Design of nanoscale light-matter interactions and nonlinear optical effects for applications in quantum technology

The aim of this project is to combine strategies in ultrafast nanophotonics and quantum optics to achieve new functionalities for photonic quantum technologies. The project combines computational studies of light matter interactions, design of nanostructures by deep learning artificial neural networks, with state of the art optical experiments. The experimental work focuses on the interaction of single and/or entangled photon states with nanostructured photonic environments. Linear optical studies of light transport through multiport optical waveguides with tailored programmable unitary matrix operations will be used to design new types of quantum networks. Additional ultrafast nonlinear optical interactions will be induced by an external pump laser to manipulate the quantum optical states by coupling to a dynamic material response. Experiments will be combined with application of theoretical model description as well as classical electromagnetic simulations in order to optimize the systems and drive new types of nonlinear quantum-optical effects that could be used in future implementations of quantum optical signal processing.