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Scientific Reports

A squeezed light source operated under high vacuum

Andrew R. Wade, Georgia L. Mansell, S. Chua, Robert L. Ward, Bram J. J. Slagmolen, D. A. Shaddock, David E. McClelland

Published Dec 14, 2015• 23 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Non-classical squeezed states of light are becoming increasingly important to a range of metrology and other quantum optics applications in cryptography, quantum computation and biophysics. Applications such as improving the sensitivity of advanced gravitational wave detectors and the development of space-based metrology and quantum networks will require robust deployable vacuum-compatible sources. To date non-linear photonics devices operated under high vacuum have been simple single pass systems, testing harmonic generation and the production of classically correlated photon pairs for space-based applications. Here we demonstrate the production under high-vacuum conditions of non-classical squeezed light with an observed 8.6 dB of quantum noise reduction down to 10 Hz. Demonstration of a resonant non-linear optical device, for the generation of squeezed light under vacuum, paves the way to fully exploit the advantages of in-vacuum operations, adapting this technology for deployment into new extreme environments.

DOI
10.1038/srep18052

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Non-classical squeezed states of light are becoming increasingly important to a range of metrology and other quantum optics applications in cryptography, quantum computation and biophysics. Applications such as improving the sensitivity of advanced gravitational wave detectors and the development of space-based metrology and quantum networks will require robust deployable vacuum-compatible sources. To date non-linear photonics devices operated under high vacuum have been simple single pass systems, testing harmonic generation and the production of classically correlated photon pairs for space-based applications. Here we demonstrate the production under high-vacuum conditions of non-classical squeezed light with an observed 8.6 dB of quantum noise reduction down to 10 Hz. Demonstration of a resonant non-linear optical device, for the generation of squeezed light under vacuum, paves the way to fully exploit the advantages of in-vacuum operations, adapting this technology for deployment into new extreme environments.
The engineering of strongly squeezed vacuum states of light is a key technology for the reduction of quantum noise in gravitational wave detectors. We report on the observation of up to 12.0 dB squeezed vacuum states of light at the wavelength of 1064 nm in the frequency band from 10 Hz to 100 kHz. This is the strongest squeezing reported to date within this detection band. The squeezed states were generated in a half-monolithic, standing-wave cavity optical parametric amplifier, which was resonant for the fundamental and harmonic light fields. We chose appropriate reflectivities to obtain a significant reduction of the required pump power, which was 8.6 mW only. Our analysis revealed that the residual measurement phase noise was smaller than 3.5 mrad rms and that the squeezed light source provided up to 14 dB of squeezing for a downstream application. The experiment was electronically stabilized in all relevant degrees of freedom, demonstrating the applicability of the linear, doubly resonant cavity topology for current and future gravitational wave detectors.
With the recent detection of gravitational waves, non-classical light sources are likely to become an essential element of future detectors engaged in gravitational wave astronomy and cosmology. Operating a squeezed light source under high vacuum has the advantages of reducing optical losses and phase noise compared to techniques where the squeezed light is introduced from outside the vacuum. This will ultimately provide enhanced sensitivity for modern interferometric gravitational wave detectors that will soon become limited by quantum noise across much of the detection bandwidth. Here we describe the optomechanical design choices and construction techniques of a near monolithic glass optical parametric oscillator that has been operated under a vacuum of 10(-6) mbar. The optical parametric oscillator described here has been shown to produce 8.6 dB of quadrature squeezed light in the audio frequency band down to 10 Hz. This performance has been maintained for periods of around an hour and the system has been under vacuum continuously for several months without a degradation of this performance.
