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Layered materials as a platform for quantum technologies

Nature Nanotechnology volume 18, pages 555–571 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Layered materials are taking centre stage in the ever-increasing research effort to develop material platforms for quantum technologies. We are at the dawn of the era of layered quantum materials. Their optical, electronic, magnetic, thermal and mechanical properties make them attractive for most aspects of this global pursuit. Layered materials have already shown potential as scalable components, including quantum light sources, photon detectors and nanoscale sensors, and have enabled research of new phases of matter within the broader field of quantum simulations. In this Review we discuss opportunities and challenges faced by layered materials within the landscape of material platforms for quantum technologies. In particular, we focus on applications that rely on light–matter interfaces.

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Fig. 1: Layered quantum materials and optics-based quantum technologies.
Fig. 2: Exciton landscape in transition-metal dichalcogenides.
Fig. 3: Generation and photoluminescence spectra of single-photon emitters in monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides and in hBN.
Fig. 4: Quantum communications with layered quantum materials.
Fig. 5: Spins in transition-metal dichalcogenides and hBN.
Fig. 6: Layered quantum materials for quantum sensing and simulations.
Fig. 7: Some milestones in the evolution of layered quantum materials-based quantum technologies, compared with mature platforms.

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Acknowledgements

We thank H. Beukers, J. M. Brevoord, A. Das, D. De Fazio, M. del Castillo, N. Demetriou, M. Feuer, R. Flaschmann, D. Gangloff, A. Gio-Pardo, M. Gündogan, S. Hermans, M. Iuliano, J. Jozan-Baldovinos, D. M. Kara, J. Klein, J. Knörzer, S. Loenen, C. Martínez, S. Marzban, A. Mortadelo-Filemón, K. Müller, B. Panh, M. Pasini, M. Petric, B. Pingault, N. Shofer, T. Simmet, L. Stefan, G. van de Stolpe, H. B. van Ommen and A. Kok Cheng Tan for useful discussions. We acknowledge funding from ERC grants Hetero2D, GSYNCOR and GIPT, EPSRC grants EP/K01711X/1, EP/K017144/1, EP/N010345/1, EP/L016087/1, EP/X015742/1, and EP/V000055/1, EU Graphene and Quantum Flagships, EU grants CHARM and Graph-X, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Australian Research Council (CE200100010, FT220100053) and the Office of Naval Research Global (N62909-22-1-2028).

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Author notes

  1. Alejandro R.-P. Montblanch

    Present address: QuTech and Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

  2. Matteo Barbone

    Present address: Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology, (MCQST), Munich, Germany

  3. Matteo Barbone

    Present address: Walter Schottky Institut and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    Alejandro R.-P. Montblanch, Matteo Barbone & Mete Atatüre

  2. Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    Matteo Barbone & Andrea C. Ferrari

  3. School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Igor Aharonovich

  4. Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Igor Aharonovich

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Montblanch, A.RP., Barbone, M., Aharonovich, I. et al. Layered materials as a platform for quantum technologies. Nat. Nanotechnol. 18, 555–571 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-023-01354-x

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