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

Quantum 2.0 Conference and Exhibition

Chip-based Photon Addition

K. Malinowski, Aswini Kumar Pattanayak, Amir Targholizadeh, J. Rout, Holland Frieling, Benjamin E. C. Koltenbah, Pankaj Kumar Jha, Harry A. Atwater

Published Jan 1, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report the design of chip-based building blocks for a photon addition module where one or more photons are coherently added via stimulated emission to a weak source light signal to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio.
DOI
10.1364/quantum.2025.qtu4a.2

Related papers

Overcoming the classical signal-to-noise ratio limit through on-chip photon addition

Kristina L. Malinowski, Amir Targholizadeh, Aswini Kumar Pattanayak +5 more

Single-photon addition enables “lossless” amplification and preparation of non-Gaussian and arbitrary quantum states using nonlinear optical processes and tabletop optics. While photon addition can be implemented in free space using bulk optics, often these discrete components can lead to compounded input and output losses, which detract from amplification. Furthermore, arbitrary quantum states are an essential resource for photonic quantum computing, which will be more accessible if created on-chip. We present a conceptual chip-based device for deterministic single-photon addition and integrated superconducting nanowire-based detection, with a focus on how this device facilitates “lossless” amplification in phase-based interferometry. Our model using on-chip, deterministic photon addition overcomes the classical signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) limits of coherent and thermal light by 2.3× and 3.5×, respectively. These gains increase with additional single-photon addition events. Through careful device design and optimization, we limit total system loss to −1.15 dB. We estimate this device could produce a waveguide-coupled deterministic single-photon in 21% of pulsed signals, far outperforming the probability rates of probabilistic sources. Finally, we show that the benefits of on-chip, deterministic single-photon addition for SNR amplification outweigh chip input losses.

APL Quantum•Apr 17, 2026•1 citation

Coherent generation of non-classical light on a chip via photon-induced tunnelling and blockade

Andrei Faraon, Ilya Fushman, Dirk Englund +3 more

arXiv:0804.2740•Nature Physics•Sep 21, 2008•673 citations

Quantum photonic integrated circuits

Andrea Fiore, Sartoon Fattah Poor, Thang B. Hoang +12 more

The building blocks of a new quantum photonic integrated technology will be presented, enabling the on-chip generation, processing and detection of single photons for quantum information processing.

IEEE Photonics Conference•Dec 1, 2014•0 citations

Principles of light amplification

Stefano Bottacchi

Introduction Most of the lightwave transmission systems operating today benefit fully from extensive deployment of optical amplifiers (OA). These components perform the amplification of optical intensity directly in the optical domain, without resorting to any electrical-domain regeneration. Optical amplifiers increase the average number of output photons per unit time by several orders of magnitude compared with the incoming signal intensity. However, as with every amplifying process, optical amplification cannot be achieved without paying back for the unavoidable noise power added to the signal intensity. As we will see in detail in Chapter 6, the optical amplification process comes with optical noise generated by spontaneous emission inside the active medium. The intensity of the optical signal is represented by the flux of the signal photon population. Conversely, the photons generated by the spontaneous emission process inside the optical cavity represent the noise photon population. The fundamental phenomenon supporting optical amplification is stimulated emission. The basic property of stimulated emission, making the great difference from spontaneous emission and enabling optical amplification, is the coherent nature of the photon generation process. Accordingly, both signal and noise photons go through the same multiplication process by means of stimulated emission. Unless the optical cavity where the stimulated emission takes place (the active cavity) presents selective features for enhancing the signal photon population relative to the spontaneous one, there is no way to avoid noise photons going through stimulated emission, filling most of the cavity population. As a consequence, both photon populations increase, leading respectively to amplified signal intensity and to amplified spontaneous emission intensity. It should be apparent that every noise photon can create a new identical noise photon as a result of stimulated emission, effectively increasing the noise intensity in the active optical cavity. This is the well-known mechanism of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise in optical amplification. Any improvement in the optical amplifier structure devoted to increasing stimulated over spontaneous emission will probably increase the optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) at the cavity output. The spectrum of gain characteristic of the optical active medium is usually wide enough to support an efficient amplification of the broadband spontaneous emission spectrum, leading to the broadband ASE noise power spectral density.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Sep 6, 2014•0 citations

