metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) monolayers and their heterostructures (HSs) with valley pseudo-spin degree of freedom in microcavities could bring enormous advantages. ENOSIS will enable and enhance the most favourable properties of SC in TMD-based devices, by investigating novel structures with advanced optical techniques relying on ultrafast spectroscopy and hyperspectral microscopy. To this aim, microcavities embedding TMD monolayers and HSs will be fabricated and characterized by developing new microscopy tools, which can provide fast and comprehensive information about the morphological and spectral properties of the samples. Ultrafast spectroscopic techniques will then reveal the subtle mechanisms behind the valley polarization enhancement in TMDs in the SC regime, towards a further increase of valley coherence time. Strong non-linear phenomena could then be observed in these structures for the first time, eventually resulting in BEC at high temperatures. ENOSIS will equip the Researcher with new knowledge and skills in ultrafast optical science and technology, thus broadening his scientific background and enhancing his prospects as an independent researcher. At the same time, the Action and the Host Institution will benefit from the advanced knowledge in 2D materials and strong light-matter interactions acquired by the Researcher during his scientific career. ENOSIS promises to open new horizons for 2D materials in optoelectronics, by enhancing their properties through strong light-matter interactions, creating novel highly non-linear optical devices which could become the building blocks for future optical circuits and computers.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- POLITECNICO DI MILANO · MilanoCoordinatorItaly
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union