Project Description

In this research project, we will explore the innovative field of quantum nonlinear photonics, offering opportunities for contributions with an experimental and/or theoretical emphasis. Our ongoing collaborative efforts focus on integrating highly-excited and strongly interacting Rydberg excitons in Cu2O with nanophotonic devices such as waveguides or resonators. Utilizing high-resolution laser spectroscopy techniques at cryogenic temperatures, we aim to investigate the coupling of Rydberg excitons to the optical modes of these nanophotonic devices. Additionally, we will perform photon correlation measurements to
examine the Rydberg-mediated interactions between photons. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics and scattering of these strongly correlated photons, we will develop a microscopic theory. This novel platform allows for the creation of photonic devices that exhibit optical nonlinearities at
the remarkably low scale of a few photons. Such advancements are significant for both fundamental research and technological applications, including quantum simulation of few-body or many-body physics, generation of non-classical states of light, quantum imaging, and metrology. 

Start Date

01/01/2025

Postdoc Qualifications

The potential candidate is expected to have a Ph.D. in Physics or related majors and be familiar with experimental/theoretical quantum optics and/or condensed matter physics. 

Co-advisors

Prof. Hadiseh Alaeian, Elmor Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Physics and Astronomy (https://engineering.purdue.edu/qnp)
Prof. Valentin Walther, Department of Chemistry, Department of Physics and Astronomy (https://www.science.purdue.edu/walther/index.html)

Collaborator

Prof. Yong Chen, Karl Lark-Horovitz Professor of Physics

Bibliography

1. The rise and fall of patterns in driven-dissipative Rydberg polaritons, ArXiv:2311.15091 (https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.15091)

2. Highly-excited Rydberg excitons in synthetic thin-film cuprous oxide, Sci. Rep. 13, 16881 (2023) (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-41465-y)

3. Quantum Light from Lossy Semiconductor Rydberg Excitons, Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 033607 (2023) (https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.033607)

4. Rydberg exciton–polaritons in a Cu2O microcavity, Nat. Mater. 21, 767 (2022) (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-022-01230-4)

5. Giant optical nonlinearities from Rydberg excitons in semiconductor microcavities, Nat. Commun. 9, 1309 (2018) (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03742-7)