EFRI ACQUIRE: Microchip Photonic Devices for Quantum Communication over Fiber

摘要标题：用于光纤量子通信的微芯片光子器件摘要：传统的计算机和通信网络在性能和可扩展性方面面临着严格的限制。越来越需要降低数据处理、存储和通信的能源成本，以及通信和计算系统中有保证的安全和认证。量子技术提供了一种可行的“超越摩尔定律”策略，特别是在通信和信息处理领域，量子光学在许多里程碑式的实验中清楚地展示了超越经典的优势。但量子光学的传统方法依赖于桌面实验室实验，通常在极低的温度下进行，需要大型而昂贵的辅助设备才能成功操作。这些限制阻碍了量子光学研究向实际应用和日常使用的转变。该项目将使用与目前电子行业制造集成电路相同的技术来开发新一代节能、非低温冷却的微芯片，用于安全和高效的光通信。这些微芯片的开发还将有利于传感器和标准的校准、计量和微光成像。实验室研究向现实世界应用的过渡将有助于利用可扩展和具有成本效益的基于铸造厂的制造技术来制造设备。与工业和政府实验室的研究合作将为现场应用和学生指导提供更广阔的视角和范围。该项目还将支持开发和传播教育模块，通过光学为高中(包括实验室实验材料)和本科生介绍量子力学，包括传统上没有学习过量子力学及其潜在工程应用的未来工程师。该项目的技术目标是利用传统光纤的纠缠来设计、制造和演示用于量子通信的微芯片。研究将集中在创造超紧凑(厘米级)微芯片，这种芯片使以前的桌面或面包板设备微型化，用于产生和检测纠缠、预兆和单光子，用于不需要低温冷却的量子存储器，以及用于演示量子密钥分配协议。将利用基于现有微电子代工平台的可扩展制造技术，这可能会降低成本，并缓解为实际应用制造更多设备的一些风险。集成的成对产生和单光子设备将被设计用于编码具有千兆赫速率时钟的时间轴信息。将设计关键的线性光学量子信息处理设备，如上转换设备，使用光子存储和检索的非制冷波导耦合量子存储器，以及结合平面和光纤技术并实现长相对延迟光子同步的电光开关循环环路。微芯片将在基于光纤的试验台上进行表征，以演示与测量设备无关的量子密钥分发协议。这些组件和测量中的许多也将对未来光连接通信网络中的全集成量子中继器有用。

Abstract title: Microchip Photonic Devices for Quantum Communication over FiberAbstract: Conventional computers and communication networks are encountering stringent limits on performance and scalability. There is an increasing need to reduce the energy costs of data processing, storage and communications, as well as for guaranteed security and authentication in both communication and computation systems. Quantum technologies offer a viable "Beyond-Moore's-Law" strategy, especially in communications and information processing, where quantum optics has clearly demonstrated beyond-classical advantages in a number of landmark experiments. But the traditional approach of quantum optics relies on table-top laboratory experiments usually conducted at extremely low temperatures, and requiring large and expensive ancillary equipment for successful operation. These constraints inhibit the transition of quantum optics research into practical applications and everyday usage. This project will use the same technology as used to make integrated circuits in the electronics industry today to develop a new generation of energy-efficient, non-cryogenically cooled microchips for secure and efficient optical communications. Development of these microchips will also benefit sensors and standards calibration, metrology, and low-light-level imaging. The transition of laboratory research to real-world applications will be helped by leveraging scalable and cost-effective foundry-based manufacturing technologies to make devices. Research collaborations with industry and government laboratories will provide broader perspective as well as scope for field applications and student mentoring. The project will also support the development and dissemination of educational modules that introduce quantum mechanics through optics for high schools (including material for laboratory experiments) and undergraduate students, including future engineers who traditionally have not learnt about quantum mechanics and its potential engineering applications. The technical goal of this project is to design, fabricate and demonstrate microchips for quantum communications using entanglement over conventional optical fiber. Research will focus on creating ultra-compact (centimeter-scale) microchips which miniaturize previous table-top or bread-board apparatus for generating and detecting entangled, heralded and single photons, for quantum memories without requiring cryogenic cooling, and for demonstrations of quantum key distribution protocols. Scalable manufacturing techniques based on established micro-electronics foundry platforms will be utilized, which may result in reducing the cost and mitigating some of the risks of making greater quantities of devices for practical applications. Integrated pair-generation and single photon devices will be designed for encoding time-bin information with gigahertz-rate clocking. Key linear optical quantum information processing devices will be designed, such as up-conversion devices, uncooled waveguide-coupled quantum memory using storage and retrieval of photons, and an electro-optically switched recirculating loop which combines both planar and fiber technology and enables synchronization of photons over long relative delays. Microchips will be characterized in a fiber-based testbed for demonstrating the protocol of measurement device independent quantum key distribution. Many of these components and measurements will be also useful for a future fully-integrated quantum repeater in optically connected communication networks.