Integrated nonlinear photonic circuits for mediating and detecting photon-photon interactions
Zhao, Mengdi
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/122090
Description
Title
Integrated nonlinear photonic circuits for mediating and detecting photon-photon interactions
Author(s)
Zhao, Mengdi
Issue Date
2023-08-07
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Fang, Kejie
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Lorenz, Virginia
Committee Member(s)
Goldschmidt, Elizabeth
Kwiat, Paul
Department of Study
Physics
Discipline
Physics
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Nonlinear photonics
Abstract
The development of a quantum platform that meets the requirements for quantum computation and quantum information has been a longstanding goal since the inception of the concepts. Photons have emerged as excellent candidates for carrying quantum information due to their inherent properties of cleanliness and resistance to decoherence. However, the lack of natural interactions between photons poses a challenge in achieving deterministic two-qubit gates. The creation of photon-photon interactions has therefore become of paramount importance both in the fields of fundamental physics and quantum technologies. While such interactions have been achieved using atomic-like quantum emitters strongly coupled to optical cavity modes, this approach presents fundamental challenges in terms of scalability and compatibility with quantum communications. In this dissertation, we propose a different approach that utilizes the bulk nonlinearity of dielectric materials.
In the initial part of this dissertation, we focus on optimizing the second-order nonlinear coupling using a nonlinear InGaP photonic integrated circuit. Subsequently, I will introduce our approach of mediating and observing the photon-photon interactions. In our system, photons interact through weak χ(2) nonlinearity, resulting in the emergence of highly correlated quantum states of light. By carefully engineering the dissipation properties of the device, we can adjust the ratio between unscattered and scattered two-photon components in the output mode, leading to control over the photon statistics. We can achieve a wide range of quantum correlations, including repulsion, attraction, and tunneling behaviors.
Our work paves the way for controlling quantum light by harnessing highly customizable weak bulk optical nonlinearities at the single-photon level. This breakthrough enables the generation of non-classical light with diverse statistical properties and also offers potential applications in nonlinear optical quantum information processing and quantum networking.
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