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Prof. Kai Wang
McGill University

Abstract

Photons, the particles of light, play a crucial role in nearly all quantum technology platforms, as they are ideal carriers of quantum information. However, the optical elements used in these quantum systems remain conventional, relying on bulky optics such as lenses, beam splitters, wave plates, and mirrors, which are either unsuitable or suffer from poor scalability. Recent advances in metamaterials, particularly metasurfaces, are driving a transformative shift in quantum photonics. Metasurfaces, composed of one or a few layers of tailored nano-resonators, offer unprecedented flexibility in controlling light across all degrees of freedom, combining miniaturization with scalability. This lecture will explore how these artificially engineered materials and nanostructures can be designed and manufactured to facilitate the generation, manipulation, and measurement of quantum states of light. Specifically, I will present examples from our research that demonstrate the use of nanostructured metasurfaces to perform quantum state tomography for photons, achieve nontrivial transformations of entangled photonic qubits, and conduct quantum state discrimination. These examples will highlight how the latest advances in nanotechnology are reshaping the fundamental building blocks of optical elements in quantum science and technology.

Timbits, coffee, tea will be served in STI B before the colloquium.