Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Excitonic 2D Metasurfaces for Active Multifunctional Flat Optics

Project description

2D metasurfaces for tunable, multifunctional optical elements

Recent research indicates that thin, nanostructured optical coatings can fulfil the same functions as traditional optical components. However, existing metasurface optical elements are static, necessitating the development of dynamically controllable optical elements. The ERC-funded ExMAM project aims to establish a new class of tunable and multifunctional optical elements by integrating advancements in 2D material science, quantum physics, and nanophotonics. This initiative will utilise monolayer 2D quantum materials to actively adjust the optical response of innovative nonlocal metasurfaces. The project will investigate the interaction between localised excitons and delocalised optical modes, facilitating the creation of highly compact optical elements with electrically tunable capabilities. This approach holds promise for applications in optical communication, augmented reality, and computational imaging.

Objective

Can light fields be manipulated by a single atomic layer? Can quantum mechanical effects in monolayer materials be harnessed to realize dynamic optical elements? Recent work has demonstrated that light-weight and ultra-thin nanostructured optical coatings (metasurfaces) can perform the same optical functions as conventional bulky optical components. Despite these advances, metasurface optical elements have remained static. At the same time, newly emerging and future applications require optical elements with dynamic control of their functionality.

Here, I propose to lay the foundations of a completely new class of tunable and multifunctional optical elements by combining recent developments in 2D material science, quantum physics, and nanophotonics, resulting in highly novel excitonic 2D metasurfaces.

Building on my strong expertise in the fields of optical metasurfaces and 2D material physics, I will employ monolayer 2D quantum materials to actively tune the optical response of novel nonlocal metasurfaces. These atomically-thin materials exhibit a strong quantum-mechanical exciton resonance in the visible spectral range, even at room temperature.

Using electrical control over this exciton resonance, I will study the interplay of localized excitons and delocalized optical modes. Next, I will realize ultracompact optical elements with electrically-tunable functionality. Finally, I will develop novel methods to combine stacked metasurfaces in compound meta-optics that offer multifunctional dynamic optical components.

The excitonic 2D metasurfaces open new routes to study the unconventional properties of quantum materials in quantum optics, nanophotonics, and solid-state physics. At the same time, the results of this project open an entirely new approach for the design of actively-tunable multifunctional flat optical components with applications in optical communication, augmented reality, and computational imaging.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2023-STG

See all projects funded under this call

Host institution

UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 499 985,00
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 499 985,00

Beneficiaries (1)

My booklet 0 0