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Updated: May 22, 2026

Measurement of Quantum Interference in a Silicon Ring Resonator Photon Source
Published on: April 4, 2017
Monolithic source of photon pairs
Rolf Horn1, Payam Abolghasem, Bhavin J Bijlani
1Institute for Quantum Computing and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue W, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada. rhorn@uwaterloo.ca
Abstract:
The creation of monolithically integratable sources of single and entangled photons is a top research priority with formidable challenges: The production, manipulation, and measurement of the photons should all occur in the same material platform, thereby fostering stability and scalability. Here we demonstrate efficient photon pair production in a semiconductor platform, gallium arsenide. Our results show type-I spontaneous parametric down-conversion of laser light from a 2.2 mm long Bragg-reflection waveguide, and we estimate its internal pair production efficiency to be 2.0×10(-8) (pairs/pump photon). This is the first time that significant pair production has been demonstrated in a structure that can be electrically self-pumped and which can form the basis for passive optical circuitry, bringing us markedly closer to complete integration of quantum optical technologies.
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