QUANTUM

Quantum optics provided a basis for a variety of scientific and technological advancements throughout last decades in areas ranging from extremely sensitive metrology to high-performance computing and secure communications. The ability to transfer required functional parts on photonic integrated chips is an unavoidable step towards moving those technologies from research centers to real world applications. Currently, all the main components of a quantum-based system can be realized on a chip and fully functional large-scale integrated quantum photonic systems were already demonstrated. Quantum systems could be built based on different phenomena and use different information carriers, but photonics occupies a special place among other realizations due to the possibility to incorporate quantum states generation, transmission and measurements on a single platform having less sensitivity to environmental noise. Similarly to other areas, PICs promise important advantages as scalability and reconfigurability of architectures, small system footprint and high stability of elements.

Every photon counts : 

LIGENTEC’s Silicone Nitride platform is of particular interest for this area having ultra-low losses below 0.1dB/cm. Furthermore allowed power levels of operation can be high due to the absence of Two-Photon Absorption (TPA). The possibility of dispersion engineering and proven realization of high-Q ring resonators with small bend radii opens new fields for quantum operations. The latest also opens opportunities for photon-pair generation via Spontaneous Four Wave Mixing (SFWM), while the resonators’ narrow bandwidth and possible tunability could provide high degree of in-distinguishability of generated photons in different experimental schemes. Other vital components such as couplers, beam-splitters, Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs), Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs), complex filters and delay lines can be fabricated, while hybrid or heterogeneous integration with active components like light sources and detectors make the platform a beneficial solution for a quantum PIC realization.

Ready to move your quantum photonic circuit beyond proof-of-concept? Contact us to discuss your application from MPW prototyping to volume production.