Postgraduate research project

Excitons in hybrid semiconductor quantum dots for tunable emitters

Funding
Competition funded View fees and funding
Type of degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Entry requirements
2:1 UK honours degree View full entry requirements
Faculty graduate school
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Closing date

About the project

Perovskite quantum dots show great potential for tunable light emitters. They are also promising candidates for single-photon emitters, which are key building blocks for quantum communication networks. This project will study the fundamental photophysics behind photon emission of perovskite semiconductor nanoparticles and develop new platforms for quantum technologies.

Perovskite nanocrystals can be fabricated in colloidal suspensions and offer a wide range of colour tunability with high radiative efficiency, making them excellent candidates for light emission applications. Nanoparticles present quantum confinement and provide another degree of tunability. In addition to classical light emitters, these nanocrystals act as quantum dots and present promising potential for single-photon emitters, which are key building blocks for quantum communications. 

Perovskite quantum dots offer high radiative efficiency, defect tolerance, high purity at room temperature, and low-cost fabrication. Furthermore, mixed crystal compositions allow us to tune the emission wavelengths to match specific transitions of quantum memories and other components. Further development is required to improve stability, minimise blinking, and understand and optimise the factors that regulate single photon purity and indistinguishability. The chemical composition, shape anisotropy, and the choice of capping ligands must be optimised to improve efficiency, stability, radiative rates, and quantum coherence. 

This project will study perovskite nanoparticles with different compositions, aiming to tune their emission properties, and will investigate the exciton fine structure and the impact of vibrational properties on stability and light emission dynamics, aiming to optimise their application as quantum emitters. The project will involve material processing and fabrication, construction and alignment of optical setups, laser spectroscopy, and integration of quantum dots into functional devices.