Quantum photonic network on chip

We provide an overview of quantum photonic network on chip. We begin from the discussion of the pros and cons of several material platforms for engineering quantum photonic chips. Then we introduce and analyze the basic building blocks and functional units of quantum photonic integrated circuits. In the main part of this review, we focus on the generation and manipulation of quantum states of light on chip and are particularly interested in some applications of advanced integrated circuits with different functionalities for quantum information processing, including quantum communication, quantum computing, and quantum simulation. We emphasize that developing fully integrated quantum photonic chip which contains sources of quantum light, integrate circuits, modulators, quantum storage, and detectors are promising approaches for future quantum photonic technologies. Recent achievements in the large scale photonic chips for linear optical computing are also included. Finally, we illustrate the challenges toward high performance quantum information processing devices and conclude with promising perspectives in this field.

Simplified modeling of frequency behavior in photonic crystal vertical cavity surface emitting laser with tunnel injection quantum dot in active region

In this work, the characteristics of the photonic crystal tunneling injection quantum dot vertical cavity surface emitting lasers（Ph C-TIQD-VCSEL） are studied through analyzing a modified modulation transfer function. The function is based on the rate equations describing the carrier dynamics at different energy levels of dot and injector well. Although the frequency modulation response component associated with carrier dynamics in wetting layer（WL） and at excited state（ES） levels of dots limits the total bandwidth in conventional QD-VCSEL, our study shows that it can be compensated for by electron tunneling from the injector well into the dot in TIQD structure. Carrier back tunneling time is one of the most important parameters, and by increment of that, the bias current dependence of the total bandwidth will be insignificant. It is proved that at high bias current, the limitation of the WL-ES level plays an important role in reducing the total bandwidth and results in rollovers on 3-d B bandwidth-I curves. In such a way, for smaller air hole diameter of photonic crystal, the effect of this reduction is stronger.

Experimental demonstration of a fast calibration method for integrated photonic circuits with cascaded phase shifters

With the development of research on integrated photonic quantum information processing,the integration level of the integrated quantum photonic circuits has been increasing continuously,which makes the calibration of the phase shifters on the chip increasingly difficult.For the calibration of multiple cascaded phase shifters that is not easy to be decoupled,the resources consumed by conventional brute force methods increase exponentially with the number of phase shifters,making it impossible to calibrate a relatively large number of cascaded phase shifters.In this work,we experimentally validate an efficient method for calibrating cascaded phase shifters that achieves an exponential increase in calibration efficiency compared to the conventional method,thus solving the calibration problem for multiple cascaded phase shifters.Specifically,we experimentally calibrate an integrated quantum photonic circuit with nine cascaded phase shifters and achieve a high-precision calibration with an average fidelity of 99.26%.

Chip-based quantum communications

Quantum communications aim to share encryption keys between the transmitters and receivers governed by the laws of quantum mechanics.Integrated quantum photonics offers significant advantages of dense integration,high stability and scalability,which enables a vital platform for the implementation of quantum information processing and quantum communications.This article reviews recent experimental progress and advances in the development of integrated quantum photonic devices and systems for quantum communications and quantum networks.

Optimal multi-photon entanglement concentration with the photonic Faraday rotation

We put forward an optimal entanglement concentration protocol（ECP） for recovering an arbitrary less-entangled multi-photon Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger（GHZ） state into the maximally entangled GHZ state based on the photonic Faraday rotation in low-quality（Q） cavity. In the ECP, only one pair of less-entangled multi-photon GHZ state and one auxiliary photon are required, and the concentration task can be realized by local operations. Moreover, our ECP can be used repeatedly to further concentrate the discarded items of conventional ECPs, which can increase its success probability largely. Under the practical imperfect detection condition, our protocol can still work with relatively high success probability. This ECP has application potential in current and future quantum communication.

Continuous Variable Quantum MNIST Classifiers—Classical-Quantum Hybrid Quantum Neural Networks

In this paper, classical and continuous variable (CV) quantum neural network hybrid multi-classifiers are presented using the MNIST dataset. Currently available classifiers can classify only up to two classes. The proposed architecture allows networks to classify classes up to nm classes, where n represents cutoff dimension and m the number of qumodes on photonic quantum computers. The combination of cutoff dimension and probability measurement method in the CV model allows a quantum circuit to produce output vectors of size nm. They are then interpreted as one-hot encoded labels, padded with nm - 10 zeros. The total of seven different classifiers is built using 2, 3, …, 6, and 8-qumodes on photonic quantum computing simulators, based on the binary classifier architecture proposed in “Continuous variable quantum neural networks” [1]. They are composed of a classical feed-forward neural network, a quantum data encoding circuit, and a CV quantum neural network circuit. On a truncated MNIST dataset of 600 samples, a 4-qumode hybrid classifier achieves 100% training accuracy.

The Origin of Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation

This paper explains the Olbers paradox and the origin of cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) from the viewpoint of the quantum redshift effect. The derived formula dispels the Olbers paradox, confirming that the CMBR originates from the superposition of light radiated by stars in the whole universe, not the relic of the Big Bang. The dark-night sky and CMBR are all caused by Hubble redshift—the physical mechanism is the quantum redshift of the photon rather than cosmic expansion. So this theory supports the infinite and steady cosmology.

