VALERIA - Van der Waals materials for integrated nanophotonics

ID Call: HORIZON-EIC-2024-PATHFINDEROPEN-01-01 EIC Pathfinder Open

Sapienza's role in the project: Coordinatore

Scientific supervisor for Sapienza: Antonio Polimeni

Department: Physics

Project start date: May 1, 2025

Project end date: April 30, 2029

Abstract:

Integrated quantum photonics is pivotal for advancing quantum technologies from the laboratory to real-world applications. Photonic circuits rely on components such as single-photon emitters, waveguides and beam splitters to process quantum signals. To minimise circuit size and energy consumption, photonic circuits should integrate a large number of components on a single chip. However, finding a single material that can be used as a single-photon emitter and a medium for photon transmission is challenging. The EIC-funded VALERIA project aims to use nanostructured van der Waals crystals to create a single-material platform for realising on-chip photonic quantum devices. The ultimate goal is to fabricate a device from a single crystal that integrates single-photon emitters with photonic components, enabling compact and efficient quantum photonic devices.

UNIROMA1 will coordinate the project and supervise the project scientific and administrative progress. UNIROMA1 will perform H-ion irradiation of van der Waals materials by a low-energy (10 eV) Kaufmann source that allows the formation of micro-/nano-domes in TMDs and h-BN [1-3] hosting single photon emitters (SPEs). The optical characterisation activities of UNIROMA1 are meant to provide a first feedback just after the H-induced SPE formation and will be strongly interconnected with investigations performed by all the other partners.

[1] E. Blundo et al., Experimental Adhesion Energy in van der Waals Crystals and Heterostructures from Atomically Thin Bubbles, Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 046101 (2021)
[2] D. Tedeschi et al., Controlled micro/nanodome formation in proton-irradiated bulk transition-metal dichalcogenides, Adv. Mater. 31, 1903795 (2019)
[3] S. Cianci et al., Spatially controlled single photon emitters in hBN-capped WS2 domes, Adv. Opt. Mater. 11, 2202953 (2023).