Micro-integrated photonic modules for quantum technology applications
Martin Gärtner, Marcel Bursy, Nora Goossen-Schmidt, Jonas Hamperl, Janpeter Hirsch, Simon Kubitza, Christian Kürbis, Sonja Nozinic, Max Schiemangk, Christoph Tyborski, Andreas Wicht
We present our latest development of photonic modules for quantum technology applications and show first results of their electro-optical performance. Based on the ECDL-MOPA concept, our laser modules combine a high output power with a narrow linewidth. Our compact light control units enable efficient beam conditioning through switching and modulation, utilizing miniaturized acousto-optic and electro-optic modulators. These modules serve various quantum technology applications, e.g. quantum sensing, timing and precision metrology. In addition, our hybrid micro-integration technology allows us to build our modules as compact and robust as it is needed for applications in space.
We present our latest development of photonic modules for quantum technology applications and show first results of their electro-optical performance. Based on the ECDL-MOPA concept, our laser modules combine a high output power with a narrow linewidth. Our compact light control units enable efficient beam conditioning through switching and modulation, utilizing miniaturized acousto-optic and electro-optic modulators. These modules serve various quantum technology applications, e.g. quantum sensing, timing and precision metrology. In addition, our hybrid micro-integration technology allows us to build our modules as compact and robust as it is needed for applications in space.
Reliable long-term operation of integrated quantum sensors employing atom interferometry in space imposes challenging requirements on the utilized technology and materials. In the last decade, the progress in miniaturization of each experimental subsystem (e.g., vacuum chamber with atom source, laser system and optics) greatly benefited from atom chip technology [1], micro integrated diode laser modules [2] and compact optical bench setups [3], developed in the context of the QUANTUS and LASUS collaborations.
Quantum Optics Devices on a Chip provides a comprehensive understanding of how the integration of advanced quantum technologies and photonics is revolutionizing multiple industries, making it essential for anyone interested in the future of quantum innovation. Quantum Optics Devices on a Chip is situated at the intersection of several disciplines and industries, driving advancements in quantum technology and integrated photonics. The development of quantum optics devices on a chip represents a significant breakthrough. Chip-scale integration involves designing and fabricating optical devices, such as waveguides, modulators, detectors, and light sources, on a micro- or nanoscale chip. This miniaturization enables the integration of multiple components on a single chip, leading to compact, efficient, and scalable quantum optical systems. Quantum sensing applications, such as magnetometry, gyroscopy, and biosensing, can benefit from miniaturized, high-performance devices integrated on a chip, allowing for the seamless integration of quantum optical functionalities with existing photonic circuits. This integration holds promise for applications in telecommunications, data communication, and optical signal processing. Overall, the development of quantum optics devices on a chip represents a significant step forward in the advancement of quantum technology. It brings together principles from physics, materials science, engineering, and computer science to enable the practical implementation of quantum phenomena for a wide range of applications across industries. Quantum Optics Devices on a Chip serves as a comprehensive guide to this rapidly evolving field, providing insights and knowledge, exploring the contributions it has made to the disciplinary and industrial development of quantum optics devices on a chip.
Integrated photonics provides a powerful approach for developing compact, stable and scalable architectures for the generation, manipulation and detection of quantum states of light. To this end, several material platforms are being developed in parallel, each providing its specific assets, and hybridization techniques to combine their strengths are now possible. This review focuses on AlGaAs, a III-V semiconductor platform combining a mature fabrication technology, direct band-gap compliant with electrical injection, low-loss operation, large electro-optic effect, and compatibility with superconducting detectors for on-chip detection. We detail recent implementations of room-temperature sources of quantum light based on the high second- and third-order optical nonlinearities of the material, as well as photonic circuits embedding various functionalities ranging from polarizing beamsplitters to Mach-Zehnder interferometers, modulators and tunable filters. We then present several realizations of quantum state engineering enabled by these recent advances and discuss open perspectives and remaining challenges in the field of integrated quantum photonics with AlGaAs.
As quantum technologies transition from laboratories to the world, their successful deployment critically relies on the size, weight, and power (SWaP) of the laser sources fueling them. Due to the stringent optical requirements of most of these systems, they still predominantly use bulky lasers made of free-space components. With the emergence of high-performance, chip-scale lasers based on photonic integrated circuits (PICs) [1], practical quantum systems that are compact and scalable are now within reach. However, to successfully realize a PIC-based laser module that meets both optical and functional requirements, a system-level approach for co-designing the optical source (gain medium and PIC), the driver electronics, and the control software needs to be adopted.
Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) offer compact and scalable solutions for trapped-ion quantum technologies. This work demonstrates photonic platforms that promise the potential integration of photonic components for light delivery and control across ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. Passive waveguides and beam-shaping structures provide precise and stable optical addressing of ions, while active elements such as modulators and switches enable dynamic, on-chip control for quantum operations. Materials like aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and aluminum nitride (AlN) are evaluated to illustrate how functionality can be tailored to spectral needs. These integrated photonic systems reduce reliance on bulky free-space optics, improve alignment stability, and support future development of compact quantum sensors, atomic clocks, and scalable quantum processors.