Optica

Tunable microcavities coupled to rare-earth quantum emitters

Kangwei Xia, Fiammetta Sardi, Colin Sauerzapf, Thomas Kornher, Hans-Werner Becker, Z. Kis, L. Kovács, Denis Dertli, Jonas Foglszinger, Roman L. Kolesov, Jörg Wrachtrup

Published Mar 10, 2022• 61 citations

Publisher

Abstract

Electro-optical control of on-chip photonic devices is an essential tool for efficient integrated photonics. Lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) is an emerging platform for on-chip photonics due to its large electro-optic coefficient and high nonlinearity. Integrating quantum emitters into LNOI would extend their versatility in classic photonics to quantum computing and communication. Here, we incorporate rare-earth ion (REI) quantum emitters into electro-optical tunable lithium niobite (LN) thin films and demonstrate control of LN microcavities coupled to REIs over a frequency range of 160 GHz with 5 µs switching speed. Dynamic control of the cavities enables modulation of the Purcell enhancement of REIs with short time constants. Using Purcell enhancement, we show evidence of detecting single Y b 3 + ions in LN cavities. Coupling quantum emitters in fast tunable photonic devices is an efficient method to shape the waveform of the emitter. It also offers a platform to encode quantum information in the integration of a spectral–temporal–spatial domain to achieve high levels of channel multiplexing, as well as an approach to generate deterministic single-photon sources.

DOI: 10.1364/optica.453527

Related papers

High-Speed Tunable Microcavities Coupled to Rare-Earth Quantum Emitters

Kangwei Xia, Fiammetta Sardi, Colin Sauerzapf +6 more

Electro-optical control of on-chip photonic devices is an essential tool for efficient integrated photonics. Lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) is an emerging platform for on-chip photonics due to its large electro-optic coefficient and high nonlinearity [1]. Integrating quantum emitters into LNOI would extend their versatile use in classic photonics to quantum computing and communication [2, 3]. Here, we incorporate single rare-earth ions (REI) quantum emitters in electro-optical tunable lithium niobite (LN) thin films and demonstrate control of LN microcavities coupled to REI over a frequency range of 160 GHz with 5 \mus switching speed. Dynamical control of the cavities enables the modulation of the Purcell enhancement of the REIs with short time constants. Using the Purcell enhancement, we show evidence of detecting single Yb3+ ions in LN cavities. Coupling quantum emitters in fast tunable photonic devices is an efficient method to shape the waveform of the emitter [4]. It also offers a platform to encode quantum information in the integration of a spectral-temporal-spatial domain to achieve high levels of channel multiplexing, as well as an approach to generate deterministic single-photon sources [5, 6].

arXiv:2104.00389Apr 1, 20212 citations

Controlling single rare earth ion emission in an electro-optical nanocavity

Likai Yang, Sihao Wang, Mohan Shen +2 more

Rare earth emitters enable critical quantum resources including spin qubits, single photon sources, and quantum memories. Yet, probing of single ions remains challenging due to low emission rate of their intra-4f optical transitions. One feasible approach is through Purcell-enhanced emission in optical cavities. The ability to modulate cavity-ion coupling in real-time will further elevate the capacity of such systems. Here, we demonstrate direct control of single ion emission by embedding erbium dopants in an electro-optically active photonic crystal cavity patterned from thin-film lithium niobate. Purcell factor over 170 enables single ion detection, which is verified by second-order autocorrelation measurement. Dynamic control of emission rate is realized by leveraging electro-optic tuning of resonance frequency. Using this feature, storage, and retrieval of single ion excitation is further demonstrated, without perturbing the emission characteristics. These results promise new opportunities for controllable single-photon sources and efficient spin-photon interfaces.

arXiv:2211.12449Nature CommunicationsMar 28, 202367 citations

Photonic integration of 171ytterbium single photon sources into an LiNbO3-based photonic platform

Fiammetta Sardi, V. Foteinou, Rainer Stöhr +2 more

The necessity for scalable, reliable and reproducible quantum systems is raising in the time for appealing potentialities in application of this technology. On-chip photonic solutions are a leading competitor by combining established classical fabrication technologies, integrated photonics and quantum optical effects. Lithium Niobate on insulator (LNOI) is one of the main contenders for the integration of on-chip functionality. Rare Earth Ions (REI) already proved many different good properties in term of optical and spin features as well as good integration through implantation. In particular, 171Ytterbium showed to have clock transitions in the zero phonon line at zero field which would screen magnetic noise from high spin materials. Here the possibility to create a reconfigurable interferometer on-chip by the employment of fabrication techniques has been showed with the creation of LN structures, interconnecting infrastructure and far field coupling from SU8 resist. Moreover, doping Lithium niobate photonic crystal cavities has been investigated to be employed as switchable single photon sources.

