Atomic Architect has been developed for the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2018 (link: https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2018/summer-science-exhibition/exhibits/atomic-architects/). Find out research and news about this work from the Quantum Photonics Lab (link: qpl.eps.hw.ac.uk) at Heriot-Watt University.

Making light in Flatland

Let's make light with atomically-thin materials!

You are an electron, travelling on different two-dimensional layered materials. If you are able to meet a hole in a 2D semiconductor, you can create a particle of light (a photon)

Unfortunately, several obstacles complicate your path. You could encounter a phonon, a vibration among the atoms of the crystal that will randomly bounce you around and change your energy. Something similar will happen if you rush into an impurity. Scariest of all, you could fall into a charge trap, and never come back.

Are you up to the test? Will you win the challenge and create light?