Towards single-photon nonlinear nanophotonics with broad emitters (Conference Presentation)

Abstract

Quantum optical nonlinearities have received growing interest for their key role in quantum information science, quantum simulations, and other quantum technologies. Unfortunately, most materials exhibit very weak optical nonlinearities, virtually non-existent at the single photon level. Nano-scale optical resonators can store light for a long period of time in cubic-wavelength scale volume, and thus present a unique opportunity to enhance the light-matter interaction. Additionally, breakthroughs in materials science allow us to engineer inherently strong nonlinear materials. In this talk, I will present our theoretical and experimental efforts in nonlinear nanophotonics, integrated with atomically thin 2D materials, specifically transition metal dichalcogenides and solution-processed quantum dots. By confining both light and matter in the wavelength scale, we aim to reach the nonlinear regime, where single photons start repelling each other. I will also elaborate on the possibility of scaling this platform to multiple single photon quantum nodes with the possibility of creating a correlated quantum fluid of light.