Welcome to the Nanoscale and Quantum Photonics Research Group


Our research is focused on nanoscale and quantum photonics and low-dimensional quantum materials, with particular interest in the fundamental physics related to nanoscale cavity-mediated light-matter interaction in the quantum regime, including quantum plasmonics, molecular electronic plasmonics, nonlinear nanophotonics, exciton polariton physics and devices. These fundamental studies are relevant to many exciting applications in miniaturized photonic and optoelectronic devices, energy harvesting, conversion, storage and saving, advanced biochemical sensing and biomedical imaging. We have direct access to a large number of advanced optical measurement systems for single-particle absorption / scattering, reflection / transmission, fluorescence and Raman spectroscopies, with functionalities ranging from near- to far-field, linear to nonlinear, steady state to time-resolved and ultrafast regimes.

Invited review articles


1. Y. Fu#, Y. M. Qing#, Z. Y. Li, A. V. Zayats, D. Y. Lei*, "Tale of two resonances: waveguide-plasmon coupling and high Q-factor engineering on the nanoscale", ACS Photonics 10(1), 2-12 (2023) - Invited Perspective

2. Y. D. An#, Y. Fu#, J.-G. Dai, X. B. Yin, D. Y. Lei*, "Switchable radiative cooling technologies for smart thermal management", Cell Reports Physical Science 3(10), 101098 (2022) - Invited Perspective

3. X. R. Gan, D. Y. Lei*, R. Q. Ye, H. M. Zhao, K.-Y. Wong, "Transition metal dichalcogenides-based mixed-dimensional heterostructures for the visible light-driven photocatalysis: Dimensionality and interface engineering", Nano Research 14(6), 2003-2022 (2021).

4. Z. W. Peng#, X. L. Chen#, Y. L. Fan#, D. J. Srolovitz, D. Y. Lei*, "Strain engineering of 2D semicondcutors and graphene: From strain-field theory to band-structure tuning and photonic applications", Light: Science & Applications 9, 190 (2020).

5. Z. L. Cao#, H. Gao#, M. Qiu, W. Jin, S. Z. Deng, K.-Y. Wong, D. Y. Lei*,
"Chirality transfer from sub-nanometer biochemical molecules to sub-micrometer plasmonic metastructures: Physiochemical mechanisms and biosensing opportunities", Advanced Materials 32(41), 1907151 (2020).

6. P. G. Chen, T. W. Lo, Y. L. Fan, S. B. Wang, H. T. Huang, D. Y. Lei*, "Chiral coupling of valley excitons and light through photonic spin–orbit interactions", Advanced Optical Materials 8, 1901233 (2020).

7. G.-C. Li, Q. Zhang, S. A. Maier, D. Y. Lei*, "Plasmonic particle-on-film nanocavities: A versatile platform for plasmon-enhanced spectroscopy and photochemistry", Nanophotonics 7(12), 1865-1889 (2018).

8. X. R. Gan, D. Y. Lei*, K.-Y. Wong*, "Two-dimensional layered nanomaterials for visible-light-driven photocatalytic water splitting", Materials Today Energy 10, 352-367 (2018).

9. M. Qiu, L. Zhang, Z. X. Tang, W. Jin, C.-W. Qiu*, D. Y. Lei*, "3D metaphotonic nanostructures with intrinsic chirality", Advanced Functional Materials 28, 1803147 (2018).

10. N. C. Panoiu*, W. Sha*, D. Y. Lei*, G.-C. Li*, "Nonlinear optics in plasmonic nanostructures", Journal of Optics 20, 083001 (2018).