Simone De Liberato's Quantum Theory and Technology group explores quantum electrodynamics in semiconductor systems. Research: (1) ultrastrong and deep-strong light-matter coupling in polariton and circuit QED systems; (2) mid-infrared polariton physics with potential sensing applications; (3) virtual photon condensation and vacuum fluctuations in quantum materials; (4) positronium density measurements using polaritonic effects. Relevant to quantum sensing via strong coupling platforms.

Hutchison works on molecular polaritonics: what happens to chemistry when molecular electronic or vibrational transitions are strongly coupled to a confined optical mode in a Fabry-Perot or plasmonic nanocavity. He was among the first to show that vibrational strong coupling modifies ground-state chemical reactivity, and the group continues to probe polariton-modified energy transfer, photochemistry and transport, alongside single-molecule spectroscopy and 2D-material photonics. Positioned against the established body of NV-ensemble quantum sensing work — DEER, nanoscale NMR and T1 relaxometry protocols operating at pT/sqrt(Hz) field sensitivity — the connection to quantum sensing is the cavity: the same Purcell and collective-coupling physics that concentrates optical density of states around a molecule is what is used to improve photon collection and readout fidelity in NV ensembles operating at pT/sqrt(Hz). This is fundamental light-matter physics with a clear nonclassical-state angle.