List of Instructors:
Course 1: Instructor: Prof. Hui Cai: hcai6@ucmerced.edu
Course 2: Instructor: Prof. Michael Scheibner: mscheibner@ucmerced.edu (Lead)
Guest faculty contributor: Prof. Tao Ye: tye2@ucmerced.edu
General Description
How do scientists explore the strange and surprising rules of the quantum world? How can light reveal what
is happening inside materials only a few atoms thick? In this cluster, students will explore the modern
experimental tools used to study quantum materials—from semiconductor quantum dots to atomically thin
crystals, and experience firsthand the “quantum weirdness” that defines the nanoscale realm.
Students will work directly with research-grade optical instrumentation, learning how lasers,
spectra, and photon-counting experiments uncover the hidden structure of matter. Through hands-on
photoluminescence (PL) and Raman measurements, as well as cryogenic demonstrations, students will see
how materials behave when quantum effects dominate. Along the way, they will encounter single photons,
excitons, discrete energy levels, and other hallmarks of the “quantum weirdness” that sets physics in low
dimensions apart.
A major focus of the cluster is the rapidly growing field of 2D materials, including graphene and
transition-metal dichalcogenides. Students will exfoliate and identify monolayers, study their excitonic and
vibrational spectra, and learn how reducing a material to two dimensions unlocks entirely new physics.
They will also experience chemical vapor deposition (CVD) through demonstrations that illustrate how
ultrathin materials are synthesized, nucleated, and grown in research environments.
Within the 0D materials section, students will engage with quantum dots, nanoscale crystals so
small they exhibit atom-like features. An optional module on colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals and
DNA-guided nanoscale assembly, led by guest faculty contributor Prof. Tao Ye. This module illustrates
how biomolecular principles, often associated with biology and biomedical science, can integrate
seamlessly via cutting-edge chemistry with semiconductor nanomaterials and quantum technologies to
create functional, engineered structures at the nanoscale.
This cluster welcomes students interested in physics, chemistry, materials science, nanotechnology,
engineering, or simply in understanding how scientists uncover the rules of nature at its smallest scales. No
prior knowledge of quantum mechanics is required, only curiosity and enthusiasm.
What Students Will Learn
• Optical spectroscopy: PL, Raman, absorption
• Quantum measurement basics: photon statistics & single-photon detection
• Cryogenic physics: how low temperatures reveal quantum behavior
• 2D materials: exfoliation, identification, and spectral analysis
• CVD thin-film growth: principles and demonstrations
• 0D materials: Quantum confinement, wave nature of particles, tunneling
• Colloidal quantum dots & DNA templating (guest lecture/module)
• Experimental techniques: lasers, fibers, detectors, alignment
• Data analysis: how to interpret real experimental measurements
Unique Features
• Integrated with UC Merced’s VISION-PREM in quantum materials & optoelectronics
• Access to a nationwide research network in modern optoelectronic materials through VISION-
PREM partners; an early gateway into high-impact research pathways
• COSMOS-funded teacher fellows and assistants will be able to draw on VISION-PREM resources
and networks to extend cluster concepts into classroom-ready activities
• Opportunities to work alongside VISION undergraduate and graduate researchers
Course 1: Two-dimensional, Atomically Thin Quantum Materials - Physics, Exfoliation & Synthesis
This course invites students to explore one of the most exciting frontiers in modern science: atomically
thin 2D quantum materials. These ultra-thin materials-often just one or a few atoms thick-exhibit
extraordinary optical, electronic, ferroelectric, magnetic, and quantum properties unlike anything found in
conventional materials.
Hands-on activities include mechanical exfoliation of 2D flakes, optical identification of monolayers,
and exploration of excitonic features unique to 2D systems. Students will also be introduced to thin-film
synthesis through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) demonstrations that illustrate how ultrathin crystals
nucleate and grow in research labs. When feasible, students may use atomic force microscopy (AFM) to
visualize nanoscale structural, ferroelectric, or magnetic domains.
The course blends physics, chemistry, and materials science to give students a coherent overview of how
2D quantum materials are created, characterized, and applied in emerging technologies.
Course 2: Zero-Dimensional Quantum Materials & Quantum Light
This course introduces students to 0D quantum materials—nanoscale structures in which electrons are
confined in all directions and behave like artificial atoms. Students will learn how quantum dots are
created and tuned, how pairs of quantum dots can form tunnel-coupled “molecules,” and how these
systems illustrate core quantum concepts such as discrete energy levels, tunneling, and superposition.
The course emphasizes quantum light emission, including single photons and photon antibunching.
Students will perform photon-counting experiments to distinguish classical from quantum light sources
and understand how quantum dots serve as building blocks for quantum technologies. Cryogenic
demonstrations show how lowering the temperature enhances quantum effects, sharpening optical
transitions and enabling single-emitter studies.
Students will also explore how researchers detect individual quantum emitters using optical and confocal
microscopy, and may be introduced to advanced concepts such as near-field or tip-enhanced
spectroscopy. An optional guest module by Prof. Tao Ye provides an interdisciplinary look at DNA-
guided assembly of colloidal quantum dots, illustrating how biomolecular techniques intersect with
nanochemistry and semiconductor physics.
Integrated Cluster Experience
Across both courses, students will use characterization tools, including photoluminescence (PL) and
Raman spectroscopy, to study the optical fingerprints of 0D and 2D materials. Working in small groups,
they will collect and interpret real experimental data, compare quantum dots with atomically thin crystals,
and connect structure, dimensionality, and quantum behavior.
The cluster draws on UC Merced’s role in the VISION-PREM research network, which connects students
to a national community working on modern optoelectronic and quantum materials. Throughout the four
weeks, students gain hands-on experience with real research workflows and develop an integrated
understanding of how quantum materials are engineered and measured.