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:1211.7215 · Physical Review Letters

Single-Photon Transistor in Circuit Quantum Electrodynamics

Lukas Neumeier, Martin Leib, Michael J. Hartmann

Published Aug 6, 2013• 112 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We introduce a circuit quantum electrodynamical setup for a "single-photon" transistor. In our approach photons propagate in two open transmission lines that are coupled via two interacting transmon qubits. The interaction is such that no photons are exchanged between the two transmission lines but a single photon in one line can completely block or enable the propagation of photons in the other line. High on-off ratios can be achieved for feasible experimental parameters. Our approach is inherently scalable as all photon pulses can have the same pulse shape and carrier frequency such that output signals of one transistor can be input signals for a consecutive transistor.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.111.063601

Related papers

An ultra-high gain single-photon transistor in the microwave regime

Zhiling Wang, Zenghui Bao, Yan Li +9 more

A photonic transistor that can switch or amplify an optical signal with a single gate photon requires strong non-linear interaction at the single-photon level. Circuit quantum electrodynamics provides great flexibility to generate such an interaction, and thus could serve as an effective platform to realize a high-performance single-photon transistor. Here we demonstrate such a photonic transistor in the microwave regime. Our device consists of two microwave cavities dispersively coupled to a superconducting qubit. A single gate photon imprints a phase shift on the qubit state through one cavity, and further shifts the resonance frequency of the other cavity. In this way, we realize a gain of the transistor up to 53.4 dB, with an extinction ratio better than 20 dB. Our device outperforms previous devices in the optical regime by several orders in terms of optical gain, which indicates a great potential for application in the field of microwave quantum photonics and quantum information processing.

arXiv:2211.10053•Nature Communications•Oct 15, 2022•14 citations

Single-photon microwave switch with a recoverable control photon

Davide Rinaldi, Davide Nigro, Dario Gerace

Scalable quantum technologies may be applied in prospective architectures employing traditional information processing elements, such as transistors, rectifiers, or switches modulated by low-power inputs. In this respect, recently developed quantum processors based, e.g., on superconducting circuits may alternatively be employed as the basic platform for ultra-low-power consumption classical processors, in addition to obvious applications in quantum information processing and quantum computing. Here we propose a single-photon microwave switch based on a circuit quantum electrodynamics setup, in which a single control photon in a transmission line is able to switch on or off the propagation of another single photon in a separate line. The performances of this single-photon switch are quantified in terms of the photon flux through the output channel, providing a direct comparison of our results with available data. Furthermore, we show how the design of this microwave switch enables the recovery of the single control photon after the switching process. This proposal may be readily realized in state-of-art superconducting circuit technology.

arXiv:2407.20092•Physical Review A•Jan 3, 2025•3 citations

Stopping single photons in one-dimensional circuit quantum electrodynamics systems

Jung‐Tsung Shen, Michelle L. Povinelli, Sunil Sandhu +1 more

We propose a mechanism to stop and time reverse single photons in one-dimensional circuit quantum electrodynamics systems. As a concrete example, we exploit the large tunability of the superconducting charge quantum bit (charge qubit) to predict one-photon transport properties in multiple-qubit systems with dynamically controlled transition frequencies. In particular, two qubits coupled to a waveguide give rise to a single-photon transmission line shape that is analogous to electromagnetically induced transparency in atomic systems. Furthermore, by cascading double-qubit structures to form an array and dynamically controlling the qubit transition frequencies, a single photon can be stopped, stored, and time reversed. With a properly designed array, two photons can be stopped and stored in the system at the same time. Moreover, the unit cell of the array can be designed to be of deep subwavelength scale, miniaturizing the circuit.

Physical Review B•Jan 12, 2007•37 citations

Correlated photon pair propagation in circuit QED with superconducting processors

Sayan Lahiri, Suman Mondal, Kanhaiya Pandey +1 more

We propose a method to achieve photon pair propagation in an array of three-level superconducting circuits. Assuming experimentally accessible three-level artificial atoms with strong anharmonicity coupled via microwave transmission lines in both one and two dimensions we analyze the circuit quantum electrodynamics (QED) of the system. We explicitly show that, for a suitable choice of the coupling ratio between different levels, the single-photon propagation is suppressed and the propagation of photon pairs emerges. This propagation of photon pairs leads to the pair superfluid of polaritons associated with the system. We compute the complete phase diagram of the polariton quantum matter revealing the pair superfluid phase which is sandwiched between the vacuum and the Mott insulator state corresponding to the polariton density equal to 2 in the strong-coupling regime.

arXiv:2002.12405•Physical Review A•Oct 15, 2020•5 citations

Single-photon transistor using microtoroidal resonators

Fang-Yu Hong, Shi‐Jie Xiong

We present a scheme for single-photon transistors based on the strong interaction of a three-level atom with a microtoroidal resonator, where the presence (absence) of a single ``gate'' photon is sufficient to block (allow) the propagation of a ``signal'' photon. Considering its robustness against major experimental errors and high efficiency for coupling single photons into and out of the resonator through a fiber taper, this scheme may be a promising candidate for single-photon transistors.

