Ren S Pumulo

Department: Materials Science and Engineering

Advisors: Xiaodong Xu and Arka Majumdar

Photonic crystal cavities and other periodic dielectric devices enable unique light-matter phenomena when coupled with emitters. Developments in 2D Van der Waals materials, particularly transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and magnetic semiconductors such as Chromium Bromide Sulfide (CrSBr), have shown a large potential for diverse light-matter phenomena, such as exciton-polaritons, enhanced photoluminescence, and single photon emission. The research I will conduct as a 3rd year graduate student in Professors Xiaodong Xu and Arka Majumdar’s groups, will primarily involve coupling photonic devices with 2D materials to enhance lasing and nonlinearity, to obtain more efficient energy. These devices can improve current laser systems and surpass their electro-optical efficiency leading to more efficient energy production. With the right parameters, we could develop easily reproducible and cost-effective systems that can contribute to clean energy in several modes including efficient energy generation. Additional implementations of these systems could have potential applications in quantum computing and span other relevant sectors.