Tunable Nanoengineered Transition Metal Dichalcogenides for Quantum Nanophotonics

Introduction

In optical quantum computing, qubits are encoded on single indistinguishable photons emitted by single-photon sources (SPSs). The computation is carried out by interfering single photons and by measuring the output using single-photon detectors.

Challenges in Optical Quantum Computing

A scalable optical quantum computer requires many individual SPSs emitting indistinguishable single photons. However, different SPSs emit light at slightly different wavelengths due to fabrication imperfections. This issue can be resolved by implementing an active control for each SPS to ensure the generation of completely identical photons.

Despite recent progress, active control of individual SPSs still remains one of the biggest challenges in future quantum technologies.

Vision for On-Chip Integration

Moreover, the vision of constructing an on-chip platform by integrating SPSs, waveguides, and detectors into a single planar chip is challenging due to the complicated integration of the conventional material platforms.

Project Objectives

The TuneTMD project aims at developing a tunable on-chip integrated optical circuit using fully nanoengineered mono- and multilayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), and performing Hong-Ou-Mandel experiments on-chip.

Hypothesis

I hypothesize that unique optical and physical properties of multilayer TMDs such as:

1. High refractive index
2. Low loss at telecom range
3. Active tuning capability
4. Easy integration between different types of TMDs

Combined with optimized nanopatterning techniques, make nanoengineered TMDs the ideal semiconductor platform to build tunable, on-chip, fully integrated quantum optical circuits.

Methodology

I will exploit my expertise in nanophotonics and 2D materials to fabricate novel TMD photonic devices, e.g. SPS, waveguide, beamsplitter, and detector. Then I will integrate them on a chip to construct fully integrated quantum optical circuits.

Demonstration

Finally, to demonstrate the ground-breaking nature of the proposed platform, I will perform a Hong-Ou-Mandel experiment with two tunable sources.