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ACS Photonics

Coherent Microwave-To-Optical Polarization Conversion via Holographic Quantum Sensing

Ziyao Lyu, H Z Chen, C Wang

Published Apr 16, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract Information conversion from microwave to optical domains represents a frontier field in communication, imaging, and quantum science. As an essential property of electromagnetic waves, polarization enables higher-dimensional information acquisition and enhanced robustness in complex environments. While established conversion methodologies typically target intensity and phase, coherent microwave-to-optical polarization conversion remains challenging. Here, we propose atom-enabled holographic quantum sensing that can achieve a definite one-to-one mapping of polarization states between microwave and optical fields. A vectorial atomic hologram is demonstrated based on photoinduced circular dichroism and birefringence in a four-level atomic system excited by holographic polarization patterns. It is found that the polarization state of the reconstructed holographic diffracted light field is dependent on that of the incident microwave through the vectorial atomic hologram, which is analyzed in terms of Jones theory and density matrix formalism. Moreover, broadband microwave-to-optical polarization conversion with the preservation of phase information is demonstrated experimentally for 31.467 and 2.925 GHz microwaves. The maximum polarization conversion efficiency is up to 10.42%. Our work could provide an effective strategy for coherent polarization-information transfer across disparate frequency bands.

DOI
10.1021/acsphotonics.6c00276

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Abstract Information conversion from microwave to optical domains represents a frontier field in communication, imaging, and quantum science. As an essential property of electromagnetic waves, polarization enables higher-dimensional information acquisition and enhanced robustness in complex environments. While established conversion methodologies typically target intensity and phase, coherent microwave-to-optical polarization conversion remains challenging. Here, we propose atom-enabled holographic quantum sensing that can achieve a definite one-to-one mapping of polarization states between microwave and optical fields. A vectorial atomic hologram is demonstrated based on photoinduced circular dichroism and birefringence in a four-level atomic system excited by holographic polarization patterns. It is found that the polarization state of the reconstructed holographic diffracted light field is dependent on that of the incident microwave through the vectorial atomic hologram, which is analyzed in terms of Jones theory and density matrix formalism. Moreover, broadband microwave-to-optical polarization conversion with the preservation of phase information is demonstrated experimentally for 31.467 and 2.925 GHz microwaves. The maximum polarization conversion efficiency is up to 10.42%. Our work could provide an effective strategy for coherent polarization-information transfer across disparate frequency bands.
Polarization imaging is essential to reveal rich information of the vectorial nature of microwaves. However, selective imaging of specific polarization components with subwavelength resolution remains challenging. Here, we propose atom-based polarization holography for all-optical polarization-filtered subwavelength imaging in microwave regime. A kind of atomic polarization holograms is recorded through two-photon excited anisotropy in a four-level quantum system and its diffraction properties are characterized using Jones theory combined with optical Bloch equation. It is found that the polarization information of microwaves can be actively manipulated to holographic diffracted light fields. Moreover, polarization imaging of atom-based polarization holography with a spatial resolution of one-fortieth wavelength (λ/40) has been realized experimentally through microwave-to-optical conversion. The function of polarization filtering is demonstrated by optical holographic diffraction and the microwave component with specific polarization state can be selectively imaged from superimposed polarized microwaves. Our work is expected to enable applications in polarization filtering and subwavelength imaging. Polarization imaging reveals vectorial nature of microwaves, but selective imaging of specific polarization components with subwavelength resolution remains challenging. The authors propose atom-based polarization holography to optically filter microwave polarizations from complex mixed signals via holographic diffraction, achieving λ/40 imaging resolution.
Abstract Holography is an essential platform for optical detection using different physical dimensions of light and has been recently introduced into quantum optics with the advantages of high robustness and enhanced optical resolution. Here, atom‐based vectorial holography (AVH) is demonstrated through a two‐photon transition to expand the applicability of quantum holographic detection from the optical band to the microwave band. Based on the theoretical analysis in terms of the Jones matrix and atom‐field interaction Hamiltonian, it is clarified that the diffraction characteristic of AVH depends on the wideband coupling of microwave and optical fields and the physical properties of microwaves can be all‐optically detected via the AVH‐based quantum holographic scheme. Moreover, AVH is realized experimentally in a four‐level quantum system and enables multidimensional characterization of polarization, phase, and amplitude of polarized microwaves over a broad frequency range across millimeter‐ and centimeter‐wave bands. This work provides a path toward broadband holographic detection for frequencies outside the optical band to support the advancement of holography in quantum science.