During the recent years an international network of interferometric gravitational wave (GW) detectors has been commissioned and searches for various classes of GWsignals are ongoing.Although the observatories are beginning to reach astrophysically interesting sensitivity levels, extensive upgrades are aimed for the next decade bringing us into the era of gravitational wave astronomy.One approach to enhance the detector sensitivity is the injection of squeezed vacuum states of light replacing the vacuum fluctuations entering the detector through its antisymmetric port.In this thesis the unprecedented generation of squeezed vacuum states with a noise power 6.5 dB below vacuum noise within the entire detection bandwidth of ground-based GW-detectors (10 Hz -10 kHz) was experimentally demonstrated at a wavelength of 1064 nm.For the first time a coherent control scheme was employed for comprehensive phase control of the experimental setup.This scheme is directly applicable to future GW-detector topologies.In addition, parasitic interference induced by scattered light was found to be a dominant noise source degrading squeezed states in the audio band.The compatibility of squeezed field injection into a detuned operated dual-recycled Michelson interferometer was demonstrated in a table top experiment.A detected non-classical sensitivity improvement of up to 3.0 dB within the entire detection bandwidth (5 -15 MHz) was accomplished by optimal preparation of the injected squeezing by means of a detuned locked filter cavity.In a further experiment strongly squeezed vacuum states were generated in the MHz-regime.With a maximum measured quantum noise reduction of 11.5 dB below the shot noise limit a new benchmark was set.This was achieved by suppression of phase noise and a remarkable reduction of optical loss in the experimental setup.Based on the squeezed light sources developed in this thesis and the experimental results achieved, a conceptual design of a compact squeezed light source was devised, allowing for a high duty cycle sensitivity improvement of GW-detectors.
Squeezed states of light were observed for the first time in 1985.Since then they have developed into an important nonclassical tool in the field of high-precision metrology, for instance in gravitational wave detection, as well as in the field of quantum information, e.g. for teleportation and quantum cryptography.For all these applications a strong squeezing factor is beneficial.This thesis presents a new benchmark value for squeezed light from non-monolithic squeezed-light sources.By means of parametric down-conversion, squeezed states at a wavelength of 1064 nm were generated and a nonclassical noise suppression of 12.3 dB was observed.In contrast to a monolithic resonator, the resonance frequency of this squeezed-light source can be adjusted to a downstream experiment.In an additional experiment this squeezed-light source was utilized to determine the quantum efficiency of photo diodes.The applied method permits high precision since strong squeezing is sensitive to even low values of optical loss.In view of the application of squeezed light in future-generation gravitational wave detectors and quantum information science, a dedicated squeezed-light source was developed and at a wavelength of 1550 nm squeezing in the continuous-wave regime was observed for the first time.These squeezed states were employed to quantumenhance the sensitivity of a fiber-based Sagnac interferometer.Thus the compatibility of squeezing at 1550 nm with fiber-based quantum communication was demonstrated.Furthermore, upon thorough optimization of the squeezed-light generation and detection at 1550 nm, a quantum noise suppression of 12.3 dB was measured.Moreover, squeezing in the Fourier audio-band was observed for the first time.The findings presented in this thesis constitute key research towards the squeezed-light technology at 1550 nm as it is required for future gravitational wave detectors such as the recently proposed Einstein Telescope.
The worldwide network of laser interferometric gravitational-wave detectors is currently in an upgrade phase and will most likely detect gravitational waves within the next few years. Their strain sensitivity will be limited by photon shot noise over a large frequency band. A measurement beyond the shot noise level has already been accomplished via injecting squeezed vacuum states of light into the interferometers. In this proceeding, I review the current status in developements for the next-generation squeezed-light sources for future gravitational-wave detectors. A newly designed doubly-resonant squeezed light source is discussed, as well as squeezed light generated at the wavelengths of 1550 nm and 532 nm. Furthermore, high­ efficiency second harmonic generation of laser light for gravitational wave detectors will be presented. The injection of squeezed light as a key technology is well on schedule for improving the sensitivity of future gravitational-wave detectors.
Strongly squeezed light finds many important applications within the fields of quantum metrology, quantum communication and quantum computation. However, due to the bulkiness and complexity of most squeezed light sources of today, they are still not a standard tool in quantum optics labs. We have taken the first steps in realizing a compact, high-performance 1550 nm squeezing source based on commercially available fiber components combined with a free-space double-resonant parametric down-conversion source. The whole setup, including single-pass second-harmonic generation in a waveguide, fits on a 30 cm×45 cm breadboard and produces 9.3 dB of squeezing at a 5 MHz sideband-frequency. The setup is currently limited by phase noise, but further optimization and development should allow for a 19" sized turn-key squeezing source capable of delivering more than 10 dB of squeezing.