Research
Research topics
The quantum science and technology of light, from infrared to x-rays, for probing materials: nascent light source developments to enhance sensing and metrology, and to unveil novel light-matter interactions.
Advances in the preparation and control of quantum states and systems have enabled a broad scientific endeavor and use-inspired applications. There is an anticipation that the principles of quantum entanglement and superposition of quantum objects (e.g., photons, atoms, ions, and other materials) will significantly transform numerous fields with tangible real-world applications (so-called Quantum 2.0 or The Second Quantum Revolution) such as quantum sensing. Using light for sensing through imaging, microscopy, spectroscopy, and interferometry has been crucial. Quantum imaging, for instance, seeks to leverage the quantum advantage of quantum optical states to surpass the shot-noise limit of conventional imaging. Our research is related to the following areas:
Quantum science and technology: quantum optics, quantum imaging, quantum sensing, and quantum metrology.
Imaging science: coherent imaging of (nano)materials, structures/functions, condensed matter samples, and biological/plant specimens.
Light-matter interactions: optical physics using lasers, extreme ultraviolet (EUV/XUV) light, and soft x-rays. Topology in optics and topological photonics.
Our innovative research integrates, utilizes, and improves the following Nobel-winning sciences and technologies in a new way:
2023 Nobel Prize in Physics (Attosecond pulses, high-harmonic generation, and electron dynamics)
2022 Nobel Prize in Physics (Entangled photons & quantum information science)
2018 Nobel Prize in Physics (Generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses)
2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (Super-resolution microscopy with structured illumination)
1901(!) Nobel Prize in Physics (The discovery of the remarkable rays, now called x-rays)
Our lab is also interested in using both classical and quantum light sources (from infrared to x-rays) to probe matter. The phenomena of interest include electron dynamics in atoms and molecules, phonon dynamics in 2D/nano/quantum/ materials, spin dynamics in magnetic materials, and the structures/functions of biomaterials and plant specimens.
Research area keywords: atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics; condensed matter physics; quantum optics; nonlinear optics; ultrafast science; imaging science; x-ray science.
Current quantum science project 1
Exploring quantum mimicry via classically entangled light for enhanced bioimaging
Background--There has been growing evidence that quantum illumination via entangled photon pairs can enhance imaging depth, resolution, and sensitivity.
Challenge/motivation--However, the lack of bright, decoherence-immune quantum illumination severely limits their practical use in many bioimaging and biosensing applications. Goal--This project aims to test the use of classical light to perform quantum mimicry to overcome some of the inherent limitations of quantum imaging.
Methods--Through the creation of new methods of realizing quantum-inspired classical entanglement (also called mode entanglement), this project aims to develops robust, bright quantum-like imaging protocols that could potentially bring quantum advantages to real-world imaging applications. More specifically, our work aims to utilize advance forms of light pulses that possesses properties such as orbital angular momentum (OAM), spin angular momentum, time-varying, and spatio-temporal OAM, in an interferometric configuration to improve the performance of depth-resolved optical coherence tomography (OCT). The cross-sectional imaging capabilities of OCT has found important usage in the biomedical field, healthcare and non-destructive 3D examination of specimens. However, large scattering and absorption remain as fundamental obstacles that limit the amount of information that OCT could extract. Enabling quantum advantages with classical light sources could therefore bring about widespread benefits to the field of optical bioimaging and sensing.
Current quantum science project 2
Towards Quantum Light Beyond Visible and Infrared Spectra
Background--The so-called quantum advantage has been successfully demonstrated in visible and infrared light, imaging cells with a signal-to-noise ratio beyond the classical limit associated with the illumination power.
Challenge/motivation--However, practical means for creating quantum light in shorter wavelengths (<100nm) are nearly nonexistent. Using short-wavelength vacuum-UV (VUV), extreme-UV (EUV), and soft x-ray light, researchers can map out static and out-of-equilibrium band structures of materials, investigate the magnetic and oxidation states with element specificity, penetrate thick samples, and capture ultrafast charge and energy flow across molecular sites and buried interfaces. While most research directions are pursuing ever brighter VUV, EUV, and x-ray light from tabletop or facility setups, those light sources are not conducive to probing many classes of materials, such as dose-sensitive soft matter and live biospecimen. Overcoming this problem requires inventing novel ways to make every photon count—to use the quantum states of light.
Goal--This project aims to tackle this challenge by exploring novel approaches to generating nonclassical VUV and EUV light, potentially extending the technologies into the soft x-ray regime in the future.
Acknowledgement / funding
College of Arts and Sciences, Indiana University
U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Young Investigator Program, Award no. FA9550-23-1-0234
(Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Air Force.)
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, grant no. DE-SC0023314
