Director's Colloquium

Quantum nanophotonics with Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Professor Igor Aharonovich
University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
& ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems

Engineering robust solid-state quantum systems is amongst the most pressing challenges for realising scalable quantum photonic circuitry. While several 3D systems (such as diamond or GaAs) have been thoroughly studied, solid state emitters in two dimensional (2D) materials are still in their infancy.

In this talk, I will discuss the appeal of a van der Waals crystal – hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). This unique system possesses a large bandgap of ~6 eV and can host single defects that can act as ultra-bright quantum light sources. In addition, some of these defects exhibit spin dependent fluorescence that can be initialised and coherently manipulated. I will discuss in details various methodologies to engineer these defects and show their peculiar properties. Furthermore, I will discuss how hBN crystals can be carefully sculpted into nanoscale photonic resonators to confine and guide light at the nanoscale. Taking advantage of the unique 2D nature of hBN, I will also show promising avenues to integrate hBN emitters with silicon nitride photonic crystal cavities. All in all, hBN possesses all the vital constituents to become the leading platform for integrated quantum photonics. I will highlight the challenges and opportunities in engineering hBN quantum photonic devices within a broader context of the growing interest in 2D materials nanophotonics.


Professor Igor Aharonovich received his PhD in 2010 from the Univerrsity of Melbourne and spent two years in Harvard as a postdoctoral researcher in the group of Prof Evelyn Hu. In 2013, Igor joined the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) where he is currently a full Professor and the Node director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems. Igor’s group is focusing on exploring single emitters in wide band gap semiconductors, such as diamond and more recently hBN. His group is also interested in innovative approaches for nanofabrication of nanophotonics devices for quantum circuitry. It has members from 11 different countries, which forms a vibrant and dynamic environment. Igor’s numerous awards and recognitions include the 2017 Pawsey medal from the Australian Academy of Science, 2019 CN Yang Award for prominent research achievements in physics in the Asia Pacific region, and the 2020 Kavli foundation early career lectureship in materials science. He was also elected as a fellow of OPTICA in 2021.


Join the Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 941 1170 1666
Password: 664 425

Date & time

Tue 25 Oct 2022, 10.30–11.30am

Location

Physics Auditorium, Bldg. 160 & Via Zoom

Audience

Members of RSPE welcome

Contact

(02)61253798