May 28 (Thu) @ 10:00am: "Engineering and Control of Deterministic Single-Photon Sources for Quantum Photonics," Sahil Patel, ECE PhD Defense

Location: Henley Hall (HH), Room 1010
Zoom Meeting: https://ucsb.zoom.us/j/4913466061

Abstract

Quantum technologies require light sources that can generate single photons with high purity, stability, efficiency, and scalability. Solid-state quantum emitters provide a promising route toward these capabilities because they can be integrated with photonic, electronic, and acoustic devices, enabling compact platforms for quantum networking, quantum computing, quantum sensing, and secure communication. However, realizing practical quantum photonic systems requires overcoming key challenges in emitter formation, spectral uniformity, device integration, and dynamic control.

In this talk, I will present several approaches for engineering and controlling deterministic quantum light sources. First, I will discuss near-infrared color centers in hexagonal boron nitride, including defect generation, quantum optical characterization, and benchmarking of the platform. I will then present surface-acoustic-wave cavity optomechanics with atomically thin hBN and WSe₂ emitters, demonstrating dynamic strain coupling between confined acoustic phonons and two-dimensional single-photon emitters. Finally, I will describe diffusion-driven formation of III-V InAs/GaAs quantum dots, where engineered strain landscapes and adatom diffusion dynamics guide quantum-dot nucleation toward preferential locations. Together, these efforts advance a path toward scalable quantum photonic hardware based on deterministic emitters that can be generated, controlled, and integrated for quantum networking, computing, sensing, and secure communication. 

Bio

Sahil is a Ph.D. candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC Santa Barbara, advised by Professor Galan Moody. He received his B.Sc. in Engineering Physics from the University of Alberta in 2020 and his M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from UC Santa Barbara in 2022. His research focuses on quantum optics, spectroscopy, and device integration of deterministic single-photon sources, including color centers in two-dimensional materials and III-V quantum dots.

Hosted By: ECE Professor Galan Moody

Submitted By: Sahil Patel <sdpatel@ucsb.edu>