MedE Special Seminar, Jung-Tsung Shen

The emergence of photonic bound states—the simplest of which is the two-photon dimer—open a new frontier in quantum optics. These composite states of light exhibit unique entanglement properties that can enable capabilities not accessible with classical illumination. Such states offer promising pathways to engineer light–matter interactions in ways that address long-standing challenges in imaging and communication. Recently, we have observed signatures of photonic dimers in a solid-state system, extending their realization beyond ultracold atomic platforms and providing a promising foundation for new and scalable light sources.

In this talk, I will present a framework for coherent photonic dimer states and highlight their implications for imaging and communication. Theoretical studies indicate that dimer-based light can achieve quasi-linear scaling in two-photon excitation, potentially allowing deeper penetration and reduced photodamage in quantum-enhanced microscopy. In parallel, their robust coherence against random scattering suggests new approaches to turbulence-free imaging and increased information channel capacity in noisy and photon-starved environments. Together, these developments illustrate both the fundamental significance and the emerging biomedical relevance of quantum photonic dimers.

Biography: Jung-Tsung Shen is an Associate Professor of Electrical and Systems Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. He received his Ph.D. in condensed matter physics from MIT under the supervision of Patrick Lee, and conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford's Ginzton Laboratories. He was also a Bell Labs graduate fellow, working across theoretical, semiconductor, and optical physics.

Professor Shen's research focuses on quantum photonics, nonlinear optics, and quantum information science. His group pioneered advances in deterministic photonic quantum logic gates, work recognized by the 2018 NSF Quantum Leap Award, and their progress in quantum imaging earned the 2021 Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Deep Tissue Imaging Award. His recent research, supported in part by DARPA's PhENOM program, demonstrated the first solid-state photonic dimers and highlighted their applications in quantum microscopy, and turbulence-free imaging.

Research Website: https://quantumgroup.wustl.edu