Thermally reconfigurable quantum photonic circuits at telecom wavelength by femtosecond laser micromachining

The importance of integrated quantum photonics in the telecom band is based on the possibility of interfacing with the optical network infrastructure that was developed for classical communications.In this framework,femtosecond laser-written integrated photonic circuits,which have already been assessed for use in quantum information experiments in the 800-nm wavelength range,have great potential.In fact,these circuits,being written in glass,can be perfectly mode-matched at telecom wavelength to the in/out coupling fibers,which is a key requirement for a low-loss processing node in future quantum optical networks.In addition,for several applications,quantum photonic devices must be dynamically reconfigurable.Here,we experimentally demonstrate the high performance of femtosecond laser-written photonic circuits for use in quantum experiments in the telecom band,and we demonstrate the use of thermal shifters,which were also fabricated using the same femtosecond laser,to accurately tune such circuits.State-of-the-art manipulation of single-and two-photon states is demonstrated,with fringe visibilities greater than 95%.The results of this work open the way to the realization of reconfigurable quantum photonic circuits based on this technological platform.

Quantum dot lasers for silicon photonics [Invited]

We review recent advances in the field of quantum dot lasers on silicon. A summary of device performance,reliability, and comparison with similar quantum well lasers grown on silicon will be presented. We consider the possibility of scalable, low size, weight, and power nanolasers grown on silicon enabled by quantum dot active regions for future short-reach silicon photonics interconnects.

Purcell effect of GaAs quantum dots by photonic crystal microcavities

We fabricate photonic crystal slab microcavities embedded with GaAs quantum dots by electron beam lithography and droplet epitaxy. The Purcell effect of exciton emission of the quantum dots is confirmed by the micro photoluminescence measurement. The resonance wavelengths, widths, and polarization are consistent with numerical simulation results.

Generation and dynamic manipulation of frequency degenerate polarization entangled Bell states by a silicon quantum photonic circuit

A silicon quantum photonic circuit was proposed and realized for the generation and the dynamic manipulation of telecom-band frequency-degenerate polarization entangled Bell states.Frequency degenerate biphoton states were generated in four silicon waveguides by spontaneous four wave mixing.They were transformed to polar-ization entangled Bell states through on-chip quantum interference and quantum superposition,and then coupled to optical fibers.The property of polarization entanglement in generated photon pairs was demonstrated by two-photon interference under two non-orthogonal polarization bases.The output state could be dynamically switched between two Bell states,which was demonstrated by the simplified Bell state measurement.The experiment results indicated that the manipulation speed supported a modulation rate of several tens kHz,showing its potential on applications of quantum communication and quantum information processing requiring Bell state encoding and dynamic control.

Effect of unbalanced and common losses in quantum photonic integrated circuits

Loss is inevitable for the optical system due to the absorption of materials, scattering caused by the defects, and surface roughness. In quantum optical circuits, the loss can not only reduce the intensity of the signal, but also affect the performance of quantum operations. In this work, we divide losses into unbalanced linear losses and shared common losses, and provide a detailed analysis on how loss affects the integrated linear optical quantum gates. It is found that the orthogonality of eigenmodes and the unitary phase relation of the coupled waveguide modes are destroyed by the loss. As a result, the fidelity of single-and two-qubit operations decreases significantly as the shared loss becomes comparable to the coupling strength. Our results are important for the investigation of large-scale photonic integrated quantum information processes.

Numerical analysis of In_(0.53) Ga_(0.47) As/InP single photon avalanche diodes

A rigorous theoretical model for Ino.53Gao.47As/InP single photon avalanche diode is utilized to investigate the dependences of single photon quantum efficiency and dark count probability on structure and operation condition. In the model, low field impact ionizations in charge and absorption layers are allowed, while avalanche breakdown can occur only in the multiplication layer. The origin of dark counts is discussed and the results indicate that the dominant mechanism that gives rise to dark counts depends on both device structure and operating condition. When the multiplication layer is thicker than a critical thickness or the temperature is higher than a critical value, generation-recombination in the absorption layer is the dominative mechanism; otherwise band-to-band tunneling in the multiplication layer dominates the dark counts. The thicknesses of charge and multiplication layers greatly affect the dark count and the peak single photon quantum efficiency and increasing the multiplication layer width may reduce the dark count probability and increase the peak single photon quantum efficiency. However, when the multiplication layer width exceeds 1 μm, the peak single photon quantum efficiency increases slowly and it is finally saturated at the quantum efficiency of the single photon avalanche diodes.

