Venue: Nash Lecture Theatre, King’s College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

1400- 1445 Professor Vladimir M Shalaev, Purdue University -Scalable Quantum Photonics with Single-Photon Emitters in Silicon Nitride

1445-1515 Coffee break

1515-1600 Professor Alexandra Boltasseva, Purdue University  – Plasmonics for Sustainable Technologies and Green Energy: From Materials to Machine-Learning Assisted Designs

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Scalable Quantum Photonics with Single-Photon Emitters in Silicon Nitride  – Vladimir M. Shalaev

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology Center and Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA.

The Quantum Science Center (QSC), a National Quantum Information Science Research Center of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge, TN 37931, USA.

Recently, we discovered intrinsic quantum emitters in silicon nitride (SiN), which provide bright and high-purity single-photon emission at room temperature and the capability of seamless integration with SiN photonic waveguides. We established methods of creation of these quantum emitters and performed foundational photophysical studies at room and cryogenic temperatures. We explore the possibility of generating indistinguishable photons at high repetition rates at cryo-temperatures as well as at room temperature, with the use of plasmonic metamaterials, which may enable broader applications of SiN quantum emitters. Plasmonic speed-up of spontaneous emission rate beyond the rate of quantum decoherence processes may enable the generation of indistinguishable photons that could enable important quantum photonics applications, including quantum communication and quantum computing.

Plasmonics for Sustainable Technologies and Green Energy: From Materials to Machine-Learning Assisted Designs – Alexandra Boltasseva

Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology Center and Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

The Quantum Science Center (QSC), a National Quantum Information Science Research Center of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge, TN 37931, USA

The recent advent of robust, refractory (having a high melting point and chemical stability at temperatures above 2000°C) photonic materials such as plasmonic ceramics, specifically, transition metal nitrides (TMNs), MXenes and transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) is currently driving the development of durable, compact, chip-compatible devices for sustainable energy, harsh-environment sensing, information technology, aerospace, chemical and oil & gas industries. These materials offer high-temperature and chemical stability, great tailorability of their optical properties, strong plasmonic behavior, optical nonlinearities, and high photothermal conversion efficiencies. In this lecture, I discuss advanced machine-learning-assisted photonic designs, materials optimization, and fabrication approaches for the development of efficient thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems, lightsail spacecrafts, and high-T sensors utilizing TMN metasurfaces. We also explore the potential of TMNs (titanium nitride, zirconium nitride) and TCOs for switchable photonics, high-harmonic-based XUV generation, refractory metasurfaces for energy conversion, high-power applications, photodynamic therapy and photocatalysis. The development of environmentally-friendly, large-scale fabrication techniques will be discussed, and the emphasis will be put on novel machine-learning-driven design frameworks that leverage the emerging quantum solvers for meta-device optimization and bridge the areas of materials engineering, photonic design, and quantum technologies.