Engineering Nonlinear Interactions for Quantum Optical State Generation and Storage

Abstract: Implementation of a large-scale quantum communication network requires scalable and efficient quantum optical devices. Such devices typically involve optical centers or atoms, to control quantum optical information. The probabilistic nature of spontaneous sources or linear quantum memories severely limits the communication rate. Optical cavities are used to enhance the interaction probability and thus communication rate.  In this talk, I will describe our research effort utilizing both optical cavity effect and collective atom coupling to, in principle, enhance the nonlinear coupling beyond the cavity cooperativity limit. I will show that by creating arrays of rare earth ions inside micro-photonic devices, we can engineer light-atom interactions to harness collective and coherent light emission. If I have time, I will also describe another experiment where we use quantum light from a four-wave mixing light source for sensing thermoreflectivity in electronic devices.

Bio: Mahdi Hosseini is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University. He completed his Ph.D. and postdoctoral studies at the Australian National University (2012) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2016), respectively, where he studied quantum interactions of light with room-temperature and laser-cooled atomic gases.  He joined Purdue in Aug 2016. His group at Purdue investigates rare-earth photonics and room-temperature light-atom interfaces for quantum optical communication and sensing. He is a recipient of the 2022 NSF Career Award and the director of the IQPARC, a DoD-funded institute on quantum education.