Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Photonics

Enhancement of Photon Blockade Under the Joint Effect of Optical Parametric Amplification and Mechanical Squeezing

Yue Hao, Jia-Le Tong, Suying Bai, Shaoxiong Wu, Cheng‐Hua Bai

Published Jun 20, 2025• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The photon blockade effect, as a quantum behavior in cavity optomechanics, has certain limitations, including stringent requirements for system parameters and technical difficulties in achieving strong nonlinear interactions. This paper proposes a novel scheme that aims to achieve strong nonlinear effects through introducing the degenerate optical parametric amplifier (OPA) and mechanical squeezing. These enhanced nonlinear effects can significantly improve the photon blockade effect, effectively overcoming the limitations of weak coupling. Our theoretical analysis demonstrates the successful realization of an ideal single-photon blockade (1PB) state through optimized parameter conditions. Additionally, this joint approach significantly enhances the two-photon blockade (2PB) effect and broadens the region where 2PB occurs. This finding helps us identify the optimal system parameters to maximize two-photon emission efficiency. By precisely controlling these parameters, a new pathway is opened for more flexible manipulation and utilization of the photon blockade effect in experiments.

DOI
10.3390/photonics12070628

Related papers

Enhanced photon blockade in an optomechanical system with parametric amplification

Dong-Yang Wang, Cheng-Hua Bai, Xue Han +3 more

We propose a scheme to enhance the single- and two-photon blockade effects significantly in a nonlinear hybrid optomechanical system with optical parametric amplification (OPA). The scheme does not rely on strong single-photon optomechanical coupling and can eliminate the disadvantages of suppressing multi-photon excitation incompletely. Through analyzing the single-photon blockade (1PB) mechanism and optimizing the system parameters, we obtain a perfect 1PB with a high occupancy probability of single-photon excitation, which means that a high-quality and efficient single-photon source can be generated. Moreover, we find that not only the two-photon blockade (2PB) effect is significantly enhanced, but also the region where 2PB occurs is widened when OPA exists, where we also derive the optimal parameter condition to maximize two-photon emission and higher photon excitations intensely suppressed at the same time.

arXiv:2006.10992•Optics Letters•Mar 31, 2020•65 citations

Photon blockade effect from synergistic optical parametric amplification and driving force in Kerr-medium single-mode cavity

Zhang Zhiqiang

This work investigates photon blockade control in a hybrid quantum system containing a Kerr-nonlinear cavity coupled to an optical parametric amplifier (OPA). The dynamics are governed by a master equation derived from an effective Hamiltonian that includes cavity decay. To obtain analytical solutions, the system's quantum state is expanded in the Fock basis up to the two-photon level. Solving the steady-state Schrodinger equation yields probability amplitudes and the analytical conditions for optimal photon blockade. Results confirm that photon blockade is achievable with suitable parameters. Excellent agreement is found between the analytical solutions and numerical simulations for the steady-state, equal-time second-order correlation function, validating both the analytical method and the blockade effect. Numerically, the average intracavity photon number increases significantly under resonance, providing a theoretical pathway for enhancing single-photon source brightness. Furthermore, the driving phase is shown to regulate the optimal blockade region: it shifts the parabolic region within the two-dimensional parameter space of driving strength and OPA nonlinearity and can even reverse its opening direction. The influence of Kerr nonlinearity is also examined. Photon blockade remains robust across a wide range of Kerr strengths. Physical analysis attributes the effect to destructive quantum interference between two distinct excitation pathways that suppress two-photon states. While Kerr nonlinearity shifts the system's energy levels, it does not disrupt this interference mechanism, explaining the effect's stability over a broad parameter range.

quant-pharXiv:2601.01819•Acta Physica Sinica•Jan 6, 2026•1 citation

Universal photon blockades via parametric amplification in second-order nonlinearly coupled cavities

Guo-Hua Lv, Rui Hou, Y. H. Zhou +3 more

Photon blockade (PB) is generally classified into conventional and unconventional types based on their distinct physical mechanisms. Recent studies have aimed to bridge the two regimes to realize a universal photon blockade (universal PB) that combines their respective advantages. Here, we propose a scheme for achieving universal PB based on second-order nonlinearity. The second-order nonlinear coupling between two cavity modes mediates the fundamental interaction, while an optical parametric amplifier embedded in one cavity introduces additional quantum interference pathways. We analytically derive the optimal conditions for universal PB, and the analytical results show excellent agreement with numerical simulations. By comparing universal PB with conventional PB, we highlight its unique performance advantages: the scheme operates effectively in both strong and weak coupling regimes, relaxes experimental constraints, and achieves an ultra-low equal-time second-order correlation function g (2) (0) down to 10 −7 , while maintaining a moderate mean photon number N a ∼ 10 −2 . This work provides a feasible and tunable platform for realizing high-purity single-photon sources and exploring quantum statistical properties in nonlinear cavity systems.