Quantum prospects for hybrid thin-film lithium niobate on silicon photonics

Photonics is poised to play a unique role in quantum technology for computation,communications and sensing.Meanwhile,integrated photonic circuits-with their intrinsic phase stability and high-performance,nanoscale components-offer a route to scaling.However,each integrated platform has a unique set of advantages and pitfalls,which can limit their power.So far,the most advanced demonstrations of quantum photonic circuitry has been in silicon photonics.However,thin-film lithium niobate(TFLN)is emerging as a powerful platform with unique capabilities;advances in fabrication have yielded loss metrics competitive with any integrated photonics platform,while its large second-order nonlinearity provides efficient nonlinear processing and ultra-fast modulation.In this short review,we explore the prospects of dynamic quantum circuits-such as multiplexed photon sources and entanglement generation-on hybrid TFLN on silicon(TFLN/Si)photonics and argue that hybrid TFLN/Si photonics may have the capability to deliver the photonic quantum technology of tomorrow.

Low-pump sum frequency generation of frequency- stabilized 453 nm blue laser for photonic quantum interface

Generation of a cavity-enhanced nondegenerate narrow-band photon pair source is a potential way to realize a perfect photonic quantum interface for a hybrid quantum network. However, to ensure the high quality of the photon source, the pump laser for the narrow-band photon source should be generated in a special way. Here, we experimentally generate the blue 453 nm laser with a sum frequency generation process in a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide. A 13 mW laser at 453 nm can be achieved with a low-power 880 nm laser and 935 nm laser input, and the internal conversion efficiency is 21.6% after calculation. The frequency of a 453 nm laser is stabilized by locking two pump lasers on one ultrastable optical cavity. The single pass process without employ- ing cavity enhancement can ensure a good robustness of the whole system.

Photonic dark matter portal and quantum physics

We study a model of dark matter in which the hidden sector interacts with standard model particles via a hidden photonic portal.We investigate the effects of this new interaction on the hydrogen atom,including the Stark,Zeeman and hyperfine effects.Using the accuracy of the measurement of energy,we obtain an upper bound for the coupling constant of the model as f≤10^-12.We also calculate the contribution from the hidden photonic portal to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon as αμ≤ 2.2 × 10^-23（for the dark particle mass scale 100MeV）,which provides an important probe of physics beyond the standard model.

On the Quantization of Time, Space and Gravity

We combine the de Broglie Matter Wave Equation with the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle to derive an equation for time as a wave. This happens to be the first time that these two statements have been combined in this manner to derive an equation for time. The result is astounding. Time turns out to be a minuscule blob of quantum electromagnetic energy in perpetual angular momentum. From this time equation, we derive an equation for space which turns out to also predict a string (like the string of string theory). We then combine the time equation with the space equation to derive an equation for the inverse of quantum gravity which is also surprisingly electromagnetic in nature. This last statement implies that space is multidimensional and gravity in multidimensional space is not quantized, but its inverse (which is single-dimensional) is.

Thermal vacuum state corresponding to squeezed chaotic light and its application

For the density operator（mixed state） describing squeezed chaotic light（SCL） we search for its thermal vacuum state（a pure state） in the real-fictitious space. Using the method of integration within ordered product（IWOP） of operators we find that it is a kind of one- and two-mode combinatorial squeezed state. Its application in evaluating the quantum fluctuation of photon number reveals： the stronger the squeezing is, the larger a fluctuation appears. The second-order degree of coherence of SCL is also deduced which shows that SCL is classic. The new thermal vacuum state also helps to derive the Wigner function of SCL.

Highlighting photonics: looking into the next decade

Let there be light-to change the world we want to be!Over the past several decades,and ever since the birth of the first laser,mankind has witnessed the development of the science of light,as light-based technologies have revolutionarily changed our lives.Needless to say,photonics has now penetrated into many aspects of science and technology,turning into an important and dynamically changing field of increasing interdisciplinary interest.In this inaugural issue of eLight,we highlight a few emerging trends in photonics that we think are likely to have major impact at least in the upcoming decade,spanning from integrated quantum photonics and quantum computing,through topological/non-Hermitian photonics and topological insulator lasers,to AI-empowered nanophotonics and photonic machine learning.This Perspective is by no means an attempt to summarize all the latest advances in photonics,yet we wish our subjective vision could fuel inspiration and foster excitement in scientific research especially for young researchers who love the science of light.

Parametric down-conversion photon-pair source on a nanophotonic chip

Quantum-photonic chips,which integrate quantum light sources alongside active and passive optical elements,as well as singlephoton detectors,show great potential for photonic quantum information processing and quantum technology.Mature semiconductor nanofabrication processes allow for scaling such photonic integrated circuits to on-chip networks of increasing complexity.Second-order nonlinear materials are the method of choice for generating photonic quantum states in the overwhelming majority of linear optic experiments using bulk components,but integration with waveguide circuitry on a nanophotonic chip proved to be challenging.Here,we demonstrate such an on-chip parametric down-conversion source of photon pairs based on second-order nonlinearity in an aluminum-nitride microring resonator.We show the potential of our source for quantum information processing by measuring the high visibility anti-bunching of heralded single photons with nearly ideal state purity.Our down-conversion source yields measured coincidence rates of 80 Hz,which implies MHz generation rates of correlated photon pairs.Low noise performance is demonstrated by measuring high coincidence-to-accidental ratios.The generated photon pairs are spectrally far separated from the pump field,providing great potential for realizing sufficient on-chip filtering and monolithic integration of quantum light sources,waveguide circuits and single-photon detectors.