ECCS-0757975 H. Gibbs, University of Arizona
Intellectual Merit: Solid-state entanglement on a chip is one way to describe strong coupling between a single quantum dot and a photonic crystal slab nanocavity. Unlike an atom trapped in a cavity, the quantum dot is fixed in its position within the monolithic nanocavity. Therefore, the interaction is time independent, making manipulations easier and predictable. The planar slab technology lends itself to waveguide interconnections on the chip and fiber interconnections between chips, suggesting great potential for applications in nanophotonics and quantum information science. Specific goals include deterministic placement of a single quantum dot in the antinode of the cavity field and efficient coupling of a nanocavity to a photonic crystal waveguide. These nanodevices are the technological limit of the nonlinear etalon: a single photon can control another photon. Nonlinear optics at the level of one photon and one quantum dot is exciting and should be explored and developed fully.
Broader Impacts: This research will likely have an additional impact on the photonics and nanostructure industries: they hire most of our students. Under this grant two graduate students, including one African-American, will be trained in the techniques of nanotechnology and nanoscience and educated in the fundamentals of quantum optics, quantum entanglement, and quantum information science. This project will further solidify the productive collaboration with Axel Scherer's renowned photonic crystal fabrication group at Caltech. This research will contribute significantly to the knowledge base required to implement quantum information processing in the real world and improve the performance of entangled sources.
