We want to develop the building blocks of a space-time metasurface for optical waves, based on large and ultrafast modulations of the complex refractive index of indium tin oxide (ITO). Static metasurfaces have been a milestone in how we control light waves by manipulating their phase and amplitude on the wavelength scale. Yet, they are still bounded by Lorentz reciprocity and energy conservation. A dynamical metasurface, whose optical response can be fully controlled at the speed of light through a time-varying refractive index would not be just a powerful technological element, but would also bring about the rich new physics of non-Hermitian and non- time-reversible optics.
Visit also the Centre for Plasmonics and Metamaterials in Imperial College London for more details.

Complex nanophotonic networks offer a unique approach to light transport and light emission control, by designing a set of distributed single emitters that share information through photonic connections, and that can be remotely addressed: this is what we call random lasing.
They can also be used to design the light modes of an unconventional laser, which is not directional nor monochromatic: a photonic network laser. The complex process behind lasing can also be used a resource for neuromorphic computing.
We are part of a European Training Network - Coral, together with IBM Zurich to study network lasers on chip.

HYPERUNIFORM DISORDERED NETWORKS

Hyperuniform disordered photonic materials are a new class of materials that harness structural disorder and control light transport, emission and absorption in unique ways, beyond the constraints imposed by conventional photonic microcircuit architectures. We are studying the physics and application of hyperuniform disordered nanophotonic structures. As an important application we have shown that light absorption in silicon solar cells can be boosted by hyper uniform topologies.

Single photon extraction from individual emitters
Nanophotonics and nanoscale optics, which are aimed at coherent control and manipulation of single photons emitted by individual quantum emitters in a nanostructured photonic environment offer a revolutionary new approach to computation and information technology: bits can be carried in the state of light and processed by nanoscopic amount of matter. We are studying the generation of single photons for individual quantum dots coupled to nanostructure and dielectric antennas and their routing to specific distant location. Recently, we have shown that charged excitons in individual quantum dot can be controlled by electrical control, providing boosted and tunable single-photon sources. We have investigated how light emission from 2D-materials can be enhanced by 4 orders of magnitude using nano-antennas.