Imperial College London

Dr Alex S. Clark

Faculty of Natural SciencesDepartment of Physics

Academic Visitor
 
 
 
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Contact

 

alex.clark Website

 
 
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Location

 

Blackett 211Blackett LaboratorySouth Kensington Campus

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Summary

 

Overview

My research focuses on the use of organic molecules for quantum photonic applications, including:

  • Efficient sources of photons - we are using optical micro- and nano-cavities to enhance the collection of photons from organic molecules. A bright deterministic photon source brings quantum technologies such as secure communication, quantum sensing and computation within reach.
  • A long-lived quantum memory - we are building an interface between atoms and cold organic molecules to form a hybrid quantum technology, as well as investigating long-lived quantum states in single molecules which could be used to store photons.
  • Quantum gates and nonlinearities - a single molecule well coupled to a single optical mode behaves as a highly nonlinear material, to the point where it can mediate a photon-photon interaction, which is at the heart of many quantum information processing schemes.
  • Single molecules as mediators between various quantum systems - single organic molecules have transitions at many wavelengths, spanning the visible spectrum for singlet transitions, through to the near infrared for phosphorescence, terahertz transitions between vibrational levels, all the way to microwave transitions between different spin-triplet levels. This large variation can be exploited to link disparate quantum systems, such as superconducting qubits, trapped ions, and defects in solid crystals.

Research Student Supervision

Boissier,S, Nanophotonic enhancements of molecular photon sources

Grandi,S, Waveguide coupling of single photons from a solid-state quantum emitter

Polisseni,C, Novel method for sub-wavelength thin film growth for single photon emission from dye molecules