Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1208.0850 · Physical Review Letters

Optical Nonlinearity for Few-Photon Pulses on a Quantum Dot-Pillar Cavity Device

Vivien Loo, Christophe Arnold, Olivier Gazzano, Aristide Lemaître, Isabelle Sagnes, O. Krebs, Paul H. Voisin, P. Senellart, L. Lanco

Published Oct 19, 2012• 95 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Giant optical nonlinearity is observed under both continuous wave and pulsed excitation in a deterministically coupled quantum dot-micropillar system, in a pronounced strong-coupling regime. Using absolute reflectivity measurements we determine the critical intracavity photon number as well as the input and output coupling efficiencies of the device. Thanks to a near-unity input-coupling efficiency, we demonstrate a record nonlinearity threshold of only 8 incident photons per pulse. The output-coupling efficiency is found to strongly influence this nonlinearity threshold. We show how the fundamental limit of single-photon nonlinearity can be attained in realistic devices, which would provide an effective interaction between two coincident single-photons.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.109.166806

Related papers

Optical nonlinearity with few-photon pulses using a quantum dot-pillar cavity device

Vivien Loo, Christophe Arnold, Olivier Gazzano +6 more

A single two-level system constitutes an extremely non-linear optical medium, where the interaction with a first single photon modifies the transmission probability for a second photon. The main difficulty to implement a single photon switch using this property is to ensure that a gate single photon will interact with the quantum emitter with a near-unity probability. In the solid state, all-optical switching has been demonstrated using photonic crystals or microdisks coupled to quantum dots, but these systems were not well externally matched: hundreds of incident photons were thus required to trigger the optical nonlinearity.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)•May 1, 2013•2 citations

Single-Photon Nonlinearity from a Nanobeam with a Quantum Dot

Abhijit Biswas, Neelesh Kumar Vij, Allan S. Bracker +3 more

An efficient single-photon nonlinearity is a key resource for photonic quantum technologies. Single-photon nonlinearities have been demonstrated with quantum dots (QDs) across a range of cavity and waveguide geometries. However, none of these realizations simultaneously provide high-efficiency direct fiber coupling and compatibility with scalable on-chip integration. The nanobeam cavity addresses these limitations through its in-plane geometry, which enables highly efficient, direct fiber coupling alongside scalable homogeneous and heterogeneous on-chip integration. Here, we report a single-photon nonlinearity from a nanobeam cavity coupled to a single quantum dot. The nanobeam interfaces directly with a single-mode fiber with an efficiency of 60%. Driven by resonant picosecond pulses, the platform achieves a single-photon nonlinearity with a low threshold of 0.24 incident photons per pulse. The system operates in the strong-coupling regime, exhibiting a coupling rate of g/2π = 29.1 GHz and a cooperativity of C = 3.98. These results establish the nanobeam cavity-QD system as a compact, chip-integrable, and fiber-compatible building block for scalable photonic quantum technologies.

physics.opticsCross-listedarXiv:2609.36658•Sep 30, 2026•0 citations

Deterministic generation of bright single resonance fluorescence photons from a Purcell-enhanced quantum dot-micropillar system

Sebastian Unsleber, Christian Schneider, Sebastian Maier +6 more

We report on the observation of bright emission of single photons under pulsed resonance fluorescence conditions from a single quantum dot (QD) in a micropillar cavity. The brightness of the QD fluorescence is greatly enhanced via the coupling to the fundamental mode of a micropillar, allowing us to determine a single photon extraction efficiency of (20.7 ± 0.8) % per linear polarization basis. This yields an overall extraction efficiency of (41.4 ± 1.5) % in our device. We observe the first Rabi-oscillation in a weakly coupled quantum dot-micropillar system under coherent pulsed optical excitation, which enables us to deterministically populate the excited QD state. In this configuration, we probe the single photon statistics of the device yielding g(2)(0) = 0.072 ± 0.011 at a QD-cavity detuning of 75 μeV.

arXiv:1512.01048•Optics Express•Dec 14, 2015•33 citations

Giant optical nonlinearity induced by a single two-level system interacting with a cavity in the Purcell regime

Alexia Auffèves, Christoph Simon, Jean‐Michel Gérard +1 more

A two-level system that is coupled to a high-finesse cavity in the Purcell regime exhibits a giant optical nonlinearity due to the saturation of the two-level system at very low intensities, of the order of one photon per lifetime. We perform a detailed analysis of this effect, taking into account the most important practical imperfections. Our conclusion is that an experimental demonstration of the giant nonlinearity is feasible using semiconductor micropillar cavities containing a single quantum dot in resonance with the cavity mode.

arXiv:quant-ph/0610172•Physical Review A•May 30, 2007•204 citations

Coherent Manipulation of a Quantum Dot with Few Photons in a Low‐Reflectivity Micropillar Cavity

Jiajun Wang, Bang Ye Wu, Xu‐Jie Wang +6 more

ABSTRACT Bidirectional coherent control between photonic and matter qubits in solid‐state quantum networks demand a tailored photon‐emitter interface that can operate at the few‐photon level. Cavity‐coupled quantum dots with high input coupling efficiency provides a viable path toward such interface. However, reflection from the bare cavity can contaminate, or even overwhelm, the desired output photons that have interacted with the emitter. To overcome this problem, we implement a low‐reflectivity ( 1%) quantum dot‐micropillar cavity system with 97% input coupling efficiency. We achieve an optical nonlinearity threshold of 5.6 incident photons per pulse while maintaining high antibunching fidelity ( 0.2), measured at a pulse duration of twice the quantum dot exciton lifetime. Furthermore, we observe quantum dot transition inversion at 9 photons when the pulse duration is reduced to roughly match the quantum dot lifetime. This highly efficient photon‐emitter interface paves the way for key quantum photonic resources and functionalities.

