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Efficient and low-noise single-photon-level frequency conversion interfaces using silicon nanophotonics

Nature Photonics volume 10, pages 406–414 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

Optical frequency conversion has applications ranging from tunable light sources to telecommunications-band interfaces for quantum information science. Here, we demonstrate efficient, low-noise frequency conversion on a nanophotonic chip through four-wave-mixing Bragg scattering in compact (footprint <0.5 × 10–4 cm2) Si3N4 microring resonators. We investigate three frequency conversion configurations: spectral translation over a few nanometres within the 980 nm band; upconversion from 1,550 nm to 980 nm; and downconversion from 980 nm to 1,550 nm. With conversion efficiencies ranging from 25% for the first process to >60% for the last two processes, a signal conversion bandwidth of >1 GHz, a required continuous-wave pump power of <60 mW and background noise levels between a few femtowatts and a few picowatts, these devices are suitable for quantum frequency conversion of single-photon states from InAs/GaAs quantum dots. Simulations based on coupled mode equations and the Lugiato–Lefever equation are used to model device performance, and show quantitative agreement with measurements.

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Figure 1: Principle of operation and device geometry.
Figure 2: Device design, dispersion and coupling characterization.
Figure 3: 980 nm intraband frequency conversion.
Figure 4: Numerical simulations and SNR measurement for 980 nm intraband conversion.
Figure 5: Wideband frequency conversion interface to the telecommunications band.
Figure 6: Wideband frequency downconversion bandwidth and background noise measurement.

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Acknowledgements

Q.L. acknowledges support under the Cooperative Research Agreement between the University of Maryland and NIST-CNST (award no. 70NANB10H193). The authors thank J. Liu for help with using the grating spectrometer for the noise measurement, L. Van Der Vegt from Yenista Optics for the loan of a 1,550 nm tunable filter and S. Papp from NIST Boulder for comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, 20899, Maryland, USA

    Qing Li, Marcelo Davanço & Kartik Srinivasan

  2. Maryland NanoCenter, University of Maryland, College Park, 20742, Maryland, USA

    Qing Li

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  1. Qing Li
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Contributions

Q.L. led the design, fabrication and measurement, with assistance from M.D. and K.S. Q.L. and K.S. wrote the manuscript and K.S. supervised the project.

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Correspondence to Qing Li or Kartik Srinivasan.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Li, Q., Davanço, M. & Srinivasan, K. Efficient and low-noise single-photon-level frequency conversion interfaces using silicon nanophotonics. Nature Photon 10, 406–414 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2016.64

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