Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026

Measurement of Quantum Interference in a Silicon Ring Resonator Photon Source
Published on: April 4, 2017
Photon pair generation in a silicon micro-ring resonator with reverse bias enhancement
Abstract:
Photon sources are fundamental components for any quantum photonic technology. The ability to generate high count-rate and low-noise correlated photon pairs via spontaneous parametric down-conversion using bulk crystals has been the cornerstone of modern quantum optics. However, future practical quantum technologies will require a scalable integration approach, and waveguide-based photon sources with high-count rate and low-noise characteristics will be an essential part of chip-based quantum technologies. Here, we demonstrate photon pair generation through spontaneous four-wave mixing in a silicon micro-ring resonator, reporting separately a maximum coincidence-to-accidental (CAR) ratio of 602 ± 37 (for a generation rate of 827kHz), and a maximum photon pair generation rate of 123 MHz ± 11 kHz (with a CAR value of 37). To overcome free-carrier related performance degradations we have investigated reverse biased p-i-n structures, demonstrating an improvement in the pair generation rate by a factor of up to 2 with negligible impact on CAR.
Related Concept Videos
Carrier Generation and Recombination
This process is given by the generation rate G and is efficient due to the conservation of momentum between the valence band maximum and conduction band minimum.
Indirect generation involves an...
Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
Biasing of P-N Junction
In equilibrium, no external voltage is applied across the p-n junction. The depletion region is formed at the junction interface due to the diffusion of carriers, which leaves behind charged dopants, acceptors on the p-side, and donors on the n-side. These immobile charges create an electric field that prevents further diffusion of carriers. The related energy band...
Diode: Reverse bias
Biasing of FET
In an N-channel JFET, the structure consists of N-type material forming the channel on a P-type substrate, with the...
MOSFET: Enhancement Mode
In their basic form, enhancement-mode MOSFETs are typically non-conductive when the gate-source voltage (Vgs) is zero. This default 'off' state means no...

