About the project
Quantum materials such as superconducting magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene exhibit exceptional sensitivity to external stimuli, offering a unique platform for quantum sensing. This project develops 2D material-based membrane sensors for single-photon detection and noise spectroscopy, integrating nanoelectromechanical and quantum photonic functionalities into a unified, energy-efficient platform for next-generation quantum technologies.
The unique properties in novel quantum materials, like 2D materials and their twisted bilayers, offer exceptional opportunities for emerging technologies, including quantum light sources (single-photon emitters), quantum sensing (ODMR magnetometry and single-photon detection) and quantum scanning probe technologies (quantum twisting microscope).
Among these, magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG) stands out as a moiré superconductor that exhibits extreme sensitivity to external perturbations, such as strain, magnetic field, or light, particularly near its superconducting critical point. Remarkably, when operated close to this transition, absorption of a single near-infrared photon can destroy superconductivity, producing a measurable voltage spike.
Building on this principle, this project will explore suspended MATBG and related 2D material membranes as a multifunctional platform that combines nanoelectromechanical and quantum photonic functionalities. Such devices can reach single-photon sensitivity through energy-efficient tuning of the superconducting state via strain or electrostatic gating, rather than conventional biasing schemes.
Leveraging these mechanisms, the project aims to develop quantum sensors for single-photon detection with unprecedented precision, and probes for dynamic noise spectroscopy, enabling new pathways for quantum metrology.
You'll investigate phase dynamics and transition fluctuations in suspended twisted bilayer 2D materials, identifying new sensing and control mechanisms relevant to quantum technologies. You'll gain expertise in advanced nanofabrication, low-temperature optomechanical measurements, and phase-diagram mapping, collaborating with internationally recognised groups in 2D materials and nanomechanics. By the end of the project, You'll possess deep expertise in the fundamental physics of quantum matter and its transformative potential for quantum sensing and metrology.
