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

Research in Optical Sciences

Quantum interference of multiple on-chip heralded sources of pure single photons

Justin B. Spring, Patrick S. Salter, Paolo L. Mennea, Benjamin J. Metcalf, Peter C. Humphreys, Merritt Moore, James C. Gates, Nicholas L. Thomas-Peter, Marco Barbieri, Xian‐Min Jin, Nathan K. Langford, W. Steven Kolthammer, Peter G. R. Smith, Martin J. Booth, Brian J. Smith, Ian A. Walmsley

Published Jan 1, 2014• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We demonstrate generation of heralded single photons in silica photonic chips with a preparation efficiency of 80% and single photon purity of 0.86. We show multiple indistinguishable photon sources on a single chip with HOM-dip visibilities of up to 95%.
DOI
10.1364/qim.2014.qw1b.6

Related papers

On-chip low loss heralded source of pure single photons

Justin B. Spring, Patrick S. Salter, Benjamin J. Metcalf +9 more

A key obstacle to the experimental realization of many photonic quantum-enhanced technologies is the lack of low-loss sources of single photons in pure quantum states. We demonstrate a promising solution: generation of heralded single photons in a silica photonic chip by spontaneous four-wave mixing. A heralding efficiency of 40%, corresponding to a preparation efficiency of 80% accounting for detector performance, is achieved due to efficient coupling of the low-loss source to optical fibers. A single photon purity of 0.86 is measured from the source number statistics without narrow spectral filtering, and confirmed by direct measurement of the joint spectral intensity. We calculate that similar high-heralded-purity output can be obtained from visible to telecom spectral regions using this approach. On-chip silica sources can have immediate application in a wide range of single-photon quantum optics applications which employ silica photonics.

arXiv:1304.7781•Optics Express•May 29, 2013•120 citations

Six-photon experiments using an on-chip array of heralded, pure single photon sources

Justin B. Spring, Paolo L. Mennea, Benjamin J. Metcalf +8 more

Heralded single photon sources, based on probabilistic non-linear interactions, currently serve as the de-facto standard for performing multi-photon quantum interference experiments. Already, interesting phenomena may be explored with a handful of such sources [1], whilst in the future, large arrays of identical sources could be multiplexed with a switching network to achieve a truly scalable, near-deterministic emission [2]. However, fabricating such a large number of indistinguishable, pure, heralded single photon sources, operating with low-loss, remains an open challenge. Spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) in a silica waveguide is a promising route to building such a source. The low-loss and excellent mode-matching to optical fibre of silica waveguides allows high preparation efficiency. Guided-wave photonics also allows the precise control of the optical modes needed to engineer emission of photons into a single pair of Schmidt modes: allowing heralded photons of high purity without narrowband filtering [3].

European Quantum Electronics Conference (EQEC)•Jun 21, 2015•0 citations

Chip-based array of near-identical, pure, heralded single-photon sources

Justin B. Spring, Paolo L. Mennea, Benjamin J. Metcalf +8 more

Interference between independent single photons is perhaps the most fundamental interaction in quantum optics. It has become increasingly important as a tool for optical quantum information science, as one of the rudimentary quantum operations, together with photon detection, for generating entanglement between non-interacting particles. Despite this, demonstrations of large-scale photonic networks involving more than two independent sources of quantum light have been limited due to the difficulty in constructing large arrays of high-quality single photon sources. Here, we solve the key challenge, reporting a novel array of more than eighteen near-identical, low-loss, high-purity, heralded single photon sources achieved using spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) on a silica chip. We verify source quality through a series of heralded Hong-Ou-Mandel experiments, and further report the experimental three-photon extension of the entire Hong-Ou-Mandel interference curves, which map out the interference landscape between three independent single photon sources for the first time.

arXiv:1603.06984•Optica•Jan 9, 2017•111 citations

Heralded Quantum Interference of On-chip Micro-ring Resonator Sources in Si-photonics

Imad I. Faruque, Damien Bonneau, Gary F. Sinclair +1 more

We report a 4-photon measurement in silicon-on-isolator, demonstrating 67.31% ± 10% indistinguishability among heralded photons generated from two separate micro-resonators, and interfered on-chip. The heralded single-photon purities from each source are estimated as 86.20 ± 3.89% and 78.69 ± 2.44%.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics•Jan 1, 2017•1 citation

Near-optimal spontaneous photon sources on a silicon quantum photonic chip

Stefano Paesani, Massimo Borghi, Stefano Signorini +3 more

We develop integrated spontaneous photon sources in silicon photonics simultaneously satisfying all requirements for large-scale photonic quantum computing: 0:9904 ± 0:0006 spectral purity, 0:985 ± 0:002 indistinguishability, > 90% heralding efficiency, and 0:96 ± 0:02 on-chip heralded quantum interference visibility.

