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

Physical Review A

Transient behavior of a parametric amplifier with an added fourth-order interaction

C. Cabrillo, Francisco Javier Bermejo, P. Garcia-Fernandez, Raúl Toral, Pere Colet, Maxi San Miguel

Published Mar 1, 1992• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The dynamical properties of an optical parametric amplifier with an added fourth-order (Kerr-effect term) nonlinearity are studied by means of a computer simulation of a semiclassical nonlinear Langevin formulation. The transient statistics above threshold are analyzed in detail, and the relevance of the present results for the production of squeezed light in traveling-wave devices is finally discussed.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.45.3216

Related papers

Squeezing resulting from a fourth-order interaction in a degenerate parametric amplifier with absorption losses

P. Garca-Fernández, Pere Colet, Raúl Toral +2 more

The squeezing properties of a model of a degenerate parametric amplifier with absorption losses and an added fourth-order nonlinearity have been analyzed. The approach used consists of obtaining the Langevin equation for the optical field from the Heisenberg equation provided that a linearization procedure is valid. The steady states of the deterministic equations have been obtained and their local stability has been analyzed. The stationary covariance matrix has been calculated below and above threshold. Below threshold, a squeezed vacuum state is obtained and the nonlinear effects in the fluctuations have been taken into account by a Gaussian decoupling. In the case above threshold, a phase-squeezed coherent state is obtained and numerical simulations allowed to compute the time interval, depending on the loss parameter, on which the system jumps from one stable state to the other. Finally, the variances numerically determined have been compared with those obtained from the linearized theory and the limits of validity of the linear theory have been analyzed. It has become clear that the nonlinear contribution may perhaps be profitably used for the construction of above-threshold squeezing devices.

Physical Review A•May 1, 1991•9 citations

Higher-order nonlinear effects in a Josephson parametric amplifier

Bogdan A. Kochetov, Arkady Fedorov

Nonlinearity of the current-phase relationship of a Josephson junction is the key resource for a Josephson parametric amplifier (JPA) as well as for a Josephson traveling-wave parametric amplifier, the only devices in which the quantum limit for added noise has so far been approached at microwave frequencies. A standard approach to describe JPA takes into account only the lowest order (cubic) nonlinearity resulting in a Duffing-like oscillator equation of motion or in a Kerr-type nonlinearity term in the Hamiltonian. In this paper we derive the quantum expression for the gain of JPA including all orders of the Josephson junction nonlinearity in the linear response regime. We then analyze gain saturation effect for stronger signals within a semiclassical approach. Our results reveal nonlinear effects of higher orders and their implications for operation of a JPA.

arXiv:1509.06154•Physical Review B•Dec 18, 2015•25 citations

A graphical description of optical parametric generation of squeezed states of light

Jöran Bauchrowitz, Tobias Westphal, Roman Schnabel

The standard process for the production of strongly squeezed states of light is degenerate optical parametric amplification (OPA) below threshold in nonlinear dielectric media such as LiNbO3 or periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP). Here, we present a graphical description of squeezed-light generation via OPA, visualizing the interaction between the nonlinear dielectric polarization of the medium and the electromagnetic quantum field. We explicitly focus on the transfer from the field's ground state to a squeezed vacuum state and from a coherent state to a bright squeezed state by the medium's second-order nonlinearity, respectively. Our pictures illustrate the phase-dependent amplification and deamplification of quantum uncertainties and give the phase relations between all propagating electromagnetic fields as well as the internally induced dielectric polarizations. The graphical description can also be used to describe the generation of nonclassical states of light via higher-order effects of the nonlinear dielectric polarization such as four-wave mixing and the optical Kerr effect.

arXiv:1206.2527•American Journal of Physics•Sep 21, 2013•9 citations

Quantum wideband traveling-wave analysis of a degenerate parametric amplifier

Carlton M. Caves, David D. Crouch

We develop a wideband traveling-wave formalism for analyzing quantum mechanically a degenerate parametric amplifier. The formalism is based on spatial differential equations—spatial Langevin equations—that propagate temporal Fourier components of the field operators through the nonlinear medium. In addition to the parametric nonlinearity, the Langevin equations include absorption and associated fluctuations, dispersion (phase mismatching), and pump quantum fluctuations. We analyze the dominant effects of phase mismatching and pump quantum fluctuations on the squeezing produced by a degenerate parametric amplifier.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Oct 1, 1987•132 citations

