The frequency dependence of phonon-photon double-quantum transitions in MgO: ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{+2}$ was investigated by using 8.7-GHz photons to detect 9.3-, 4.7-, and 3.1-GHz phonons. The transition probability for simultaneous absorption of both a phonon and a photon markedly decreased with decreasing phonon frequency. In the case of 4.7- and 3.1-GHz phonons, a new type of phonon-photon transition was observed.The frequency dependence of phonon-photon double-quantum transitions in MgO:${\mathrm{Fe}}^{+2}$ was investigated by using 8.7-GHz photons to detect 9.3-, 4.7-, and 3.1-GHz phonons. The transition probability for simultaneous absorption of both a phonon and a photon markedly decreased with decreasing phonon frequency. In the case of 4.7- and 3.1-GHz phonons, a new type of phonon-photon transition was observed.

Physical Review LettersSep 30, 19682 citations

Membraneless Phonon Trapping and Resolution Enhancement in Optical Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors

Nicholas Zobrist, W. Hawkins Clay, Grégoire Coiffard +4 more

Microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) sensitive to light in the ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths are superconducting microresonators that are capable of measuring photon arrival times to microsecond precision and estimating each photon's energy. The resolving power of nonmembrane MKIDs has remained stubbornly around 10 at 1 μm despite significant improvements in the system noise. Here we show that the resolving power can be roughly doubled with a simple bilayer design without needing to place the device on a membrane, avoiding a significant increase in fabrication complexity. Based on modeling of the phonon propagation, we find that the majority of the improvement comes from the inability of high energy phonons to enter the additional layer due to the lack of available phonon states.Microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) sensitive to light in the ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths are superconducting microresonators that are capable of measuring photon arrival times to microsecond precision and estimating each photon's energy. The resolving power of nonmembrane MKIDs has remained stubbornly around 10 at 1 μm despite significant improvements in the system noise. Here we show that the resolving power can be roughly doubled with a simple bilayer design without needing to place the device on a membrane, avoiding a significant increase in fabrication complexity. Based on modeling of the phonon propagation, we find that the majority of the improvement comes from the inability of high energy phonons to enter the additional layer due to the lack of available phonon states.

arXiv:2204.13669Physical Review LettersJul 1, 202229 citations

Three-photon transitions in gases at microwave frequencies

A. Battaglia

Lettere al nuovo cimento della societa italiana di fisica/Lettere al nuovo cimentoNov 1, 19772 citations

The frequency dependence of phonon-photon double-quantum transitions in MgO:

{\mathrm{Fe}}^{+2}

was investigated by using 8.7-GHz photons to detect 9.3-, 4.7-, and 3.1-GHz phonons. The transition probability for simultaneous absorption of both a phonon and a photon markedly decreased with decreasing phonon frequency. In the case of 4.7- and 3.1-GHz phonons, a new type of phonon-photon transition was observed.