Proximity-Induced Chiral Quantum Light Generation in Strain- Engineered WSe2/2D magnet Heterostructures/Devices

• Grant number: 26/00374-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: March 01, 2026
• End date: August 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Yara Galvão Gobato
• Grantee: Brenda Medeiros dos Santos
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/13081-0 - 2D materials: synthesis, characterization, theory and devices, AP.TEM

Abstract

This project investigates the generation and control of chiral quantum light in two-dimensional (2D) materials, focusing on van der Waals heterostructures based on monolayer WSe2 combined with 2D magnets. The central goal is to exploit magnetic proximity effects enabling the control of optical properties linked to the valley degree of freedom and circular polarization of the emission, with relevance for scalable quantum photonic technologies.The project combines the creation of quantum emitters in monolayer WSe2 with strain engineering strategies to tune localization and stability of the emitting centers. In parallel, integration with 2D magnetic layers aims at enabling the selection and tuning of excitonic states (including signatures related to the valley Zeeman effect) without relying solely on large external magnetic fields. Additional tuning knobs such as electrostatic gating and doping conditions are considered to further modulate emission behavior.Experimentally, the work will employ photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, including polarization-resolved and magnetic-field-dependent measurements (magneto-PL), as well as photon-correlation experiments to confirm true single-photon emission through g²(0) < 1 antibunching. Complementary spectroscopic tools such as Raman spectroscopy and nanoscale techniques (e.g., TERS) will be used to assess local strain distributions and heterostructure quality.Overall, the expected outcome is the demonstration of a tunable regime of chiral quantum emission, establishing design principles for 2D quantum emitters controlled by magnetic proximity and local strain effects, and contributing to the development of compact and scalable quantum light sources compatible with integrated device architectures. (AU)