Grant: Canada Excellence Research Chairs

OBJECTIVES. The high-level vision is to gain new knowledge of the properties of microscopic systems made of many interacting particles in the solid state, which will empower the discovery and implementation of new materials for quantum emission for example, from devices that emit light as single particles termed photons, necessary for certain quantum information technologies. Specifically, this research addresses (i) mechanisms by which light-induced excited states interact in a complex, fluctuating environment to determine the material optical properties; (ii) the utilization of quantum properties of light as a molecular spectroscopy, in which changes of the photon quantum state are measured as a result of light-matter interactions and many-body processes; (iii) the transduction of the well-defined quantum state of light to matter in order to generate light-matter particles with a quantum state that can be manipulated via many-body interactions in matter, and thereby form quantum gates; (iv) knowledge of how electronic and magnetic particles interact such that the quantum state of each particle cannot be described independently of the state of the other — termed quantum entanglement. RESEARCH APPROACH. Laser pulses shorter than a millionth of a billionth of a second interact with matter to isolate interparticle coupling and their interaction with their dynamic environment, and to time-resolve these interactions. In parallel, entangled light will be generated and exploited to sensitively and selectively probe particle-particle couplings. The parallel ultrafast and quantum-optical spectroscopies are combined with theory to unravel the intricate details of the many-body phenomena that drives the materials function in quantum technologies. NOVELTY AND SIGNIFICANCE. The focus on highly complex, tunable, processable materials as “quantum materials”, combined with the advanced optical spectroscopic approach, is novel. This program aims to facilitate the next significant breakthroughs in fundamental aspects of condensed-matter physics, materials science, and ultimately, in quantum optoelectronic technologies in a broader quantum information context. The optimal choice of materials for such novel technologies relies on a profound understanding of their interaction with light, as well as their many-body properties in a high excitation density regime. The requested funds will be used to support high-impact research work of highly qualified personnel, thereby contributing to the intellectual capital and scientific infrastructure of Canada, where quantum technologies will grow in significance.