Planar optical nanocavities and their coupling to quantum emitters for on-chip photonics

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Hubert Johannes Krenner
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2011 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 181163385

This project focuses on the realization of planar nanophotonic circuits comprising of highquality optical nanocavities and waveguides and their coupling to quantum emitters for onchip photonics. We follow a combined strategy based on one side on a technologically advanced, semiconductor-based system fabricated in a top-down process and on the other hand a novel approach using ion beam implantation. This ion beam implantation approach overcomes inherent limitations for the realization of complex photonic circuits since it relies on flexible bottom-up assembly of the final structure. For the semiconductor based approach we aim for the demonstration of tunable interactions between quantum emitters and nanocavities and interconnected networks comprising multiple nanocavities and embedded emitters. We will apply the mechanical deformation induced by a surface acoustic wave to tune the interaction between the emitter and the optical cavity with speeds faster than the underlying optical processes and, therefore, allowing for “real-time” monitoring and control of these structures. For the ion beam implanted structures suitable for the reuqired basic elements for (i) the passive photonic environment and (ii) the emitter have to be identified. These systems will be fully characterized with respect to their dielectric (e.g. refractive index) and emission properties (e.g. single photon emission). This characterization gives us a “toolbox” at hand from which we chose combinations for the assembly of complex and functional nanophotonic elements for which we can build on the expertise from the advanced semiconductor based system.

• DFG Programme: Independent Junior Research Groups
• Major Instrumentation: Monochromator with InGaAs array detector ; Monochromator with Silicon deep-depleted CCD detector
• Instrumentation Group: 5650 Monochromatoren (außer Röntgen- 405)