The recent progress in integrated quantum optics has set the stage for the development of an integrated platform for quantum information processing with photons, with potential applications in quantum simulation. Among the different material platforms being investigated, direct-bandgap semiconductors and particularly gallium arsenide (GaAs) offer the widest range of functionalities, including single- and entangled-photon generation by radiative recombination, low-loss routing, electro-optic modulation and single-photon detection. This paper reviews the recent progress in the development of the key building blocks for GaAs quantum photonics and the perspectives for their full integration in a fully-functional and densely integrated quantum photonic circuit.
The recent progress in integrated quantum optics has set the stage for the development of an integrated platform for quantum information processing with photons, with potential applications in quantum simulation. Among the different material platforms being investigated, direct-bandgap semiconductors and particularly gallium arsenide (GaAs) offer the widest range of functionalities, including single- and entangled-photon generation by radiative recombination, low-loss routing, electro-optic modulation and single-photon detection. This paper reviews the recent progress in the development of the key building blocks for GaAs quantum photonics and the perspectives for their full integration in a fully-functional and densely integrated quantum photonic circuit.
Abstract The recent progress in integrated quantum optics has set the stage for the development of an integrated platform for quantum information processing with photons, with potential applications in quantum simulation. Among the different material platforms being investigated, direct‐bandgap semiconductors and particularly gallium arsenide (GaAs) offer the widest range of functionalities, including single‐ and entangled‐photon generation by radiative recombination, low‐loss routing, electro‐optic modulation and single‐photon detection. This paper reviews the recent progress in the development of the key building blocks for GaAs quantum photonics and the perspectives for their full integration in a fully‐functional and densely integrated quantum photonic circuit. image
Progress in the field of integrated quantum optics has set the stage for the development of an integrated platform for quantum information processing with photons. For the GaAs system, all key functionalities, including single-photon sources and detectors, photon-number-resolving detectors, integrated autocorrelators and tunable Mach-Zehnder-interferometers have already been realized and tested. This lays the foundation for a fully-integrated quantum photonic technology, with potential applications in quantum simulation and computing. A simple quantum photonic integrated circuit will be able to perform a second-order auto-correlation measurement and to demonstrate two-photon interference of single photons that are generated, filtered, processed and detected on the very same chip. (Picture: Christof P. Dietrich et al., 10.1002/lpor.201500321 pp. 870–894, in this issue)
Integrated photonics provides a powerful approach for developing compact, stable and scalable architectures for the generation, manipulation and detection of quantum states of light. To this end, several material platforms are being developed in parallel, each providing its specific assets, and hybridization techniques to combine their strengths are now possible. This review focuses on AlGaAs, a III-V semiconductor platform combining a mature fabrication technology, direct band-gap compliant with electrical injection, low-loss operation, large electro-optic effect, and compatibility with superconducting detectors for on-chip detection. We detail recent implementations of room-temperature sources of quantum light based on the high second- and third-order optical nonlinearities of the material, as well as photonic circuits embedding various functionalities ranging from polarizing beamsplitters to Mach-Zehnder interferometers, modulators and tunable filters. We then present several realizations of quantum state engineering enabled by these recent advances and discuss open perspectives and remaining challenges in the field of integrated quantum photonics with AlGaAs.
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.
Optical chips for quantum photonics are cutting-edge technology, merging photonics and quantum mechanics to manipulate light at the quantum level. These chips are crucial for advancing quantum computing, secure communication, and precision sensing by integrating photonic components such as waveguides, beam splitters, and detectors to manipulate single photons, the fundamental carriers of quantum information. Key advancements in optical chips include low-loss waveguides, efficient single-photon sources, and high-fidelity quantum gates, all essential for scalable quantum circuits. Integrating these circuits on a chip offers significant advantages in miniaturization, stability, and reproducibility over traditional bulk optics setups. Recent breakthroughs in materials science and nanofabrication have propelled the field forward, enabling the production of chips with higher precision and lower defect rates. Silicon photonics, in particular, has become a prominent platform due to its compatibility with existing semiconductor manufacturing processes, facilitating the integration of quantum photonic circuits with classical electronic systems. Here, we share our vision of the future of optical chips for quantum photonics, which hold promise for various applications. In quantum computing, they enable the development of compact and scalable quantum processors. In communication, they provide the foundation for ultra-secure quantum networks through quantum key distribution. In sensing, they allow for high-precision measurements that surpass classical limits. As research progresses, optical chips are expected to play a critical role in realizing the full potential of quantum technologies.