Summary
An efficient source of terahertz radiation has the potential to improve characterization methods for drugs, proteins and bacteria, enable ultra-fast wireless data transfer over short distances for use in “smart factories”, and offer enhanced detection capabilities with the ability to see through packaging. However, terahertz light is particularly difficult to produce, and existing sources remain too bulky and power-hungry for widespread application.
We are working to develop more compact and efficient terahertz light sources using polaritons – hybrid particles consisting of a photon coupled strongly with a material excitation. This approach utilizes a plethora of quantum phenomena, from trapped photons, to quasiparticles, to Bose-Einstein condensation. By exploiting these unconventional effects we hope to pave the way towards a long-awaited practical source of terahertz light.
Related Content
Developing Tools for Quantum Characterization and Validation
Summary Coherence is essential for quantum computation; yet it introduces a unique sensitivity to any imperfections in hardware design, control systems, and the operating environment. Overcoming these sensitivities requires a hierarchy of strategies, ranging from optimization of the hardware architecture to software solutions including quantum error correction. Randomized Benchmarking Protocols are an important family of […]
October 3, 2017
Two-Dimensional Quantum Materials and Heterostructures
Two-dimensional (2D) layers just one atom thick can be stripped from certain materials, such as graphene.
June 1, 2017
Engineering and Characterizing Programmable Interaction Graphs in a Trapped Ion Quantum Simulator
Summary Quantum simulators have the potential to bring unprecedented capabilities in areas such as the discovery of new materials and drugs. Engineering precise and programmable interaction graphs between qubits or spins forms the backbone of simulator applications. The trapped ion system is unique in that the interaction graph between qubits can be programmed, in […]
July 24, 2018
Quantum Simulation of Strongly Coupled Field Theories
Strongly-coupled field theories describe both fundamental and applied quantum problems.
August 10, 2017