Squeezing light using non-linear optics on silicon chip

他们的愿景是在室温下运行的硅芯片上开发实用的量子技术，最终可以转化为广泛应用的便携式量子增强系统。其中包括环境监测（气体检测）、个人医疗监视器、安全检测（化学和生物武器检测，包括爆炸物）和安全量子通信。主要目标是演示一个量子增强型甲烷气体探测器，其中1630 nm DFB激光器通过腔内的光学参量振荡器（OPO）产生压缩的3.26光子，然后由平衡同差单光子探测器检测。许多组件也可用于其他量子光学应用。例如，带有OPO腔的775 nm dfb可以用于1.55电信波长的纠缠光子对，以实现安全通信。宗旨和目标：在硅片上开发非线性光子元件，为异质集成III-V分布反馈（DFB）激光器泵浦的纠缠和/或压缩光子态提供量子光学。2. 首次集成量子电子和量子光学系统，利用压缩光子态在单片硅片上构建具有亚粒噪声性能的量子增强甲烷气体探测器系统。3.最终目标是与英国公司合作，建立一个无itar的供应链，并将技术转化为英国工业。与EPSRC的优先事项保持一致：该博士项目旨在产生技术，使3个受资助的英国量子技术中心受益。该提案将使用来自英国传感器和计量量子技术中心的DFB激光器。压缩光子源、探测器和气体传感器与英国量子技术中心量子增强成像的许多物镜和系统保持一致。最后，1560纳米纠缠对源和探测器可能为英国量子通信量子技术中心提供更便宜的技术。该提案与以下epsrc增长领域重叠：量子光学与信息（通过开发集成光子器件来产生和检测压缩光子态），射频与微波器件（通过开发用于计量应用的RF SET器件），微系统（通过在气体探测器系统上的气体细胞的微流体），未来系统光子学（通过建立完整的气体检测系统）。该项目与3个交叉ICT优先事项重叠：未来系统光子学（Si光子学作为气体探测器系统），ICT新兴领域（即量子技术，如实际系统中的压缩和纠缠态）和协同工作（学生将在EPSRC资助的量子技术，ICT，物理科学，医疗保健，全球不确定性和工程等多个主题中工作，以提供实际系统）。该提案还与EPSRC物理大挑战：新量子技术的量子物理重叠，因为该提案正在开发集成光子器件来产生和检测压缩光子态。通过从中心对称材料Si中开发应变诱导周期性极化(2)以混合产生量子纠缠和量子光学元件的压缩光子态，也与功能材料的纳米级设计有重叠。该提案还与EPSRC维护的ICT研究领域有重大重叠：光学器件和电路（硅光子学）。研究方法的新颖性：主要的新颖性是在硅平台上生产出广泛应用的平台量子技术。这将包括单片集成的非线性混合元件，硅平台上的压缩光和微型压缩光气体探测器。

The vision is to develop practical quantum technology on silicon chips operating at room temperature that can be ultimately translated into portable, quantum enhanced systems for a wide range of applications. These include environmental monitoring (gas detection), personal healthcare monitors, security detection (chemical & biological weapons detection including explosives) & secure quantum communications. The main vision is to demonstrate a quantum enhanced methane gas detector where 1630 nm DFB lasers produce squeezed 3.26 photons through an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) inside a cavity before being detected by balanced homodyne single photon detectors. Many of the components can also be used for other quantum optics applications. For example 775 nm DFBs with the OPO cavity could be used for entangled pairs of photons at 1.55 telecoms wavelengths for secure communications.Aims and Objectives:1.To develop non-linear photonic components on Si chips to deliver quantum optics for entangled &/or squeezed photon states pumped by heterogeneously integrated III-V distributed feedback (DFB) lasers. 2. To integrate both quantum electronic & quantum optical systems for the first time to build a quantum enhanced methane gas detector system on a single Si chip with sub-shot noise performance using squeezed photonic states. 3.The final objective is to work with UK companies to build an ITAR-free supply chain & translate the technology into UK industry.Alignment to EPSRC priorities:This PhD project is aligned to generate technology which will benefit 3 of the funded UK Quantum Technology Hubs. The proposal will use DFB lasers from the UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors & Metrology. The squeezed photon sources, detectors & gas sensor aligns with a number of the objectives & systems in the UK Quantum Technology Hub in Quantum Enhanced Imaging. Finally the 1560 nm entangled pair sources & detectors potentially provides cheaper technology to the UK Quantum Technology Hub in Quantum Communications.This proposal overlaps with the following EPSRCgrowth areas: Quantum Optics & Information (through developing integrated photonic devics to produce & detect squeezed photonic states), RF & Microwave Devices (through developing RF SET devices for metrology applications), Microsystems (through microfluids for a gas cell on the gas detector system), Photonics for Future Systems (through building a complete gas detection system). This project overlaps with 3 of the cross-ICT priorities: Photonics for Future Systems (Si photonics as gas detector systems), New & Emerging Areas in ICT (i.e. quantum technology such as the squeezed & entangled states in practical systems) & Working Together (the studentI will be working across a number of EPSRC funded themes of Quantum Technology, ICT, Physical Sciences, Healthcare, Global Uncertainties & Engineering to deliver practical systems).The proposal also overlaps with the EPSRC Physics Grand Challenges: Quantum Physics for New Quantum Technologies since the proposal is developing integrated photonic devices to produce & detect squeezed photonic states. There is also overlap with Nanoscale Design of Functional Materials through the development of strain induced periodically poled (2) from the centrosymmetric material Si for mixing to produce quantum entanglement & squeezed photonic states for quantum optical components.The proposal also has significant overlap with EPSRC ICT research areas being maintained: Optical Devices & Circuits (Si photonics).Novelty of the Research MethodologyThe main novelty is to produce a platform quantum technology for a wide range of applications on a silicon platform. This will include monolithically integrated non-linear mixing elements, squeezed light on a silicon platform and miniature squeezed light gas detectors.