Kaiyuan Chen

Kaiyuan Chen is a graduate student in materials science and engineering reimagining photonic characterization within electron microscopy platforms to probe light-matter interactions at the atomic scale. His research combines photonic chip design with electron beam induced atomic structural modification, establishing temporal correlations between defect center creation and in situ optical readout of resulting quantum emitter properties. He designs silicon nitride photonic circuits with nanobeam resonators coupled to van der Waals materials to detect exciton emissions from quantum defect centers deterministically generated with Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM). Using MATLAB, he simulates photonic band structures, automates design space exploration, and extracts resonant frequencies and quality factors through custom signal processing routines for Fourier analysis and spectroscopic interpretation. He develops cryogenic STEM sample holders integrating optical components with liquid helium cooling systems for quantum photonic measurements within STEM. As a MathWorks Fellow, Kaiyuan will extend computational frameworks for real-time data acquisition and control integration. His work could advance quantum simulation and computing applications through unprecedented atomic control.