Josephson parametric converter saturation and higher order effects

G. Liu, Tzu-Chiao Chien, Xi Cao +4 more

Microwave parametric amplifiers based on Josephson junctions have become indispensable components of many quantum information experiments. One key limitation which has not been well predicted by theory is the gain saturation behavior which limits the amplifier's ability to process large amplitude signals. The typical explanation for this behavior in phase-preserving amplifiers based on three-wave mixing, such as the Josephson Parametric Converter, is pump depletion, in which the consumption of pump photons to produce amplification results in a reduction in gain. However, in this work, we present experimental data and theoretical calculations showing that the fourth-order Kerr nonlinearities inherent in Josephson junctions are the dominant factor. The Kerr-based theory has the unusual property of causing saturation to both lower and higher gains, depending on bias conditions. This work presents an efficient methodology for optimizing device performance in the presence of Kerr nonlinearities while retaining device tunability and points to the necessity of controlling higher-order Hamiltonian terms to make further improvements in parametric devices.

arXiv:1703.04425•Applied Physics Letters•Nov 13, 2017•42 citations

Quantum dynamics of Kerr optical frequency combs below and above threshold: Spontaneous four-wave mixing, entanglement, and squeezed states of light

Yanne K. Chembo

The dynamical behavior of Kerr optical frequency combs is very well understood today from the perspective of the semiclassical approximation. These combs are obtained by pumping an ultrahigh-$Q$ whispering-gallery mode resonator with a continuous-wave laser. The long-lifetime photons are trapped within the toruslike eigenmodes of the resonator, where they interact nonlinearly via the Kerr effect. In this article, we use quantum Langevin equations to provide a theoretical understanding of the nonclassical behavior of these combs when pumped below and above threshold. In the configuration where the system is under threshold, the pump field is the unique oscillating mode inside the resonator, and it triggers the phenomenon of spontaneous four-wave mixing, where two photons from the pump are symmetrically up- and down-converted in the Fourier domain. This phenomenon, also referred to as parametric fluorescence, can only be understood and analyzed from a fully quantum perspective as a consequence of the coupling between the field of the central (pumped) mode and the vacuum fluctuations of the various side modes. We analytically calculate the power spectra of the spontaneous emission noise, and we show that these spectra can be either single- or double-peaked depending on the value of the laser frequency, chromatic dispersion, pump power, and spectral distance between the central mode and the side mode of interest. We also calculate as well the overall spontaneous noise power per side mode and propose simplified analytical expressions for some particular cases. In the configuration where the system is pumped above threshold, we investigate the phenomena of quantum correlations and multimode squeezed states of light that can occur in the Kerr frequency combs originating from stimulated four-wave mixing. We show that for all stationary spatiotemporal patterns, the side modes that are symmetrical relative to the pumped mode in the frequency domain display quantum correlations that can lead to squeezed states of light under some optimal conditions that are analytically determined. These quantum correlations can persist regardless the dynamical state of the system (rolls or solitons), regardless of the spectral extension of the comb (number side modes) and regardless of the dispersion regime (normal or anomalous). We also explicitly determine the phase quadratures leading to photon entanglement and analytically calculate their quantum-noise spectra. For both the below- and above-threshold cases, we study with particular emphasis the two principal architectures for Kerr comb generation, namely the add-through and add-drop configurations. It is found that regardless of the configuration, an essential parameter is the ratio between out-coupling and total losses, which plays a key role as it directly determines the efficiency of the detected fluorescence or squeezing spectra. We finally discuss the relevance of Kerr combs for quantum information systems at optical telecommunication wavelengths below and above threshold.

