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Microwave-to-optics conversion using a release-free optomechancial crystal

Paul Burger, Joey Frey, Johan Kolvik, David Hambraeus, M. Kristensen, Trond Hjerpekjøn Haug, Raphaël Van Laer

Published Jan 1, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Piezo-optomechanical quantum transducers are poised to marry the strengths of optical photons with those of superconducting qubits. We present first experimental results on a novel release-free transducer architecture with large thermal contact area to the substrate.
DOI
10.1364/cleo_fs.2026.fth1b.2

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Optical quantum networks provide a natural route for connecting distant superconducting quantum processors, enabling distributed quantum computation, sensing, and communication. Piezo-optomechanical transducers are among the leading candidates for scalable microwave-to-optical quantum interfaces. However, prior one-dimensional piezo-optomechanical transducers remain limited by optical-absorption-induced heating and the resulting thermal noise. Two-dimensional optomechanical crystals offer substantially improved thermalization from better thermal anchoring, but their structural complexity has so far hindered the realization of a fully integrated two-dimensional transducer. Here, we overcome this challenge with a new design strategy based on band structure engineering. We fabricate the devices and experimentally characterize the response, measuring an electromechanical damping rate of 4.6 kHz at room temperature and electromechanical coupling rate of 0.17 MHz by wire-bonding to a multi-mode microwave resonator at 10 mK. Bidirectional transduction is performed with a calibrated internal efficiency of 0.85\% in the continuous-wave operation, alongside pulsed photon-phonon pair generation near its quantum ground state. Our results represent a significant step toward high-efficiency and low-noise transducers for entangling remote superconducting qubits.
Two-way microwave-optical quantum transduction is essential to connecting distant superconducting qubits via optical fiber and to enable quantum networking at a large scale. In Blésin, Tian, Bhave, and Kippenberg's article [], they lay out a two-way quantum transducer converting between microwave photons and telecom-band photons by way of an intermediary gigahertz-band phonon mode utilizing piezoelectric and optomechanical interactions respectively (and are the first to work out the quantum piezoelectric coupling). In this work, we examine both the piezoelectric, and optomechanical interactions from first principles, and together with the evanescent coupling between optical modes, discuss what parameters matter most in optimizing this kind of quantum transducer. For its additional utility, we have also compiled a table of relevant properties of optical materials that may be used as elements in transducers.
Coherent transduction of quantum states from the microwave to the optical domain can play a key role in quantum networking and distributed quantum computing. We present the design of a piezo-optomechanical device formed in a hybrid lithium niobate on silicon platform, that is suitable for microwave-to-optical quantum transduction. Our design is based on acoustic hybridization of an ultra-low mode volume piezoacoustic cavity with an optomechanical crystal cavity. The strong piezoelectric nature of lithium niobate allows us to mediate transduction via an acoustic mode which only minimally interacts with the lithium niobate, and is predominantly silicon-like, with very low electrical and acoustic loss. We estimate that this transducer can realize an intrinsic conversion efficiency of up to 35% with <0.5 added noise quanta when resonantly coupled to a superconducting transmon qubit and operated in pulsed mode at 10 kHz repetition rate. The performance improvement gained in such hybrid lithium niobate-silicon transducers make them suitable for heralded entanglement of qubits between superconducting quantum processors connected by optical fiber links.