{"title":"Robust microwave-optical photon conversion using cavity modes strongly hybridized with a color center ensemble","authors":"M. Khalifa, P. S. Kirwin, Jeff F. Young, J. Salfi","doi":"10.1038/s41534-025-01055-4","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>A microwave-optical converter with high efficiency (>50%) and low added noise (<span>≪</span>1 photon) could enable the creation of scalable optical quantum networks. However, integrated converters demonstrated to date are too lossy or weakly non-linear to provide this performance. Here we develop a theory of microwave-optical conversion employing an ensemble of spin-bearing color centers strongly coupled to a photonic resonator and/or a superconducting microwave resonator. We find a counterintuitive operating point where microwave and optical photons are tuned to bare center/cavity resonances, which, compared to the weak-coupling limit, has much stronger non-linearity, offering high efficiency with reduced pump- and center-induced losses, and that is robust to inhomogeneous broadening. Taking color center and optical pump-induced losses into account, we predict ~ 95% efficiency and added noise <span>≪</span> 1 quanta at low (<i>μ</i>W) pump powers for both Er- and T-centers in Si. Our results open new pathways to build quantum networks.</p>","PeriodicalId":19212,"journal":{"name":"npj Quantum Information","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"npj Quantum Information","FirstCategoryId":"101","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41534-025-01055-4","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PHYSICS, APPLIED","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
A microwave-optical converter with high efficiency (>50%) and low added noise (≪1 photon) could enable the creation of scalable optical quantum networks. However, integrated converters demonstrated to date are too lossy or weakly non-linear to provide this performance. Here we develop a theory of microwave-optical conversion employing an ensemble of spin-bearing color centers strongly coupled to a photonic resonator and/or a superconducting microwave resonator. We find a counterintuitive operating point where microwave and optical photons are tuned to bare center/cavity resonances, which, compared to the weak-coupling limit, has much stronger non-linearity, offering high efficiency with reduced pump- and center-induced losses, and that is robust to inhomogeneous broadening. Taking color center and optical pump-induced losses into account, we predict ~ 95% efficiency and added noise ≪ 1 quanta at low (μW) pump powers for both Er- and T-centers in Si. Our results open new pathways to build quantum networks.
期刊介绍：
The scope of npj Quantum Information spans across all relevant disciplines, fields, approaches and levels and so considers outstanding work ranging from fundamental research to applications and technologies.
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