Nanophotonic structures for Quantum sources, Sensing, Imaging, and Beyond
Dr. Meryem Ben Elajla,
Ghent University – IMEC
IAP Physics Seminar Series will occur on Tuesday 2 July, at 15:15 at the UM6P campus (Ryad 8, 1st floor).
Abstract:
Nanophotonic structures have emerged as a promising avenue for achieving unprecedented control over light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. This seminar explores recent advancements in the field of nanophotonics, focusing on the applications of nanostructured optical materials and devices. Key topics covered include semiconductor nanostructures, metasurfaces, and waveguides highlighting their diverse applications in areas such as quantum information science, sensing, imaging, and beyond. Furthermore, I will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the scalable fabrication and integration of nanophotonic structures into practical devices, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary research efforts in driving forward the frontier of nanophotonics.
Biography:
Meryem Benelajla was born in 1994 in Casablanca, Morocco. She holds an M.Eng. degree from ENSSAT Engineering School, Lannion, France, and an M.Sc. degree from the University of Rennes, Rennes, France, both specializing in photonics and nanotechnologies. Her research journey led her to the Laser Physics and Nonlinear Optics group at the University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands, where she worked on integrated optical wavelength meters based on ring resonator circuits for both her M.Sc. and M.Eng. projects. From 2017 to 2020, she furthered her expertise at attocube systems, Munich, Germany, as an Early-Stage Researcher and Ph.D. student within the EU Innovative Training Network ‘4Photon’. Here, she developed confocal microscope systems enabling the control and analysis of semiconductor nanostructures. She earned her Ph.D. degree in physics from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) of Toulouse, collaborating closely with the Laboratory of Physics and Chemistry of Nano-Objects (LPCNO), CNRS France. In 2021, Meryem’s journey led her to UW-Madison, where she continued her pursuit of excellence as a Research Associate. Here, she focused on the development of compact quantum sensors, exploring the mysteries of atomic magnetometers and gravimeters. Now, in 2022, Meryem stands at the forefront of innovation once again, as she joins the imec-UGent Photonics Research Group. Here, within the Gigapixel project, she channels her expertise toward revolutionizing the performance of CMOS cameras through the optical characterization of novel nanophotonic structures.
Localization: Ryad 8, 1st Floor.