Physical Review A•Jul 9, 2008•41 citations

Single-photon transistor based on tunable coupling in a cavity quantum electrodynamics system

Shuang Xu, H. Z. Shen, X. X. Yi

We propose a single-photon transistor scheme based on cavity quantum electrodynamics that employs variable coupling between a resonator and a waveguide. We show that the effective absorption of a single photon of arbitrary shape can be realized through controlled variation of the coupling. Subsequently, with coupling turned off, the absorbed photon would remain inside the resonator, alter the effective frequency of the artificial atom, and enable the controlled resonant transmission of multiple source photons. Moreover, the gate photon can be easily retrieved. Our results provide a promising platform for coherent manipulation and individual microwave photon detection, which has potential applications in quantum information processing and quantum communication.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Jul 7, 2016•7 citations
We introduce a circuit quantum electrodynamical setup for a "single-photon" transistor. In our approach photons propagate in two open transmission lines that are coupled via two interacting transmon qubits. The interaction is such that no photons are exchanged between the two transmission lines but a single photon in one line can completely block or enable the propagation of photons in the other line. High on-off ratios can be achieved for feasible experimental parameters. Our approach is inherently scalable as all photon pulses can have the same pulse shape and carrier frequency such that output signals of one transistor can be input signals for a consecutive transistor.
A photonic transistor that can switch or amplify an optical signal with a single gate photon requires strong non-linear interaction at the single-photon level. Circuit quantum electrodynamics provides great flexibility to generate such an interaction, and thus could serve as an effective platform to realize a high-performance single-photon transistor. Here we demonstrate such a photonic transistor in the microwave regime. Our device consists of two microwave cavities dispersively coupled to a superconducting qubit. A single gate photon imprints a phase shift on the qubit state through one cavity, and further shifts the resonance frequency of the other cavity. In this way, we realize a gain of the transistor up to 53.4 dB, with an extinction ratio better than 20 dB. Our device outperforms previous devices in the optical regime by several orders in terms of optical gain, which indicates a great potential for application in the field of microwave quantum photonics and quantum information processing.
Scalable quantum technologies may be applied in prospective architectures employing traditional information processing elements, such as transistors, rectifiers, or switches modulated by low-power inputs. In this respect, recently developed quantum processors based, e.g., on superconducting circuits may alternatively be employed as the basic platform for ultra-low-power consumption classical processors, in addition to obvious applications in quantum information processing and quantum computing. Here we propose a single-photon microwave switch based on a circuit quantum electrodynamics setup, in which a single control photon in a transmission line is able to switch on or off the propagation of another single photon in a separate line. The performances of this single-photon switch are quantified in terms of the photon flux through the output channel, providing a direct comparison of our results with available data. Furthermore, we show how the design of this microwave switch enables the recovery of the single control photon after the switching process. This proposal may be readily realized in state-of-art superconducting circuit technology.
We propose a mechanism to stop and time reverse single photons in one-dimensional circuit quantum electrodynamics systems. As a concrete example, we exploit the large tunability of the superconducting charge quantum bit (charge qubit) to predict one-photon transport properties in multiple-qubit systems with dynamically controlled transition frequencies. In particular, two qubits coupled to a waveguide give rise to a single-photon transmission line shape that is analogous to electromagnetically induced transparency in atomic systems. Furthermore, by cascading double-qubit structures to form an array and dynamically controlling the qubit transition frequencies, a single photon can be stopped, stored, and time reversed. With a properly designed array, two photons can be stopped and stored in the system at the same time. Moreover, the unit cell of the array can be designed to be of deep subwavelength scale, miniaturizing the circuit.
We propose a method to achieve photon pair propagation in an array of three-level superconducting circuits. Assuming experimentally accessible three-level artificial atoms with strong anharmonicity coupled via microwave transmission lines in both one and two dimensions we analyze the circuit quantum electrodynamics (QED) of the system. We explicitly show that, for a suitable choice of the coupling ratio between different levels, the single-photon propagation is suppressed and the propagation of photon pairs emerges. This propagation of photon pairs leads to the pair superfluid of polaritons associated with the system. We compute the complete phase diagram of the polariton quantum matter revealing the pair superfluid phase which is sandwiched between the vacuum and the Mott insulator state corresponding to the polariton density equal to 2 in the strong-coupling regime.
We present a scheme for single-photon transistors based on the strong interaction of a three-level atom with a microtoroidal resonator, where the presence (absence) of a single ``gate'' photon is sufficient to block (allow) the propagation of a ``signal'' photon. Considering its robustness against major experimental errors and high efficiency for coupling single photons into and out of the resonator through a fiber taper, this scheme may be a promising candidate for single-photon transistors.
We propose a single-photon transistor scheme based on cavity quantum electrodynamics that employs variable coupling between a resonator and a waveguide. We show that the effective absorption of a single photon of arbitrary shape can be realized through controlled variation of the coupling. Subsequently, with coupling turned off, the absorbed photon would remain inside the resonator, alter the effective frequency of the artificial atom, and enable the controlled resonant transmission of multiple source photons. Moreover, the gate photon can be easily retrieved. Our results provide a promising platform for coherent manipulation and individual microwave photon detection, which has potential applications in quantum information processing and quantum communication.