Quantum Computing, Communication, and SimulationMar 12, 20241 citation

Incorporation of erbium ions into thin-film lithium niobate integrated photonics

Sihao Wang, Likai Yang, Risheng Cheng +5 more

As an active material with favorable linear and nonlinear optical properties, thin-film lithium niobate has demonstrated its potential in integrated photonics. Integration with rare-earth ions, which are promising candidates for quantum memories and transducers, will enrich the system with new applications in quantum information processing. Here, we investigate the optical properties at 1.5 μm wavelengths of rare-earth ions (Er3+) implanted in thin-film lithium niobate waveguides and micro-ring resonators. Optical quality factors near a million after post-annealing show that ion implantation damage can be repaired. The transition linewidth and fluorescence lifetime of erbium ions are characterized. The ion-cavity coupling is observed through a Purcell enhanced fluorescence from which a Purcell factor of 3.8 ± 0.5, compared with waveguide lifetime, is extracted. This platform is compatible with top-down lithography processes and leads to a scalable path for controlling spin-photon interfaces in photonic circuits.

arXiv:1912.07584Applied Physics LettersApr 13, 202069 citations

An Integrated Photonic Platform For Quantum Information Processing

Subhojit Dutta

Quantum photonics provides a powerful toolbox with vast applications ranging from quantum simulation, photonic information processing, all optical universal quantum computation, secure quantum internet as well as quantum enhanced sensing. Many of these applications require the integration of several complex optical elements and material systems which pose a challenge to scalability. It is essential to integrate linear and non-linear photonics on a chip to tackle this issue leading to more compact, high bandwidth devices. In this thesis we demonstrate a pathway to achieving several components in the quantum photonic toolbox on the same integrated photonic platform. We focus particularly on two of the more nontrivial components, a single photon source and an integrated quantum light-matter interface. We address the problem of a scalable, chip integrated, fast single photon source, by using atomically thin layers of 2D materials interfaced with plasmonic waveguides. We further embark on the challenge of creating a new material system by integrating rare earth ions with the emerging commercial platform of thin film lithium niobate on insulator. Rare earth ions have found widespread use in classical and quantum information processing. However, these are traditionally doped in bulk crystals which hinder their scalability. We demonstrate an integrated photonic interface for rare earth ions in thin film lithium niobate that preserves the optical and coherence properties of the ions. This combination of rare earth ions with the chip-scale active interface of thin film lithium niobate opens a plethora of opportunities for compact optoelectronic devices. As an immediate application we demonstrate an integrated optical quantum memory with a rare earth atomic ensemble in the thin film. The new light matter interface in thin film lithium niobate acts as a key enabler in an already rich optical platform representing a significant advancement in the field of integrated quantum photonics.

Jan 1, 20210 citations

Photonic integration of Er3+:Y2SiO5 with thin-film lithium niobate by flip chip bonding

Likai Yang, Sihao Wang, Mohan Shen +3 more

Rare earth ions are known as promising candidates for building quantum light-matter interface. However, tunable photonic cavity access to rare earth ions in their desired host crystal remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate the integration of erbium doped yttrium orthosilicate (Er3+:Y2SiO5) with thin-film lithium niobate photonic circuit by plasma-activated direct flip chip bonding. Resonant coupling to erbium ions is realized by on-chip electro-optically tuned high Q lithium niobate micro-ring resonators. Fluorescence and absorption of erbium ions at 1536.48 nm are measured in the waveguides, while the collective ion-cavity cooperativity with micro-ring resonators is assessed to be 0.36. This work presents a versatile scheme for future rare earth ion integrated quantum devices.

Optics ExpressApr 26, 202110 citations