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Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)

Optical readout of a superconducting single photon detector with a cryogenic modulator

Frederik Thiele, Thomas Hummel, Felix vom Bruch, Victor Quiring, Raimund Ricken, Harald Herrmann, Christof Eigner, Christine Silberhorn, Tim J. Bartley

Published Jun 21, 2021• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

The realisation of light modulation based on single photon detection events is an important step towards feed-forward-modulation, which is required for many quantum optics protocols. This requires combining detection events with modulation in a device with a small physical footprint, for which integrated optics is ideal. Several platforms for integrated quantum optics have been developed to generate, modulate, and detect quantum features in the light over the last years. Titanium in-diffused waveguides in lithium niobate is a promising candidate for quantum communication applications [1] , [2] , however, single photon detection with superconducting photon detectors (SNSPDs) require cryogenic temperatures. Therefore, optimising the nonlinear optical properties of these waveguides under cryogenic operating conditions is an important task. Previously, we have demonstrated frequency conversion [3] , electro-optical modulation [4] and integrated single photon detection [5] at cryogenic temperatures.

DOI
10.1109/cleo/europe-eqec52157.2021.9541832

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The realisation of light modulation based on single photon detection events is an important step towards feed-forward-modulation, which is required for many quantum optics protocols. This requires combining detection events with modulation in a device with a small physical footprint, for which integrated optics is ideal. Several platforms for integrated quantum optics have been developed to generate, modulate, and detect quantum features in the light over the last years. Titanium in-diffused waveguides in lithium niobate is a promising candidate for quantum communication applications [1] , [2] , however, single photon detection with superconducting photon detectors (SNSPDs) require cryogenic temperatures. Therefore, optimising the nonlinear optical properties of these waveguides under cryogenic operating conditions is an important task. Previously, we have demonstrated frequency conversion [3] , electro-optical modulation [4] and integrated single photon detection [5] at cryogenic temperatures.
Abstract Lithium niobate is a promising platform for integrated quantum optics. In this platform, we aim to efficiently manipulate and detect quantum states by combining superconducting single photon detectors and modulators. The cryogenic operation of a superconducting single photon detector dictates the optimisation of the electro-optic modulators under the same operating conditions. To that end, we characterise a phase modulator, directional coupler, and polarisation converter at both ambient and cryogenic temperatures. The operation voltage V π / 2 of these modulators increases, due to the decrease in the electro-optic effect, by 74% for the phase modulator, 84% for the directional coupler and 35% for the polarisation converter below 8.5 K . The phase modulator preserves its broadband nature and modulates light in the characterised wavelength range. The unbiased bar state of the directional coupler changed by a wavelength shift of 85 n m while cooling the device down to 5 K . The polarisation converter uses periodic poling to phasematch the two orthogonal polarisations. The phasematched wavelength of the utilised poling changes by 112 n m when cooling to 5 K .
Lithium Niobate On Insulator (LNOI) has recently emerged as a promising platform for the realization of electro-optically reconfigurable waveguides combining small footprint and ultra-low propagation loss. Integration of these components with superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) opens up the possibility to perform on-chip manipulation and detection of quantum states of light in a physically stable and scalable architecture. Here we report recent theoretical and experimental progress towards the realization of fast electro-optic modulators compatible with cryogenic temperatures and high-performance NbTiN superconducting nanowires single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) monolithically integrated in LNOI waveguides.
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.
Interfacing single-photon detectors with active photonic components is a cornerstone photonic quantum technology. We describe how the output signal of commercial superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors can be used in situ to drive photonic components such as lasers and electro-optic modulators, co-located in the cryostat. This is enabled by developing custom circuitry using cryogenic-compatible discrete components in the SiGe-BiCMOS platform. We have demonstrated this with a number of experiments, in particular optical readout of an SNSPD and low-latency feed-forward modulation based on single-photon measurement events, all at or below 4 K. This manuscript is an abridged version of the Master thesis of the primary author N. Lamberty.
Lithium-Niobate-On-Insulator (LNOI) is emerging as a promising platform for integrated quantum photonic technologies because of its high second-order nonlinearity and compact waveguide footprint. Importantly, LNOI allows for creating electro-optically reconfigurable circuits, which 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 active manipulation and detection of quantum states of light. Here we demonstrate 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 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 a frequency up to 1 GHz. Our results provide blueprints for implementing complex quantum photonic devices on the LNOI platform.
Integrated quantum photonic devices require the combination of quantum light sources, elements for guiding and manipulating the photonic states and detectors [1] . In a fully-integrated platform, the operating conditions for each component must be mutually compatible. Whilst parametric down-conversion (PDC) as a source for photonic states is well-established under ambient conditions [2] , other quantum photonic technologies require cryogenic operation temperatures, in particular superconducting single-photon detectors [3] .