Colloquia & Guest Speakers

From Single Plasmons to CMOS Compatible Spin-Photon Interfaces

Alexey Akimov, Russian Quantum Center, Moscow

Monday, March 2, 2015
3 p.m.–4 p.m.

Goergen 101, Sloan Auditorium

Abstract:

One of the key challenges in modern quantum information processing is enabling efficient transfer of quantum information stored in atomic-like system onto photon and vice versa. Photons are almost perfect information carriers, while atomic spins provide controllable system for performing operations or serve as memory. Building such an interface will find a lot of applications not only in quantum information processing and related question of long distance quantum communication, but also will be highly demanded for metrological and sensing applications.

Over the last few years we developed a number of approaches to spin-photons interfaces. This includes use of surface plasmons to deal with nanoscale quantum emitters, such as colloidal quantum dots or NV centers in diamond, photononic crystal cavities and nanoscale traps for single atoms. Recent fast development in the field of metamaterials opened a way to create new generation of light –spin interfaces out of hyperbolic metamatherial using CMOS compatible approach. Use on this material especially in combination with an optical fiber may open a way to create efficient and industry friendly interface for solid state spin systems, in our case NV centers in diamond. 

Bio:

Alexey graduated and then got his PhD from Moscow Institute for physics and technology in 2000 and 2003 correspondently. Starting from 1997 he joined the laboratory for active media at Lebedev Physical Institute. His research was focused on narrow optical resonances and its applications for metrology, both using hot and laser cooled atoms. In 2006, keeping a part time position at Lebedev he joined to Misha Lukin group at Harvard, where he started work with plasmons, quantum dots and NV centers. Main focus of this activity was light-spin interfaces and solid state nanophotonics. In particular, novel approach on using plasmon nanowires for light collection and Purcell enchantment of nano emitters was realized. In 2010 he was involved in Russian Quantum center (RQC) initiative and became its acting director for first 2 years of the Center development. Currently he is Principal Investigator at RQC, where he is conducting research in both fields of cold atoms and solid state spin systems.