Laser & Photonics Review•Nov 14, 2025•0 citations

Optical bistability in a quantum dots/micropillar device with a quality factor exceeding 200 000

Christophe Arnold, Vivien Loo, Aristide Lemaître +5 more

Optical bistability is demonstrated in a micropillar cavity with a record quality factor of 215 000, embedding a few thousand quantum dots. A power threshold of 380μW is obtained, with an on/off response contrast of 5.6 dB. We characterize the saturation of the quantum dots absorption and the cavity mode frequency shift through coherent reflection spectroscopy. We show that a near-unity coupling efficiency is achieved and that the planar quality factor Q0 is around 450 000.

Applied Physics Letters•Mar 12, 2012•47 citations
Giant optical nonlinearity is observed under both continuous wave and pulsed excitation in a deterministically coupled quantum dot-micropillar system, in a pronounced strong-coupling regime. Using absolute reflectivity measurements we determine the critical intracavity photon number as well as the input and output coupling efficiencies of the device. Thanks to a near-unity input-coupling efficiency, we demonstrate a record nonlinearity threshold of only 8 incident photons per pulse. The output-coupling efficiency is found to strongly influence this nonlinearity threshold. We show how the fundamental limit of single-photon nonlinearity can be attained in realistic devices, which would provide an effective interaction between two coincident single-photons.
A single two-level system constitutes an extremely non-linear optical medium, where the interaction with a first single photon modifies the transmission probability for a second photon. The main difficulty to implement a single photon switch using this property is to ensure that a gate single photon will interact with the quantum emitter with a near-unity probability. In the solid state, all-optical switching has been demonstrated using photonic crystals or microdisks coupled to quantum dots, but these systems were not well externally matched: hundreds of incident photons were thus required to trigger the optical nonlinearity.
An efficient single-photon nonlinearity is a key resource for photonic quantum technologies. Single-photon nonlinearities have been demonstrated with quantum dots (QDs) across a range of cavity and waveguide geometries. However, none of these realizations simultaneously provide high-efficiency direct fiber coupling and compatibility with scalable on-chip integration. The nanobeam cavity addresses these limitations through its in-plane geometry, which enables highly efficient, direct fiber coupling alongside scalable homogeneous and heterogeneous on-chip integration. Here, we report a single-photon nonlinearity from a nanobeam cavity coupled to a single quantum dot. The nanobeam interfaces directly with a single-mode fiber with an efficiency of 60%. Driven by resonant picosecond pulses, the platform achieves a single-photon nonlinearity with a low threshold of 0.24 incident photons per pulse. The system operates in the strong-coupling regime, exhibiting a coupling rate of g/2π = 29.1 GHz and a cooperativity of C = 3.98. These results establish the nanobeam cavity-QD system as a compact, chip-integrable, and fiber-compatible building block for scalable photonic quantum technologies.
We report on the observation of bright emission of single photons under pulsed resonance fluorescence conditions from a single quantum dot (QD) in a micropillar cavity. The brightness of the QD fluorescence is greatly enhanced via the coupling to the fundamental mode of a micropillar, allowing us to determine a single photon extraction efficiency of (20.7 ± 0.8) % per linear polarization basis. This yields an overall extraction efficiency of (41.4 ± 1.5) % in our device. We observe the first Rabi-oscillation in a weakly coupled quantum dot-micropillar system under coherent pulsed optical excitation, which enables us to deterministically populate the excited QD state. In this configuration, we probe the single photon statistics of the device yielding g(2)(0) = 0.072 ± 0.011 at a QD-cavity detuning of 75 μeV.
A two-level system that is coupled to a high-finesse cavity in the Purcell regime exhibits a giant optical nonlinearity due to the saturation of the two-level system at very low intensities, of the order of one photon per lifetime. We perform a detailed analysis of this effect, taking into account the most important practical imperfections. Our conclusion is that an experimental demonstration of the giant nonlinearity is feasible using semiconductor micropillar cavities containing a single quantum dot in resonance with the cavity mode.
ABSTRACT Bidirectional coherent control between photonic and matter qubits in solid‐state quantum networks demand a tailored photon‐emitter interface that can operate at the few‐photon level. Cavity‐coupled quantum dots with high input coupling efficiency provides a viable path toward such interface. However, reflection from the bare cavity can contaminate, or even overwhelm, the desired output photons that have interacted with the emitter. To overcome this problem, we implement a low‐reflectivity ( 1%) quantum dot‐micropillar cavity system with 97% input coupling efficiency. We achieve an optical nonlinearity threshold of 5.6 incident photons per pulse while maintaining high antibunching fidelity ( 0.2), measured at a pulse duration of twice the quantum dot exciton lifetime. Furthermore, we observe quantum dot transition inversion at 9 photons when the pulse duration is reduced to roughly match the quantum dot lifetime. This highly efficient photon‐emitter interface paves the way for key quantum photonic resources and functionalities.