Project description
Controlling quantum dot generation in 2D materials
Quantum light emitters – quantum dots – have attracted a great deal of interest for many varied applications including quantum communication. However, their random occurrences in conventional III-V compound semiconductor materials make it difficult to produce quantum arrays close together, while maintaining the high quality of quantum light sources. The EU-funded PEGASOS project will create large scale arrays of these quantum emitters in less conventional semiconductors: atomically thin 2D materials. Their technique will enable them to produce large quantities of robust single photon emitters on demand. The deterministic generation of quantum sources will create new opportunities for hybrid structures of photonic and electronic functions layered together. The quantum arrays will be fully scalable and compatible with silicon chip fabrication.
Objective
Single photons play in important part in the development of quantum technologies, particularly in the fields of communication and networks. There are many potential candidates of single-photon sources with varying degrees of quality and efficiency, and there is a collective push towards catapulting solid-state quantum light sources into real applications needed for the development of quantum technologies. To that end, the current ERC Consolidator Grant (from which this PoC proposal draws highly) focuses on semiconductor spin-photon interfaces and aims to develop them where milestones such as distant spin qubit entanglement can be demonstrated. While the majority of the deliverables have been reached, the key challenge of scalability still causes concern for conventional III-V-based semiconductor quantum dots. Conventional semiconductor quantum dots individually have stellar optical properties, but their random occurrence and their requirement to be embedded deep inside the host semiconductor makes it difficult to devise large-scale on-chip quantum devices with integrated photonic circuitry beyond a few quantum dots. During the ERC Consolidator Grant we have invented a completely new way to create quantum dots in other, less conventional semiconductors: atomically thin 2d materials. With this technique we are able to create very large quantum dot arrays with unprecedented location accuracy and comfortably in the thousands and have demonstrated all-electrical triggering of single photons. The invention is patented and there is a very recent spin-off company aiming to commercialise this system for high-yield large-band with quantum light sources. The immediate application areas are space QKD and quantum random number generation.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesquantum physics
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materialstwo-dimensional nanostructures
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcomputer hardwarequantum computers
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssemiconductivity
- natural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsphotons
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum PilotHost institution
CB2 1TN Cambridge
United Kingdom