Abstract Coherent microwave-to-optical conversion is crucial for transferring quantum information generated in the microwave domain to optical frequencies, where propagation losses can be minimized. Coherent, atom-based transducers have shown rapid progress in recent years. This paper reports an experimental demonstration of coherent microwave-to-optical conversion that maps a microwave signal to a large, tunable 550(30) MHz range of optical frequencies using room-temperature 87Rb atoms. The inhomogeneous Doppler broadening of the atomic vapor advantageously supports the tunability of an input microwave channel to any optical frequency channel within the Doppler width, along with the simultaneous conversion of a multi-channel input microwave field to corresponding optical channels. In addition, we demonstrate phase-correlated amplitude control of select channels, providing an analog to a frequency domain beam splitter across five orders of magnitude in frequency. With these capabilities, neutral atomic systems may also be effective quantum processors for quantum information encoded in frequency-bin qubits.
This study investigates quantum holography, emphasizing its capability to conduct holographic imaging without the requirement for first-order coherence—a limitation of classical physics. By harnessing quantum entanglement, where image data is embedded in the phase correlation of polarization-entangled photon pairs and spread across the transverse spatial dimension, quantum holography enhances imaging performance. This technique not only improves resolution for polarization-sensitive phase objects but also provides resilience against stochastic phase fluctuations and uncontrolled ambient light, offering significant tangible benefits compared to conventional holography. Additionally, its integration with quantum tomography enables precise analysis of multi-dimensional hyper-entangled states, advancing quantum state analysis. Although current challenges remain, such as extended acquisition times due to technological constraints, ongoing advancements in faster, more affordable sensors are expected to address these issues. As a result, quantum holography is poised to have broad applications in biological imaging, sensing, and the exploration of complex high-dimensional quantum states. These developments position quantum holography as a crucial technology in the future of quantum optical communication and information processing, driving innovation and opening new avenues in these fields.
Photons at microwave and optical frequencies are principal carriers for quantum information. While microwave photons can be effectively controlled at the local circuit level, optical photons can propagate over long distances. High-fidelity conversion between microwave and optical photons will allow the distribution of quantum states across different quantum technology nodes and enhance the scalability of hybrid quantum systems toward a future “Quantum Internet.” Despite a frequency difference of five orders of magnitude, there has been significant progress recently toward the transfer between microwave and optical photons with steadily improved efficiency in a coherent and bidirectional manner. In this review, we summarize this progress, emphasizing integrated device approaches, and provide a perspective for device implementation that enables quantum state transfer and entanglement distribution across microwave and optical domains.
Metasurfaces can precisely manipulate the amplitude, phase, and polarization of incident light through subwavelength structures, greatly advancing the quantum meta-holographic imaging. However, the current methods of using quantum holography only control either the amplitude or the phase on the imaging plane, so the resulted scalar holography without the polarization distribution has limited imaging channels. Here, the vectorial meta-holography using entangled signal-idler photon pairs is experimentally demonstrated to realize remotely controlled multi-channel quantum imaging. By simultaneous control of the amplitude ratio between two cross-polarization holographic images and their phase difference on the image plane, the polarization distribution accordingly changes with the incident polarization state. The accurate correspondence ensures the correct reconstruction of 32 incident polarization states with an average fidelity up to 94.78%. This enables entangled idler photons to remotely control the holographic images reconstructed by the entangled signal photons, where the signal-to-noise ratio is as high as 10.78 dB, even for maximally mixed quantum states. This vectorial meta-holography using entangled states has a larger polarization state information capacity and will facilitate miniaturized quantum imaging and efficient quantum state tomography.