Optically heralded microwave photon addition
Journal article, 2023

Photons with optical frequencies of a few hundred terahertz are perhaps the only way to distribute quantum information over long distances. Superconducting qubits, which are one of the most promising approaches for realizing large-scale quantum machines, operate on microwave photons at frequencies that are ~40,000 times lower. To network these quantum machines across appreciable distances, we must bridge this frequency gap. Here we implement and demonstrate a transducer that can generate correlated optical and microwave photons. We use it to show that by detecting an optical photon we generate an added microwave photon with an efficiency of ~35%. Our device uses a gigahertz nanomechanical resonance as an intermediary, which efficiently couples to optical and microwave channels through strong optomechanical and piezoelectric interactions. We show continuous operation of the transducer with 5% frequency conversion efficiency, input-referred added noise of ~100, and pulsed microwave photon generation at a heralding rate of 15 Hz. Optical absorption in the device generates thermal noise of less than two microwave photons. Improvements of the system efficiencies and device performance are necessary to realize a high rate of entanglement generation between distant microwave-frequency quantum nodes, but these enhancements are within reach.

Author

Wentao Jiang

E.L. Ginzton Lab

Felix Mayor

E.L. Ginzton Lab

Sultan Malik

E.L. Ginzton Lab

Raphaël Van Laer

E.L. Ginzton Lab

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Technology

Timothy P. McKenna

E.L. Ginzton Lab

Rishi N. Patel

E.L. Ginzton Lab

Jeremy D. Witmer

E.L. Ginzton Lab

Amir H. Safavi-Naeini

E.L. Ginzton Lab

Nature Physics

1745-2473 (ISSN) 17452481 (eISSN)

Vol. 19 10 1423-1428

Subject Categories

Telecommunications

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Other Physics Topics

Condensed Matter Physics

DOI

10.1038/s41567-023-02129-w

More information

Latest update

3/7/2024 9