NSF-SNSF: Probing Atomic-Scale Quantum Light Sources in Two-Dimensional Semiconductor/Metal Hybrid Platforms (SPARK)

About This Grant

Nontechnical Summary The SPARK project aims to address a critical need for new light sources to advance quantum information science by developing materials and tools for the generation of single photons from atomic-scale defects in ultra-thin semiconductors. These single photons serve as the basic units of information in next-generation quantum computing and secure communications. The activity is a collaboration between Penn State University and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology. It combines U.S. and international expertise in materials synthesis, microscopy, and quantum optics to examine how atoms embedded in two-dimensional semiconductors emit light. Understanding and controlling this process will help build new types of devices for communication and computing that are faster, more secure, and more energy-efficient than those used today. The project includes hands-on education and training for undergraduate and graduate students. A central education component is the creation of a new initiative called the Semiconductor Training and Research Initiatives for Veterans in Engineering - STRIVE. This program aims to provides U.S. military veterans with training in semiconductor research and manufacturing aligned with national workforce and security needs. Additional educational activities include specialized coursework, scientific writing workshops, and international exchange opportunities. These efforts ensure that students not only gain technical expertise but also develop communication and collaboration skills required in today’s global research environment. By integrating research and education, this project promotes innovation, international partnership, and workforce development in the rapidly growing field of quantum materials and technologies. Technical Summary The research investigates electrically controlled sources of single photons in atomic-scale materials known as two-dimensional semiconductors. The principal investigators aim to understand how defect complexes—such as missing atoms or foreign atoms embedded in the material—can act as stable and tunable quantum light emitters. The team studies monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, a class of materials only a few atoms thick, combined with atomically thin metallic layers that act as optical cavities to enhance photon emission. These hybrid semiconductor/metal structures are engineered with embedded atomic defects that can be addressed electrically and optically. The project uses a combination of advanced synthesis techniques, atomic-resolution scanning probe microscopy, ultrafast tunneling spectroscopy, and in situ optical characterization. The research team maps the relationship between the atomic structure of defects and their electronic and optical behavior at the single-photon level. A key focus is on understanding how energy is transferred between the semiconductor and metal interfaces and how this interaction affects the brightness, timing, and direction of emitted photons. The activity directly supports the goals of the Electronic and Photonic Materials program by advancing the fundamental understanding of light-matter interactions at the atomic scale and enabling the development of scalable platforms for quantum light generation. These insights lay the foundation for future applications in quantum communication, computing, and sensing. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.