“Utilizing Quantum Geometry and Topology for Enabling Integrated Chiral Photonics”

Classical and quantum computing devices need to ferry vast amounts of data, and optical interconnects provide a promising approach allowing faster speeds and larger bandwidths. Critical interconnect components are light sources, waveguides and detectors. Currently, the information is encoded in intensity and frequency but other degrees of freedom (DOFs) such as photon spin and spatial orbital angular momentum modes (OAM) should be utilized to enhance the capacity of optical links. Therefore, new photonic materials and devices that can produce, transmit and detect light with complex polarization and spatial modes are needed. This is non-trivial as most materials are insensitive to chiral light. In this talk, Dr. Agarwal will discuss recent developments towards the development of on-chip lasers, waveguides and photodetectors that are sensitive to photon spin and OAM modes. By protecting or breaking certain symmetries and utilizing the quantum geometry of the engineered system, new devices will be discussed that can enable the development of integrated chiral photonic systems.

Read the full award announcement here. More information about the Heilmeier Award can be found here.