Eli Estrecho
Senior Lecturer
2014-2018 PhD at the Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University
2010-2012 MSc Physics, Iligan Institute of Technology - Mindanao State University, Philippines
2005-2009 BSc Physics, Western Mindanao State University, Philippines
UNSW Canberra
School of Science
I am a senior lecturer in physics at the School of Science at UNSW Canberra. My research explores the frontier of light-matter interaction by studying exciton-polaritons—hybrid quasiparticles that allow us light to interact with each other like normal massive particles. Over the last decade, I have investigated exotic phenomena arising from these particles, such as Bose-Einstein condensation at high temperatures, superfluidity, laser-like behaviour, and emergent non-Hermitian physics. At UNSW Canberra, my research focus is on probing the quantum statistical nature of these hybrid particles for deterministic quantum light generation.
Prior to joining UNSW Canberra in mid-2026, I was an ARC DECRA Fellow (2022-2025) and a Postdoctoral Fellow of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (FLEET) at the Australian National University. I received my PhD from the Australian National University in 2018, building upon my earlier undergraduate and master's studies in the Philippines.
Scholarships of AUD$38,500 are available for PhD students who achieved H1/High Distinction in their undergraduate program and/or have completed a Masters by Research. If you are interested, please contact me at e.estrecho AT unsw.edu.au.
E-mail
Location
G17, Building 26
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ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Fellowship (DE220100712, $427k, 2022-2025)
CI on ANU Major Equipment Committee grant ($88k, 2023)
National Finalist, Westpac Research Fellowship 2024
ACT Young Tall Poppy Science Award 2024
ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) 2022
Young Scientist, 69th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting 2019
My research explores the frontier of light-matter interaction through exciton-polaritons—hybrid quasiparticles that allow us to make light behave like a fluid. Over the last decade, I have investigated exotic phenomena arising from these particles, such as Bose-Einstein condensation at high temperatures and emergent non-Hermitian physics.
A significant portion of my work involves probing and manipulating the properties of exciton polaritons in different semiconductors such as GaAs-based heterostructures, 2D materials, and perovskites, and different photonic structures such as microcavities and photonic crystals. Currently, I am focused on the quantum regime of polaritonics. By harnessing the strong nonlinearities inherent in the matter component of these particles, my research seeks to demonstrate quantum behaviour and highly non-classical states of light relevant for optical quantum technologies.
Prospective Research Students. Fully funded PhD scholarships (valued at $38,500 per year) are available for outstanding candidates with a strong academic background (H1/High Distinction or equivalent in Physics or Electrical Engineering, including Research Masters). Students interested in pursuing research in the intersection of experimental condensed matter physics, photonics, and quantum optics are encouraged to get in touch for further information.
On-demand Generation of Non-Gaussian Quantum Light from Exciton Polaritons
This project aims to overcome a fundamental barrier in quantum optics: the probabilistic nature of creating non-Gaussian quantum states of light. These states are an essential resource for fault-tolerant universal quantum computing and advanced quantum sensing, yet current methods rely on inefficient conditional measurements due to the weak optical nonlinearity of conventional materials.
This project will investigate a new approach using exciton-polaritons—hybrid light-matter quasiparticles. By exploiting the strong Coulomb interaction inherent in their matter component, we aim to access the strong nonlinearities required to generate non-Gaussian states deterministically (on demand).
This research bridges condensed matter physics and quantum optics to solve a fundamental problem in technology. Successful results will not only advance quantum computing architectures but also deepen our understanding of quantum thermodynamics and phase transitions in driven-dissipative quantum systems.
Exciton polaritons in novel materials and photonic structures for nonlinear photonics
One of the most sought-after properties in photonics is strong nonlinearity—the ability for particles of light to interact with one another. This can be achieved by hybridising light with matter resulting in new particles called exciton polaritons. However, existing platforms for exciton-polaritons are often limited by large linewidths or the need for cryogenic temperatures. This project aims to solve these issues by exploring new frontiers in both material science and nanophotonics.
This project will explore the use of novel semiconductors (such as van der Waals materials and perovskites) and/or advanced photonic architectures (such as metasurfaces and nanocavities). By achieving stronger nonlinearity, this project aims to demonstrate the viability of polaritonics for real-world applications in quantum computing, sensing, and all-optical information processing.