Optics Express•Dec 15, 2025•4 citations

Photon blockade by enhancing coupling via a nonlinear medium

Jin-Song Liu, Junya Yang, Hongyu Liu +1 more

A significantly low value of the single-photon coupling constant is a major challenge in the creation of a single-photon source via photon blockade. Here, we propose a photon blockade scheme composed of a weakly second-order nonlinear medium with an optical parametric amplification in a low-frequency cavity. Unlike the traditional weakly coupled system, the effective coupling strength in the proposed scheme can be significantly higher than the decay rate of the cavity mode. This can be achieved by adjusting the squeezing parameter even if the original coupling strength is weak. The thermal noise of the squeezed cavity mode can be suppressed by a squeezed vacuum field. Using a probability amplitude method, we obtain the optimal condition of photon blockade in the steady-state. By solving the master equation numerically in the steady-state, a strong photon antibunching effect that is consistent with the optimal conditions can be obtained in the cavity with low frequency. Besides, the photon blockade phenomenon and cross-correlation of two cavities can be significantly enhanced under a specific squeezing parameter. Our results may be useful for future studies on the characteristics of photon statistics.

Optics Express•May 30, 2020•12 citations

Enhanced quadratic nonlinearity with parametric amplifications

Wen-ju Gu, Zhen Yi, Lihui Sun +1 more

Realization of quantum nonlinearity in quadratic optomechanics, including optical and mechanical nonlinearity at the single-photon level, is crucial to explore extraordinary quantum features. Here we investigate an exponential enhancement of quadratic optomechanical interaction via parametric amplifications. The parametric process can form an in-phase amplified quadrature, and the rate of coupling to the in-phase quadrature will be exponentially increased even to the single-photon strong-coupling regime. Concretely, to achieve the optical nonlinearity mediated by the quadratic optomechanical interaction, we can employ a mechanical parametric process, and the in-phase mechanical quadrature can strongly couple to the cavity mode, leading to an enhanced optical nonlinearity such as a photon blockade. Similarly, via employing the optical parametric process, the in-phase optical quadrature can also effectively mediate the quadratic interaction, leading to an enhanced mechanical nonlinearity such as mechanical squeezing, bi-excitation exchange interaction and feasibility of quantum non-demolition detection of mechanical motion. However, the parametric process can also enlarge the noise, and a squeezing vacuum with the phase matching condition should be introduced to suppress the same.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Mar 1, 2018•4 citations

Enhanced nonlinear interactions in quantum optomechanics via mechanical amplification

Marc-Antoine Lemonde, Nicolas Didier, Aashish A. Clerk

The quantum nonlinear regime of optomechanics is reached when nonlinear effects of the radiation pressure interaction are observed at the single-photon level. This requires couplings larger than the mechanical frequency and cavity-damping rate, and is difficult to achieve experimentally. Here we show how to exponentially enhance the single-photon optomechanical coupling strength using only additional linear resources. Our method is based on using a large-amplitude, strongly detuned mechanical parametric drive to amplify mechanical zero-point fluctuations and hence enhance the radiation pressure interaction. It has the further benefit of allowing time-dependent control, enabling pulsed schemes. For a two-cavity optomechanical set-up, we show that our scheme generates photon blockade for experimentally accessible parameters, and even makes the production of photonic states with negative Wigner functions possible. We discuss how our method is an example of a more general strategy for enhancing boson-mediated two-particle interactions and nonlinearities.