arXiv:1412.5700•Physical Review A•Mar 10, 2016•135 citations
The dynamical properties of an optical parametric amplifier with an added fourth-order (Kerr-effect term) nonlinearity are studied by means of a computer simulation of a semiclassical nonlinear Langevin formulation. The transient statistics above threshold are analyzed in detail, and the relevance of the present results for the production of squeezed light in traveling-wave devices is finally discussed.
The squeezing properties of a model of a degenerate parametric amplifier with absorption losses and an added fourth-order nonlinearity have been analyzed. The approach used consists of obtaining the Langevin equation for the optical field from the Heisenberg equation provided that a linearization procedure is valid. The steady states of the deterministic equations have been obtained and their local stability has been analyzed. The stationary covariance matrix has been calculated below and above threshold. Below threshold, a squeezed vacuum state is obtained and the nonlinear effects in the fluctuations have been taken into account by a Gaussian decoupling. In the case above threshold, a phase-squeezed coherent state is obtained and numerical simulations allowed to compute the time interval, depending on the loss parameter, on which the system jumps from one stable state to the other. Finally, the variances numerically determined have been compared with those obtained from the linearized theory and the limits of validity of the linear theory have been analyzed. It has become clear that the nonlinear contribution may perhaps be profitably used for the construction of above-threshold squeezing devices.
Nonlinearity of the current-phase relationship of a Josephson junction is the key resource for a Josephson parametric amplifier (JPA) as well as for a Josephson traveling-wave parametric amplifier, the only devices in which the quantum limit for added noise has so far been approached at microwave frequencies. A standard approach to describe JPA takes into account only the lowest order (cubic) nonlinearity resulting in a Duffing-like oscillator equation of motion or in a Kerr-type nonlinearity term in the Hamiltonian. In this paper we derive the quantum expression for the gain of JPA including all orders of the Josephson junction nonlinearity in the linear response regime. We then analyze gain saturation effect for stronger signals within a semiclassical approach. Our results reveal nonlinear effects of higher orders and their implications for operation of a JPA.
The standard process for the production of strongly squeezed states of light is degenerate optical parametric amplification (OPA) below threshold in nonlinear dielectric media such as LiNbO3 or periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP). Here, we present a graphical description of squeezed-light generation via OPA, visualizing the interaction between the nonlinear dielectric polarization of the medium and the electromagnetic quantum field. We explicitly focus on the transfer from the field's ground state to a squeezed vacuum state and from a coherent state to a bright squeezed state by the medium's second-order nonlinearity, respectively. Our pictures illustrate the phase-dependent amplification and deamplification of quantum uncertainties and give the phase relations between all propagating electromagnetic fields as well as the internally induced dielectric polarizations. The graphical description can also be used to describe the generation of nonclassical states of light via higher-order effects of the nonlinear dielectric polarization such as four-wave mixing and the optical Kerr effect.
We develop a wideband traveling-wave formalism for analyzing quantum mechanically a degenerate parametric amplifier. The formalism is based on spatial differential equations—spatial Langevin equations—that propagate temporal Fourier components of the field operators through the nonlinear medium. In addition to the parametric nonlinearity, the Langevin equations include absorption and associated fluctuations, dispersion (phase mismatching), and pump quantum fluctuations. We analyze the dominant effects of phase mismatching and pump quantum fluctuations on the squeezing produced by a degenerate parametric amplifier.
Microwave parametric amplifiers based on Josephson junctions have become indispensable components of many quantum information experiments. One key limitation which has not been well predicted by theory is the gain saturation behavior which limits the amplifier's ability to process large amplitude signals. The typical explanation for this behavior in phase-preserving amplifiers based on three-wave mixing, such as the Josephson Parametric Converter, is pump depletion, in which the consumption of pump photons to produce amplification results in a reduction in gain. However, in this work, we present experimental data and theoretical calculations showing that the fourth-order Kerr nonlinearities inherent in Josephson junctions are the dominant factor. The Kerr-based theory has the unusual property of causing saturation to both lower and higher gains, depending on bias conditions. This work presents an efficient methodology for optimizing device performance in the presence of Kerr nonlinearities while retaining device tunability and points to the necessity of controlling higher-order Hamiltonian terms to make further improvements in parametric devices.
The dynamical behavior of Kerr optical frequency combs is very well understood today from the perspective of the semiclassical approximation. These combs are obtained by pumping an ultrahigh-QQQ whispering-gallery mode resonator with a continuous-wave laser. The long-lifetime photons are trapped within the toruslike eigenmodes of the resonator, where they interact nonlinearly via the Kerr effect. In this article, we use quantum Langevin equations to provide a theoretical understanding of the nonclassical behavior of these combs when pumped below and above threshold. In the configuration where the system is under threshold, the pump field is the unique oscillating mode inside the resonator, and it triggers the phenomenon of spontaneous four-wave mixing, where two photons from the pump are symmetrically up- and down-converted in the Fourier domain. This phenomenon, also referred to as parametric fluorescence, can only be understood and analyzed from a fully quantum perspective as a consequence of the coupling between the field of the central (pumped) mode and the vacuum fluctuations of the various side modes. We analytically calculate the power spectra of the spontaneous emission noise, and we show that these spectra can be either single- or double-peaked depending on the value of the laser frequency, chromatic dispersion, pump power, and spectral distance between the central mode and the side mode of interest. We also calculate as well the overall spontaneous noise power per side mode and propose simplified analytical expressions for some particular cases. In the configuration where the system is pumped above threshold, we investigate the phenomena of quantum correlations and multimode squeezed states of light that can occur in the Kerr frequency combs originating from stimulated four-wave mixing. We show that for all stationary spatiotemporal patterns, the side modes that are symmetrical relative to the pumped mode in the frequency domain display quantum correlations that can lead to squeezed states of light under some optimal conditions that are analytically determined. These quantum correlations can persist regardless the dynamical state of the system (rolls or solitons), regardless of the spectral extension of the comb (number side modes) and regardless of the dispersion regime (normal or anomalous). We also explicitly determine the phase quadratures leading to photon entanglement and analytically calculate their quantum-noise spectra. For both the below- and above-threshold cases, we study with particular emphasis the two principal architectures for Kerr comb generation, namely the add-through and add-drop configurations. It is found that regardless of the configuration, an essential parameter is the ratio between out-coupling and total losses, which plays a key role as it directly determines the efficiency of the detected fluorescence or squeezing spectra. We finally discuss the relevance of Kerr combs for quantum information systems at optical telecommunication wavelengths below and above threshold.