QMPH: Modeling of a Photonic Crystal Hosting a Quantum Network Made of Single Spins in Quantum Dots that Interact via Single Photons

The University Of Central Florida Board Of Trustees, Orlando FL

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal Number: 0725514 Proposal Title: QMHP: Modeling of a Photonic Crystal Hosting a Quantum Network Made of Single Spins in Quantum Dots that Interact via Single Photons PI Name: Schoenfeld, Winston V. PI Institution: University of Central Florida Objective This project is a collaboration between a device oriented experimentalist and a quantum modeler. Together they plan to build a new model to use, in proving that they can achieve quantum teleportation and secure quantum communication by using a new hardware approach that they have pioneered. They will need a new kind of model, computing coupling effects which have been missed in older simpler types of model, in order to go from the device-level work they have done in the past, to the systems-level challenge of designing and simulating an entire quantum communications system. The new hardware approach involves the entanglement of photon polarization and electron spin, for the spin of an electron in a quantum dot inside a nanocavity, with nanocavities embedded in a photonic crystal containing waveguides that connect the nanocavities. Intellectual Merit The PIs will develop a new simulation model capable of capturing the entangled behavior of the new type of quantum network system they are proposing to study. To build this model, they will first use partial wave and FTDT methods to calculate the spectrum of photons available, coupling strengths and other parameters. Next, they will insert these inputs and parameters into an augmented Jaynes-Cumming model, a quantum field theory Hamiltonian augmented by a dipole interaction term; this extra term will require that they perform a dynamic simulation (instead of just calculating a static equilibrium), and use a master equation based on the Wigner formalism for the actual computations. Broader Benefits The PIs will use their new model as a tool in education. The tool will be used both in real-time visualization of the process of entanglement of the entire system of qubits (electron-photon-electron), and in real-time visualization of the evolution of the state of each individual qubit (which makes it possible to explore the flow of quantum information within the quantum network). The plans for education and outreach range from museum demonstration and presentation, to regular K-12 participation at Partin Elementary School and University High School, to summer research opportunities for undergraduates at Bethune-Cookman (an historically black college), and to new activities at the universities NanoScience Technology Center.