We theoretically demonstrate the generation of spectrally pure (purity ~ 95%) heralded single photons, and also broadband (~60-nm around 1550-nm) polarization-entangled photon pairs (concurrence>0.96), at telecom wavelengths via extensive dispersion engineering in silicon nano-waveguides.
We demonstrate theoretically the direct (filter-free) generation of spectrally uncorrelated photon pairs, and consequently high-purity heralded single photons at telecommunication wavelengths, in SOI (silicon-on-insulator) nanowaveguides via spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM). The inherent strong waveguide dispersion in such high-index contrast structures is employed for discrete-band phase-matching in order to suppress the pair spectral correlations, and to produce photons in the fundamental spatial mode for easy in-out coupling to single-mode optical fibers. Additionally, by optimizing the source parameters like waveguide length, dispersion and pump bandwidth, the group-velocity of generated photons is also engineered to further eliminate spectral correlations. Extensive numerical mode simulations for various waveguide widths are used to design intrinsically pure photon sources via joint spectral amplitude (JSA) engineering. Purity$>95^{2}fortypicalvaluesoflengthandpumpbandwidth.Thewavelengthoftheseheraldedsinglephotonscanbetunedintherangeof1266–1363nm(\sim$O-band) by varying the pump wavelength. Considering the high accuracy provided by silicon nanofabrication techniques, the feasibility of generating single photons across the wavelength range 1333–1425 nm (E-band) and 1437–1510 nm (S-band) for slightly different waveguide widths (625 nm & 650 nm) is also demonstrated. These filter-free integrated photon sources could be important for large-scale linear optical quantum computation (LOQC) and long-distance fiber-optic quantum key distribution (QKD) networks.
Compact and scalable sources of broadband polarization entanglement at telecommunication wavelengths will pave the way for multiuser long-distance quantum communication at enhanced data rates, but progress toward this goal has been hindered due to large birefringence in conventional silicon-on-insulator nanowaveguides. The authors theoretically demonstrate, via dispersion engineering, the successful generation of polarization-entangled photon pairs over a broad range of wavelengths. This work also provides a strategy to avoid entanglement degradation due to polarization-mode dispersion. The proposed devices will be useful building blocks for large-scale quantum communication networks.
In this paper, we propose exploiting dispersion-engineered nanophotonic waveguides in generating unprecedented ultra-broadband spectral and polarisation entanglement using spontaneous four-wave mixing parametric processes. We developed a simplified theoretical quantum framework to investigate and analyze these interactions under pulse source excitations. Using aluminum gallium arsenide and thin-film lithium niobate waveguides, we anticipate obtaining photon pairs with high-dimensional frequency entanglement, characterized by Schmidt numbers as large as 10 8 , and covering the wavelength range 940–2730 nm (equivalent to a 210 THz bandwidth). Additionally, we show that Al 0.3 Ga 0.7 As waveguides with hybrid cladding can enable the generation of polarisation-entangled photon pairs with concurrence exceeding 0.93 across wavelengths from 1175 nm to 1750 nm, spanning almost across all the telecommunication bands with only approximately 27 nm window inevitable-degradation around the pump wavelength. We envisage that these introduced integrated on-chip sources will significantly advance quantum photonic technologies, enabling breakthroughs in multi-channel quantum networking and scalable quantum information systems.
We propose integrated photonic sources based on spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) in dispersion engineered silicon nitride (SiN) nanowaveguides capable of generating spectrally-pure polarization-entangled photon-pairs bridging the visible-NIR and telecom bands. A simple silica-clad SiN waveguide design with height 640 nm and width in the range 860–960 nm can generate polarization-entangled photon pairs that simultaneously offers high heralded single photon purity of$>99\sim736–740nmand\sim1460–1560nm,respectively,employingapulsedpump(BW\gtrsim0.25–3THz)ofwavelengthnear\sim1−\mum.Slightlydifferentwaveguideheightof620nmandcorrespondingwaveguidewidthsintherange1040–1180nm,offeringthesamepurityandconcurrencestandards,canalsoaddressvariousquantummemoriesdemonstratedatthevisible−NIRwavelengthsof\sim$775–800 nm with a telecom band interface. Such CMOS-compatible on-chip sources of spectrally-pure polarization-entangled photon pairs can potentially be employed in a scalable manner for various optical quantum technologies.