arXiv:1509.09238•Nature Communications•Apr 25, 2016•174 citations
The photon blockade effect, as a quantum behavior in cavity optomechanics, has certain limitations, including stringent requirements for system parameters and technical difficulties in achieving strong nonlinear interactions. This paper proposes a novel scheme that aims to achieve strong nonlinear effects through introducing the degenerate optical parametric amplifier (OPA) and mechanical squeezing. These enhanced nonlinear effects can significantly improve the photon blockade effect, effectively overcoming the limitations of weak coupling. Our theoretical analysis demonstrates the successful realization of an ideal single-photon blockade (1PB) state through optimized parameter conditions. Additionally, this joint approach significantly enhances the two-photon blockade (2PB) effect and broadens the region where 2PB occurs. This finding helps us identify the optimal system parameters to maximize two-photon emission efficiency. By precisely controlling these parameters, a new pathway is opened for more flexible manipulation and utilization of the photon blockade effect in experiments.
We propose a scheme to enhance the single- and two-photon blockade effects significantly in a nonlinear hybrid optomechanical system with optical parametric amplification (OPA). The scheme does not rely on strong single-photon optomechanical coupling and can eliminate the disadvantages of suppressing multi-photon excitation incompletely. Through analyzing the single-photon blockade (1PB) mechanism and optimizing the system parameters, we obtain a perfect 1PB with a high occupancy probability of single-photon excitation, which means that a high-quality and efficient single-photon source can be generated. Moreover, we find that not only the two-photon blockade (2PB) effect is significantly enhanced, but also the region where 2PB occurs is widened when OPA exists, where we also derive the optimal parameter condition to maximize two-photon emission and higher photon excitations intensely suppressed at the same time.
This work investigates photon blockade control in a hybrid quantum system containing a Kerr-nonlinear cavity coupled to an optical parametric amplifier (OPA). The dynamics are governed by a master equation derived from an effective Hamiltonian that includes cavity decay. To obtain analytical solutions, the system's quantum state is expanded in the Fock basis up to the two-photon level. Solving the steady-state Schrodinger equation yields probability amplitudes and the analytical conditions for optimal photon blockade. Results confirm that photon blockade is achievable with suitable parameters. Excellent agreement is found between the analytical solutions and numerical simulations for the steady-state, equal-time second-order correlation function, validating both the analytical method and the blockade effect. Numerically, the average intracavity photon number increases significantly under resonance, providing a theoretical pathway for enhancing single-photon source brightness. Furthermore, the driving phase is shown to regulate the optimal blockade region: it shifts the parabolic region within the two-dimensional parameter space of driving strength and OPA nonlinearity and can even reverse its opening direction. The influence of Kerr nonlinearity is also examined. Photon blockade remains robust across a wide range of Kerr strengths. Physical analysis attributes the effect to destructive quantum interference between two distinct excitation pathways that suppress two-photon states. While Kerr nonlinearity shifts the system's energy levels, it does not disrupt this interference mechanism, explaining the effect's stability over a broad parameter range.
Photon blockade (PB) is generally classified into conventional and unconventional types based on their distinct physical mechanisms. Recent studies have aimed to bridge the two regimes to realize a universal photon blockade (universal PB) that combines their respective advantages. Here, we propose a scheme for achieving universal PB based on second-order nonlinearity. The second-order nonlinear coupling between two cavity modes mediates the fundamental interaction, while an optical parametric amplifier embedded in one cavity introduces additional quantum interference pathways. We analytically derive the optimal conditions for universal PB, and the analytical results show excellent agreement with numerical simulations. By comparing universal PB with conventional PB, we highlight its unique performance advantages: the scheme operates effectively in both strong and weak coupling regimes, relaxes experimental constraints, and achieves an ultra-low equal-time second-order correlation function g (2) (0) down to 10 −7 , while maintaining a moderate mean photon number N a ∼ 10 −2 . This work provides a feasible and tunable platform for realizing high-purity single-photon sources and exploring quantum statistical properties in nonlinear cavity systems.
A significantly low value of the single-photon coupling constant is a major challenge in the creation of a single-photon source via photon blockade. Here, we propose a photon blockade scheme composed of a weakly second-order nonlinear medium with an optical parametric amplification in a low-frequency cavity. Unlike the traditional weakly coupled system, the effective coupling strength in the proposed scheme can be significantly higher than the decay rate of the cavity mode. This can be achieved by adjusting the squeezing parameter even if the original coupling strength is weak. The thermal noise of the squeezed cavity mode can be suppressed by a squeezed vacuum field. Using a probability amplitude method, we obtain the optimal condition of photon blockade in the steady-state. By solving the master equation numerically in the steady-state, a strong photon antibunching effect that is consistent with the optimal conditions can be obtained in the cavity with low frequency. Besides, the photon blockade phenomenon and cross-correlation of two cavities can be significantly enhanced under a specific squeezing parameter. Our results may be useful for future studies on the characteristics of photon statistics.
Realization of quantum nonlinearity in quadratic optomechanics, including optical and mechanical nonlinearity at the single-photon level, is crucial to explore extraordinary quantum features. Here we investigate an exponential enhancement of quadratic optomechanical interaction via parametric amplifications. The parametric process can form an in-phase amplified quadrature, and the rate of coupling to the in-phase quadrature will be exponentially increased even to the single-photon strong-coupling regime. Concretely, to achieve the optical nonlinearity mediated by the quadratic optomechanical interaction, we can employ a mechanical parametric process, and the in-phase mechanical quadrature can strongly couple to the cavity mode, leading to an enhanced optical nonlinearity such as a photon blockade. Similarly, via employing the optical parametric process, the in-phase optical quadrature can also effectively mediate the quadratic interaction, leading to an enhanced mechanical nonlinearity such as mechanical squeezing, bi-excitation exchange interaction and feasibility of quantum non-demolition detection of mechanical motion. However, the parametric process can also enlarge the noise, and a squeezing vacuum with the phase matching condition should be introduced to suppress the same.
The quantum nonlinear regime of optomechanics is reached when nonlinear effects of the radiation pressure interaction are observed at the single-photon level. This requires couplings larger than the mechanical frequency and cavity-damping rate, and is difficult to achieve experimentally. Here we show how to exponentially enhance the single-photon optomechanical coupling strength using only additional linear resources. Our method is based on using a large-amplitude, strongly detuned mechanical parametric drive to amplify mechanical zero-point fluctuations and hence enhance the radiation pressure interaction. It has the further benefit of allowing time-dependent control, enabling pulsed schemes. For a two-cavity optomechanical set-up, we show that our scheme generates photon blockade for experimentally accessible parameters, and even makes the production of photonic states with negative Wigner functions possible. We discuss how our method is an example of a more general strategy for enhancing boson-mediated two-particle interactions and nonlinearities.