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

Spontaneous Parametric Down-Conversion Photon Pair Generation in a Small Footprint X-Cut Periodic Poled Lithium Niobate Micro-Resonator

Hyeon Hwang, Woojin Noh, Mohamad Reza Nurrahman, Guhwan Kim, Kiwon Moon, Jung Jin Ju, Hansuek Lee, Min‐Kyo Seo

Published Jun 23, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) has been utilized in generating non-classical light, such as correlated photon pairs and squeezed light, significantly influencing optical quantum information research. Advances in thinfilm lithium niobate (TFLN) technologies have brought the benefits of χ(2)nonlinearity from bulk optics to integrated photonics. Targeting fully exploitation of high Electro-optic (EO) controllability and the periodic poled lithium niobate (PPLN), enabling quasi-phase matching (QPM), offer the realization especially under the X-cut based platform [1]–[3]. Moreover, the small footprint is also key figure of merit for efficient processing of SPDC spectrum. In this work, we demonstrate SPDC photon pair generation in a small footprint size with a 0.614 nm FSR at the IR wavelength, based on X-cut PPLN racetrack resonator.

DOI
10.1109/cleo/europe-eqec65582.2025.11111483

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Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) has been utilized in generating non-classical light, such as correlated photon pairs and squeezed light, significantly influencing optical quantum information research. Advances in thinfilm lithium niobate (TFLN) technologies have brought the benefits of χ(2)nonlinearity from bulk optics to integrated photonics. Targeting fully exploitation of high Electro-optic (EO) controllability and the periodic poled lithium niobate (PPLN), enabling quasi-phase matching (QPM), offer the realization especially under the X-cut based platform [1]–[3]. Moreover, the small footprint is also key figure of merit for efficient processing of SPDC spectrum. In this work, we demonstrate SPDC photon pair generation in a small footprint size with a 0.614 nm FSR at the IR wavelength, based on X-cut PPLN racetrack resonator.
Spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) has been crucial for producing non-classical light, such as correlated photon pairs and squeezed states, essential for optical quantum technologies. Recently, thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN)-based devices have enabled high-performance SPDC in on-chip integrated photonic platforms. Here, we developed an X-cut periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) racetrack micro-resonator with a compact footprint and demonstrated bright SPDC photon pair generation characterized by distinct resonances and high extraction efficiency. We separately assessed the internal and loaded photon pair generation rates, measuring them at 4.525 MHz/µW and 62.73 kHz/µW, respectively. Our platform is integrated with maturing electro-/thermo-optic TFLN circuit elements and has meaningful potential for advancing active quantum photonic applications.
Abstract Integrated photon-pair sources are crucial for scalable photonic quantum systems. Thin-film lithium niobate is a promising platform for on-chip photon-pair generation through spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC). However, the device implementation faces practical challenges. Periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN), despite enabling flexible quasi-phase matching, suffers from poor fabrication reliability and device repeatability, while conventional modal phase matching (MPM) methods yield limited efficiencies due to inadequate mode overlaps. Here, we introduce a layer-poled lithium niobate (LPLN) nanophotonic waveguide for efficient photon-pair generation. It leverages layer-wise polarity inversion through electrical poling to break spatial symmetry and significantly enhance nonlinear interactions for MPM, achieving a notable normalized second-harmonic generation (SHG) conversion efficiency of 4615% W-1 cm-2. Through a cascaded SHG and SPDC process, we demonstrate photon-pair generation with a normalized brightness of 3.1×106 Hz nm-1 mW-2 in a 3.3 mm long LPLN waveguide, surpassing existing on-chip sources under similar operating configurations. Crucially, our LPLN waveguides offer enhanced fabrication reliability and reduced sensitivity to geometric variations and temperature fluctuations compared to PPLN devices. We expect LPLN to become a promising solution for on-chip nonlinear wavelength conversion and non-classical light generation, with immediate applications in quantum communication, networking, and on-chip photonic quantum information processing.
Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) has become a key method for generating entangled photon pairs. Periodically poled thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) waveguides induce strong SPDC but require complex fabrication processes. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate efficient SPDC and second harmonic generation using modal phase matching methods. This is achieved with inverse-designed optical mode converters and low-loss optical waveguides in a single nanofabrication process. Inverse design methods provide enhanced functionalities and compact footprints for the converter. Despite the extensive achievements in inverse-designed photonic integrated circuits, the potential of inverse-designed TFLN quantum photonic devices has been seldom explored. The device shows an on-chip conversion efficiency of 3.95% W−1 cm−2 in second harmonic generation measurements and a coincidence count rate up to 21.2 kHz in SPDC experiments. This work highlights the potential of the inverse-designed TFLN photonic devices and paves the way for their applications in on-chip nonlinear or quantum optics.
Spontaneous parametric down conversion in nonlinear material is widely exploited to generate entangled photon pairs in quantum optics experiments and applications, including quantum computing and communication. Periodically poled thin film lithium niobate (PPTFLN) has emerged as a promising platform for efficient entangled photon pair generation, offering enhanced nonlinear interaction through quasi-phase matching (QPM) and tight confinement of light. However, achieving optimal performance requires careful control of the QPM condition since the waveguide in TFLN is highly dispersive to changes in the geometric parameter. In this study, we fabricate PPTFLN rib waveguides to generate entangled photon pairs at telecommunication wavelengths, varying geometric parameters. QPM condition is confirmed with the second harmonic generation experiments and Pair generation rate and coincidence-to-accidental count ratio are also estimated by temporal coincidence measurement. Digital etching process is introduced to control the QPM condition, resulting in incremental peak wavelength shift by discrete etching step. This is expected to contribute to synchronizing wavelength of quantum nodes.
Nanophotonic platforms have multiple properties and features desirable for producing correlated photon pairs. In these platforms, spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) and spontaneous four-wave-mixing (SFWM) have been used to achieve photon pair production. By placing the nonlinear region in a resonant cavity, the source obtains an enhanced nonlinear interaction and naturally filters out photons by frequency according to the cavity linewidth. Among various platforms, X-cut thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) stands out for its strong second-order optical nonlinearity (χ(2)χ^{(2)}χ(2)) and access to a strong platform for modulating light. Although previously demonstrated, present sources are limited in their photon pair channel availability, limiting the potential of quantum applications in quantum information processing, communication, and sensing that can scale in robustness by having access to multiple photon pair channels. To this end, we demonstrate a photon pair source on X-cut TFLN with 80 measured photon pair channels spanning the C and L optical bands with a frequency spacing of 49.5 GHz between photons. We characterize the second-order correlation function and pair generation rate (PGR) of 80 channels, the highest number of channels demonstrated to date, and achieve a pair generation of 125.7 kHz / μW after accounting for the cavity's escape efficiency. We also demonstrate heralded single photon operation by calculating a heralded auto-correlation dip of 0.0544 ±\pm± 0.0054 with 2.2 mW of on-chip pump power. These findings demonstrate the promise of X-cut TFLN as a strong platform for quantum optical applications.
Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) in nonlinear crystals is the most commonly used means to generate single photon pairs for quantum key distribution systems [1]. By using waveguides instead of bulk crystals, highly efficient devices can be obtained. Both, type-I and type-II phase-matched integrated devices have been demonstrated in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) [2–4]. Although the type-II process is less efficient, it has two favourable properties: the spectrum of down-converted photons is narrower compared to type-I and orthogonally polarised photons are emitted.