60  dB high-extinction auto-configured Mach-Zehnder interferometer

Area of Science:

• Integrated photonics
• Quantum optics
• Nanofabrication

Background:

• Manufacturing imperfections in integrated photonics limit device performance, especially in interferometric architectures.
• These limitations critically impact advancements in photonics and quantum photonic technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate an ultrahigh extinction ratio silicon photonic device overcoming fabrication imperfections.
• To showcase the potential of active optimization for precise control of linear-optical components.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a silicon photonic device with cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometers.
• Integration of additional interferometers as variable beamsplitters.
• Application of an automated progressive optimization algorithm for real-time compensation of imperfections without pre-calibration.

Main Results:

• Achieved an ultrahigh extinction ratio exceeding 60 dB in the silicon photonic device.
• Successfully compensated for imperfections in fabricated beamsplitters using the automated algorithm.
• Demonstrated accurate control over linear-optical components.

Conclusions:

• The developed approach overcomes manufacturing limitations in integrated photonics.
• This technology enables precise control of optical components for scalable quantum information processing.
• The findings pave the way for advanced photonic applications requiring high-fidelity optical control.