Frontiers in Optics•Jan 1, 2020•2 citations

On-chip quantum interference with heralded photons from two independent micro-ring resonator sources in silicon photonics

Imad I. Faruque, Gary F. Sinclair, Damien Bonneau +2 more

High visibility on-chip quantum interference among indistinguishable single-photons from multiples sources is a key prerequisite for integrated linear optical quantum computing. Resonant enhancement in micro-ring resonators naturally enables brighter, purer and more indistinguishable single-photon production without any tight spectral filtering. The indistinguisha-bility of heralded single-photons from multiple micro-ring resonators has not been measured in any photonic platform. Here, we report on-chip indistinguishability measurements of heralded single-photons generated from independent micro-ring resonators by using an on-chip Mach-Zehnder interferometer and spectral demultiplexer. We measured the raw heralded two-photon interference fringe visibility as 72 ± 3%. This result agrees with our model, which includes device imperfections, spectral impurity and multi-pair emissions. We identify multi-pair emissions as the main factor limiting the nonclassical interference visibility, and show a route towards achieving near unity visibility in future experiments.

arXiv:1705.01029•Optics Express•Jul 26, 2018•66 citations
A key obstacle to the experimental realization of many photonic quantum-enhanced technologies is the lack of low-loss sources of single photons in pure quantum states. We demonstrate a promising solution: generation of heralded single photons in a silica photonic chip by spontaneous four-wave mixing. A heralding efficiency of 40%, corresponding to a preparation efficiency of 80% accounting for detector performance, is achieved due to efficient coupling of the low-loss source to optical fibers. A single photon purity of 0.86 is measured from the source number statistics without narrow spectral filtering, and confirmed by direct measurement of the joint spectral intensity. We calculate that similar high-heralded-purity output can be obtained from visible to telecom spectral regions using this approach. On-chip silica sources can have immediate application in a wide range of single-photon quantum optics applications which employ silica photonics.
Heralded single photon sources, based on probabilistic non-linear interactions, currently serve as the de-facto standard for performing multi-photon quantum interference experiments. Already, interesting phenomena may be explored with a handful of such sources [1], whilst in the future, large arrays of identical sources could be multiplexed with a switching network to achieve a truly scalable, near-deterministic emission [2]. However, fabricating such a large number of indistinguishable, pure, heralded single photon sources, operating with low-loss, remains an open challenge. Spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) in a silica waveguide is a promising route to building such a source. The low-loss and excellent mode-matching to optical fibre of silica waveguides allows high preparation efficiency. Guided-wave photonics also allows the precise control of the optical modes needed to engineer emission of photons into a single pair of Schmidt modes: allowing heralded photons of high purity without narrowband filtering [3].
Interference between independent single photons is perhaps the most fundamental interaction in quantum optics. It has become increasingly important as a tool for optical quantum information science, as one of the rudimentary quantum operations, together with photon detection, for generating entanglement between non-interacting particles. Despite this, demonstrations of large-scale photonic networks involving more than two independent sources of quantum light have been limited due to the difficulty in constructing large arrays of high-quality single photon sources. Here, we solve the key challenge, reporting a novel array of more than eighteen near-identical, low-loss, high-purity, heralded single photon sources achieved using spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) on a silica chip. We verify source quality through a series of heralded Hong-Ou-Mandel experiments, and further report the experimental three-photon extension of the entire Hong-Ou-Mandel interference curves, which map out the interference landscape between three independent single photon sources for the first time.
High visibility on-chip quantum interference among indistinguishable single-photons from multiples sources is a key prerequisite for integrated linear optical quantum computing. Resonant enhancement in micro-ring resonators naturally enables brighter, purer and more indistinguishable single-photon production without any tight spectral filtering. The indistinguisha-bility of heralded single-photons from multiple micro-ring resonators has not been measured in any photonic platform. Here, we report on-chip indistinguishability measurements of heralded single-photons generated from independent micro-ring resonators by using an on-chip Mach-Zehnder interferometer and spectral demultiplexer. We measured the raw heralded two-photon interference fringe visibility as 72 ± 3%. This result agrees with our model, which includes device imperfections, spectral impurity and multi-pair emissions. We identify multi-pair emissions as the main factor limiting the nonclassical interference visibility, and show a route towards achieving near unity visibility in future experiments.