Stimulated emission of superradiant atoms in waveguide QED

Rui Asaoka, Julio R. Gea-Banacloche, Yuuki Tokunaga +1 more

We investigate the stimulated emission of superradiant atoms coupled to a waveguide induced by a coherent-state photon pulse. We provide an analytical result when a short $π$ pulse is incident, which shows that the atoms emit photons coherently into the output pulse, which remains a coherent state in the short pulse limit. An incident pulse is amplified in phase-preserving manner, where noise is added almost entirely in the phase direction in phase space. This property improves the ratio of intensity signal to noise after the amplification for sufficiently short pulses. This is a unique feature different from general phase-preserving linear amplifiers, where the signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates in the amplification process. We also discuss the dependence of the photon-emission probability on pulse parameters, such as the pulse area and the duration.

arXiv:2203.06943•Mar 14, 2022•0 citations

Suppression of external noise in on-chip photon-pair sources

Woncheol Shin, Kiwon Kwon, Dongjin Lee +1 more

Journal of the Korean Physical Society•Jul 24, 2024•0 citations
Single-photon addition enables “lossless” amplification and preparation of non-Gaussian and arbitrary quantum states using nonlinear optical processes and tabletop optics. While photon addition can be implemented in free space using bulk optics, often these discrete components can lead to compounded input and output losses, which detract from amplification. Furthermore, arbitrary quantum states are an essential resource for photonic quantum computing, which will be more accessible if created on-chip. We present a conceptual chip-based device for deterministic single-photon addition and integrated superconducting nanowire-based detection, with a focus on how this device facilitates “lossless” amplification in phase-based interferometry. Our model using on-chip, deterministic photon addition overcomes the classical signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) limits of coherent and thermal light by 2.3× and 3.5×, respectively. These gains increase with additional single-photon addition events. Through careful device design and optimization, we limit total system loss to −1.15 dB. We estimate this device could produce a waveguide-coupled deterministic single-photon in 21% of pulsed signals, far outperforming the probability rates of probabilistic sources. Finally, we show that the benefits of on-chip, deterministic single-photon addition for SNR amplification outweigh chip input losses.
Introduction Most of the lightwave transmission systems operating today benefit fully from extensive deployment of optical amplifiers (OA). These components perform the amplification of optical intensity directly in the optical domain, without resorting to any electrical-domain regeneration. Optical amplifiers increase the average number of output photons per unit time by several orders of magnitude compared with the incoming signal intensity. However, as with every amplifying process, optical amplification cannot be achieved without paying back for the unavoidable noise power added to the signal intensity. As we will see in detail in Chapter 6, the optical amplification process comes with optical noise generated by spontaneous emission inside the active medium. The intensity of the optical signal is represented by the flux of the signal photon population. Conversely, the photons generated by the spontaneous emission process inside the optical cavity represent the noise photon population. The fundamental phenomenon supporting optical amplification is stimulated emission. The basic property of stimulated emission, making the great difference from spontaneous emission and enabling optical amplification, is the coherent nature of the photon generation process. Accordingly, both signal and noise photons go through the same multiplication process by means of stimulated emission. Unless the optical cavity where the stimulated emission takes place (the active cavity) presents selective features for enhancing the signal photon population relative to the spontaneous one, there is no way to avoid noise photons going through stimulated emission, filling most of the cavity population. As a consequence, both photon populations increase, leading respectively to amplified signal intensity and to amplified spontaneous emission intensity. It should be apparent that every noise photon can create a new identical noise photon as a result of stimulated emission, effectively increasing the noise intensity in the active optical cavity. This is the well-known mechanism of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise in optical amplification. Any improvement in the optical amplifier structure devoted to increasing stimulated over spontaneous emission will probably increase the optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) at the cavity output. The spectrum of gain characteristic of the optical active medium is usually wide enough to support an efficient amplification of the broadband spontaneous emission spectrum, leading to the broadband ASE noise power spectral density.
We investigate the stimulated emission of superradiant atoms coupled to a waveguide induced by a coherent-state photon pulse. We provide an analytical result when a short πππ pulse is incident, which shows that the atoms emit photons coherently into the output pulse, which remains a coherent state in the short pulse limit. An incident pulse is amplified in phase-preserving manner, where noise is added almost entirely in the phase direction in phase space. This property improves the ratio of intensity signal to noise after the amplification for sufficiently short pulses. This is a unique feature different from general phase-preserving linear amplifiers, where the signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates in the amplification process. We also discuss the dependence of the photon-emission probability on pulse parameters, such as the pulse area and the duration.