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arXiv:2403.10331

Bias Control and Linearization of the Transfer Function of Electro-optic and Acousto-optic Modulators

Clemens Neumüller, F. Obernosterer, Raimund Meyer, Robert A. Koch, Gerd Kilian

Published Mar 15, 2024• 1 citation
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

In several types of quantum computers light is one of the main tools to control both the position and the quantum state of the atoms used for computing. In practical systems laser light is applied to manipulate quantum states of qubits in the desired way. Beside physical effects like decoherence and quantum noise the precision of qubit manipulation has a significant impact on the achievable quantum computing error rate. One of the key optical components beside the laser is the optical modulator, which modulates or switches a constant power laser light in order to provide light pulses or pulse sequences with a desired envelope. Acousto-optic (AOM) and electro-optic (EOM) modulators can be applied, which are both voltage controlled. However, there is neither a simple linear relationship between their control signal and the precise modulator output, nor can they be considered to have time-invariant characteristics. The aim of this paper is to describe techniques to generate AOM and EOM control signals in such a way that almost arbitrary target output waveforms (i. e. optical power versus time) are achieved with high accuracy.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2403.10331

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In several types of quantum computers light is one of the main tools to control both the position and the quantum state of the atoms used for computing. In practical systems laser light is applied to manipulate quantum states of qubits in the desired way. Beside physical effects like decoherence and quantum noise the precision of qubit manipulation has a significant impact on the achievable quantum computing error rate. One of the key optical components beside the laser is the optical modulator, which modulates or switches a constant power laser light in order to provide light pulses or pulse sequences with a desired envelope. Acousto-optic (AOM) and electro-optic (EOM) modulators can be applied, which are both voltage controlled. However, there is neither a simple linear relationship between their control signal and the precise modulator output, nor can they be considered to have time-invariant characteristics. The aim of this paper is to describe techniques to generate AOM and EOM control signals in such a way that almost arbitrary target output waveforms (i. e. optical power versus time) are achieved with high accuracy.
We describe a method for calibrating the response of an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) to enable precise, arbitrary control of the intensity and frequency of optical fields. The method involves characterizing the nonlinear response of the AOM to its input RF drive voltage and applying an iterative calibration/correction algorithm to accurately map input RF amplitude and frequency drive to output optical intensity and frequency shifts. After a few calibration/correction iterations, the calibration of the AOM maintains the optical power within 1%\%% of a constant target value over relatively wide frequency tuning range ($\approx$100 MHz), with σ=0.2%σ=0.2\%σ=0.2% relative deviation. We apply this calibration method to generate programmable waveforms and optical pulses with tailored intensity and frequency profiles that closely match their target specifications. This technique offers a simple and robust method for applications that require high-accuracy optical modulation.
The ability to modulate an optical field via an electric field is regarded as a key function of electro-optic interconnects, which are used in optical communications and information-processing systems. One of the main devices required for such interconnects is the electro-optic modulator (EOM). Current EOMs based on electro-optic and electro-absorption effects often are bulky and power-inefficient due to the weak electro-optic properties of their constituent materials. Here, we propose a new mechanism to produce an arbitrary-waveform EOM based on quantum interference, in which both real and imaginary parts of the susceptibility are engineered coherently with super-high efficiency. Based on this EOM, a waveform interconnect from the voltage to the modulated optical absorption is realized. We expect that such a new type of electro-optic interconnect will have a broad range of applications, including in optical communications and networks.
We introduce our recent photonic quantum information processing experiments using the high-speed electro-optic modulator (EOM) based on a lithium niobate waveguides. First, we demonstrated the frequency shifter for single photons by using an optical single sideband (OSSB) modulator, which is based on the nested configuration of four phase modulators (PMs). By properly setting the RF modulation signal and the bias voltage to each PM, we can suppress unwanted sidebands to realize a frequency shifter that can tune the frequency of single photons with accuracy of an RF synthesizer. Using the OSSB modulator, we eliminated the frequency distinguishability between two single photons whose frequencies were different by 25 GHz, and as a result observed a Hong-Ou- Mandel interference with a visibility exceeding 90%. We also proposed and demonstrated a two-qubit controlled logic gate for time-bin qubits using a two-input, two-output optical switch. The switch enables us to individually perform different functions for two temporal bases as a time-dependent beam splitter, so that we can realize controlled-phase (C-Phase) gate for a time-bin qubit. We showed that the states of two separable single photons were entangled as a result of the C-Phase gate operation. We performed the quantum state tomography to obtain density matrices of the output states from the C-Phase gate for some specific input states, and confirmed that the averaged state fidelity to the pure states was 85%. These results indicate that the EOMs will be a useful tool for realizing advanced photonic quantum communication systems.
A key requirement for quantum technologies based on atoms, ions, and molecules is the ability to realize precise phase- and amplitude-controlled quantum operations via coherent laser pulses. However, for generating pulses on the submicrosecond timescale, the characteristics of the optical and electronic components can introduce unwanted distortions that have a detrimental effect on the fidelity of quantum operations. In this paper, we present a compact arbitrary optical waveform modulator that integrates a double-pass acousto-optic modulator for user-specified laser amplitude and phase modulations. Additionally, the module integrates an optical heterodyne detector to extract the precise laser pulse shape in real time. The measured pulse shape is then fed into a digital feedback loop used to estimate the complex-valued transfer function and predistorted input pulses. We demonstrate the performance by generating shaped laser pulses suitable for realizing quantum logic gates with durations down to 180 ns, requiring only a small number of feedback iterations.
The ability to modulate an optical field via an electric field is regarded as a key function of electro-optic interconnects, which are used in optical communications and information processing systems. One of the main required devices for such interconnects is the electro-optic modulator (EOM). Current EOM based on the electro-optic effect and the electro-absorption effect often is bulky and power inefficient due to the weak electro-optic properties of its constituent materials. Here we propose a new mechanism to produce an arbitrary-waveform EOM based on the quantum interference, in which both the real and imaginary parts of the susceptibility are engineered coherently with the superhigh efficiency. Based on this EOM, a waveform interconnect from the voltage to the modulated optical absorption is realised. We expect that such a new type of electro-optic interconnect will have a broad range of applications including the optical communications and network.
Optical manipulation of quantum systems requires stable laser sources able to produce complex waveforms over a large frequency range. In the visible region, such waveforms can be generated using an acousto-optic modulator driven by an arbitrary waveform generator, but these suffer from a limited tuning range typically of a few tens of MHz. Visible-range electro-optic modulators are an alternative option offering a larger modulation bandwidth, however they have limited output power which drastically restricts the scalability of quantum applications. There is currently no architecture able to perform phase-stabilized waveforms over several GHz in the visible or near infrared region while providing sufficient optical power for quantum applications. Here we propose and develop a modulation and frequency conversion set-up able to deliver optical waveforms over a large frequency range, with a high spurious extinction ratio, scalable to the entire visible/near infrared region with high optical power. The optical waveforms are first generated at telecom wavelength and then converted to the emitter wavelength through a sum frequency generation process. By adapting the pump laser frequency, the optical waveforms can be tuned to interact with a broad range of optical quantum emitters or qubits such as alkali atoms, trapped ions, rare earth ions, or fluorescent defects in solid-state matrices. Using this architecture, we were able to detect and study a single erbium ion in a nanoparticle. We also generated high bandwidth signals at 606 nm, which would enable frequency multiplexing of on-demand read-out Pr3+:Y2SiO5 quantum memories.