OSE PHD Defense by Li Liu
Departmental News
Posted: July 16, 2026
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM
Location:Room: ECE 118
Title: Engineering Quantum Emission with Metasurfaces and Advanced Nanophotonic Structures for On-Chip Integration.
Committee:
Dr. Viktoriia E. Babicheva, Committee Chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Sakineh Chabi, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Tito Busani, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Andrew Crandall Jones, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Abstract:
This dissertation investigates the control of light–matter interactions in metasurfaces and meta-nanoantennas through localized, delocalized, and collective resonances. In particular, Purcell enhancement of emitters and mode resonances in nanoantennas and their arrays are studied numerically. For transition metal dichalcogenide nanoantenna arrays, the effects of material dispersion, anisotropy, and array periodicity on multipolar and lattice resonances, and thus on Purcell enhancement, are investigated. Hybrid metal–dielectric nanoantenna arrays supporting collective resonances and bound states in the continuum are also examined, demonstrating that multimode interference produces parameter-tuned destructive interference and strong emission enhancement. Furthermore, high-wavevector modes in cuboid hyperbolic meta-nanoantennas are investigated to elucidate their resonance conditions and characteristics. By combining experimental measurements and numerical simulations, the influence of exposure dose, substrate charging, and array periodicity on nanoantenna dimensions in electron beam lithography is presented, which in turn determines their optical responses. This dissertation provides important insights into the deterministic control of light–matter interactions, with potential applications in on-chip photonic platforms.
Biography:
I received my Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Lanzhou University, China in 2012. I went on to earn a Master of Engineering in University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2015, where I conducted research on semiconductor optoelectronic and electronic devices. Afterwards, I began my doctoral studies in Optical Science & Engineering Program at the University of New Mexico, joining Dr. Viktoriia Babicheva's group to research the spontaneous emission control via resonant coupling. My research focuses on the design of metasurfaces and advanced nanophotonic structures and analyzing the interactions of electromagnetic waves with these platforms.
