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Quantum Computing, Communication, and Simulation

Integrating SNSPDs with titanium in-diffused waveguides in lithium niobate: progress, challenges, and opportunities

Tim J. Bartley

Published Mar 4, 2021• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Titanium in-diffused waveguides in lithium niobate is a promising integration platform for building devices for quantum communication, due to its low-loss propagation, high-efficiency coupling to telecom fiber, high second order nonlinearity and electro-optic coefficient. Over recent years we have been investigating the integration of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) in this platform, together with the Integrated Quantum Optics group at Paderborn University and colleagues at NIST Boulder. I will report on the proof-of-principle demonstrations of functional devices, as well as discuss our progress to improve the efficiency and yield of on-chip detectors.

DOI
10.1117/12.2583035

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Titanium in-diffused waveguides in lithium niobate is a promising integration platform for building devices for quantum communication, due to its low-loss propagation, high-efficiency coupling to telecom fiber, high second order nonlinearity and electro-optic coefficient. Over recent years we have been investigating the integration of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) in this platform, together with the Integrated Quantum Optics group at Paderborn University and colleagues at NIST Boulder. I will report on the proof-of-principle demonstrations of functional devices, as well as discuss our progress to improve the efficiency and yield of on-chip detectors.
Superconducting detectors are now well-established tools for low-light optics, and in particular quantum optics, boasting high-eciency, fast response and low noise. Similarly, lithium niobate is an important platform for integrated optics given its high second-order nonlinearity, used for high-speed electro-optic modulation and polarization conversion, as well as frequency conversion and sources of quantum light. Combining these technologies addresses the requirements for a single platform capable of generating, manipulating and measuring quantum light in many degrees of freedom, in a compact and potentially scalable manner. We will report on progress integrating tungsten transition-edge sensors (TESs) and amorphous tungsten silicide superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) on titanium in-di‚used lithium niobate waveguides. ‘e travelling-wave design couples the evanescent €eld from the waveguides into the superconducting absorber. We will report on simulations and measurements of the absorption, which we can characterize at room temperature prior to cooling down the devices. Independently, we show how the detectors respond to ƒood illumination, normally incident on the devices, demonstrating their functionality.
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Lithium-niobate-on-insulator (LNOI) is emerging as a promising platform for integrated quantum photonic technologies because of its high second-order optical nonlinearity, compact footprint, and low propagation loss in a broad wavelength range. Importantly, LNOI allows for creating electro-optically tunable circuits that can be efficiently operated at cryogenic temperature. Their integration with superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDS) paves the way for realizing scalable photonic devices for fast manipulation and detection of quantum states of light. Here we report the monolithic integration of these two key components in a low loss (0.2 dB/cm) LNOI waveguide network. As an experimental showcase of our technology, we demonstrate the combined operation of an electrically tunable Mach Zehnder interferometer–an essential building block for the realization of reconfigurable optical networks-and two waveguide-integrated SNSPDs at its outputs. We show static reconfigurability of our system with a bias-drift free operation over a time of 12 hours, as well as high-speed modulation at frequencies up to 1 GHz.
Abstract We demonstrate the integration of amorphous tungsten silicide superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors on titanium in-diffused lithium niobate waveguides. We show proof-of-principle detection of evanescently coupled photons of 1550 nm wavelength using bidirectional waveguide coupling for two orthogonal polarization directions. We investigate the internal detection efficiency as well as detector absorption using coupling-independent characterization measurements. Furthermore, we describe strategies to improve the yield and efficiency of these devices.
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Lithium niobate, because of its nonlinear and electro-optical properties, is one of the materials of choice for photonic applications. The development of nanostructuring capabilities of thin film lithium niobate (TFLN) permits fabrication of small footprint, low-loss optical circuits. With the recent implementation of on-chip single-photon detectors, this architecture is among the most promising for realizing on-chip quantum optics experiments. In this Letter, we report on the implementation of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) based on NbTiN on 300 nm thick TFLN ridge nano-waveguides. We demonstrate a waveguide-integrated wavelength meter based on the photon energy dependence of the superconducting detectors. The device operates at the telecom C- and L-bands and has a footprint smaller than 300 × 180 μm 2 and critical currents between ∼12 and ∼14 μA, which ensures operation with minimum heat dissipation. Our results hold promise for future densely packed on-chip wavelength-multiplexed quantum communication systems.