Quantum Semiconductor Structures Dressed with Terahertz Cavity Photons

Cavity quantum electrodynamics (cQED) deals with an ensemble of two-level atoms coupled with a single mode of electromagnetic fields in a cavity. The theory of atomic cQED is well-developed, allowing one to make precise predictions for the quantum dynamics of atom–photon hybrids, indispensable for realizing quantum transduction, entanglement generation, and single-photon emission. Recent years have witnessed significant advancements in condensed matter cQED, i.e., studies of coherent coupling of solids with cavity photons. Because of the giant dipole moments associated with resonances in solids, compared to atomic dipoles, uncharted regimes of strong and ultrastrong coupling are currently explored in various systems, which in turn offer unconventional ways of modifying and controlling material properties with light. Semiconductors – especially quantum semiconductor structures – offer a variety of engineerable platforms for cQED studies due to their highly tunable properties and well-established fabrication techniques. Both high-quality-factor cavities and resonant transitions can be designed and achieved using artificial semiconductor structures. In this dissertation work, we have investigated several cQED phenomena in semiconductor-based cavities containing low-dimensional semiconductor materials. First, we demonstrated the simultaneous ultrastrong coupling of two photonic modes with the cyclotron resonance of a two-dimensional electron gas in GaAs in a three-dimensional photonic-crystal cavity. Second, we designed and simulated a chiral one-dimensional photonic-crystal cavity with broken time-reversal symmetry using magnetoplasmons in lightly doped semiconductors. Finally, we investigated heavy-mass Landau polaritons in a wide-gap semiconductor GaN in the ultrastrong coupling regime. These results highlight the advantages of semiconductor platforms in uncovering novel phenomena and phases in condensed matter systems dressed with cavity photons and developing cavity-based devices for quantum technology.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Applied Physics

Grantor

Rice University

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Tay, Fu Yang

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Kono, Junichiro

• cavity quantum electrodynamics
• semiconductors
• ultrastrong coupling

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1911/116146

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.rice.edu:1911/116146