Grant: Alliance Grants

The overarching goal of the proposed project is to develop an advanced platform for generating and manipulating quantum photon states and to the state-of-the-art in semiconductor quantum optics. Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) based single photon sources (SPSs) are considered ideal building blocks for various quantum technologies, including quantum communication, quantum computing, and quantum sensing. Group III-nitrides compound semiconductors (GaN and related alloys) exhibit unique properties, including wide tunable bandgaps, excitonic binding energy, and wafer scale manufacturability. Compared to conventional atoms/ions and defects-based single photon sources, III-nitride QDs can deterministically generate high-brightness, high-purity single photons and entangled photon pairs on demand. To this end, we propose developing group III-nitrides-based QDs whose quantum emission properties can be controllably tuned over a broad spectrum at room temperature. We will develop site-controlled InGaN/(Al)GaN QDs embedded in nanowire waveguides to achieve this goal. It will enable the development of a quantum photonic integrated circuits (QPIC) platform, beneficial for next-generation on-chip quantum communication. This project also involves close collaboration with Xanadu, CMC Microsystems, OEC, and Numana, who are commercially active in the quantum sector and are committed to this project. This project will enable the collaborative training of at least 5 PhD students, 2 postdocs, 2 MSc students, and more than 6 undergraduate students in theoretical design, semiconductor nanofabrication, and optical spectroscopy. We strongly believe launching such a multidisciplinary project is of immense importance and is poised to provide a paradigm shift in Canada's quantum science and technology sector.