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Quantum optical microcombs

Nature Photonics volume 13, pages 170–179 (2019)Cite this article

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Abstract

A key challenge for quantum science and technology is to realize large-scale, precisely controllable, practical systems for non-classical secured communications, metrology and, ultimately, meaningful quantum simulation and computation. Optical frequency combs represent a powerful approach towards this goal, as they provide a very high number of temporal and frequency modes that can result in large-scale quantum systems. The generation and control of quantum optical frequency combs will enable a unique, practical and scalable framework for quantum signal and information processing. Here, we review recent progress on the realization of energy–time entangled optical frequency combs and discuss how photonic integration and the use of fibre-optic telecommunications components can enable quantum state control with new functionalities, yielding unprecedented capability.

The generation of large-scale quantum systems that can be precisely controlled is critical1,2,3 to enable practical and high-performing devices based on quantum technology that move beyond proof-of-concept demonstrations. These systems can be used for enhancing link speeds in non-classical communications4, enabling practical quantum-enhanced metrology5, and for increasing the quantum information content in computations and simulations6. Starting from the typical two-dimensional ‘qubit’ (the quantum analogue of a classical bit) a higher degree of complexity can be achieved through the use of multipartite states (that is, formed by multiple subsystems, such as atoms, electrons or photons and their degrees of freedom) or by increasing the number of quantum dimensions of each party. The Hilbert space size (analogue to the available quantum resource) scales as dN (with d and N being the number of dimensions and parties, respectively). The polynomial scaling with dimensionality results in a favourable increase in state complexity for smaller dimensions, but becomes less efficient for larger ones, compared with increasing the number of parties. Further, in addition to boosting the quantum information content, complex states may provide a reduced sensitivity to noise — an ever-present challenge for quantum systems — and can enable novel algorithms. For example, two-level ‘cluster states’ carry unique multipartite entanglement properties that allow the implementation of universal quantum computation via the ‘one-way’ scheme7,8, where processing is performed through measurements. Increasing dimensions via high-dimensional subsystems — so-called qudit states — can additionally yield higher noise robustness9 and allow new algorithms for high-dimensional quantum computation10.

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Fig. 1: Biphoton emission of two correlated photons (called signal and idler) through SPDC or SFWM from filtered nonlinear waveguides or nonlinear resonators.
Fig. 2: Correlation signature of time–energy entangled photons.
Fig. 3: Biphoton quantum frequency comb characteristics.
Fig. 4: Complex quantum states from microring quantum combs.
Fig. 5: Concept of QFP with three elements.
Fig. 6: Experimental examples of frequency-bin gates.

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Acknowledgements

We thank J. Azaña, L. Caspani, P. Roztocki, S. Sciara, Y. Zhang, B. E. Little, S. T. Chu, N. Lingaraju and P. Lougovski for discussions. We acknowledge funding from: Canada Research Chairs (MESI PSR-SIIR); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) (656607); ITMO Fellowship and Professorship Program (08-08); 1000 Talents Sichuan Program; Australian Research Council (ARC) (DP150104327); John Templeton Foundation (JTF) number 60478; US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research Quantum Algorithm Teams; Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US Department of Energy; National Science Foundation under award number 1839191-ECCS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Michael Kues

  2. Department of Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark

    Michael Kues

  3. John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Christian Reimer

  4. Quantum Information Science Group, Computational Sciences and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA

    Joseph M. Lukens

  5. NTT Basic Research Laboratories and NTT Research Center for Theoretical Quantum Physics, NTT Corporation, Kanagawa, Japan

    William J. Munro

  6. National Institute of Informatics, Tokyo, Japan

    William J. Munro

  7. School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Andrew M. Weiner

  8. Centre for Micro Photonics, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia

    David J. Moss

  9. Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS-EMT), Varennes, Quebec, Canada

    Roberto Morandotti

  10. Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China

    Roberto Morandotti

  11. ITMO University, St Petersburg, Russia

    Roberto Morandotti

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Correspondence to Michael Kues or Roberto Morandotti.

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Kues, M., Reimer, C., Lukens, J.M. et al. Quantum optical microcombs. Nature Photon 13, 170–179 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-019-0363-0

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