Frequency correlated photon generation at telecom band using silicon nitride ring cavities

Area of Science:

• Quantum optics
• Integrated photonics
• Solid-state physics

Background:

• Frequency entangled photon sources are vital for quantum technologies such as quantum key distribution and quantum computation.
• Chip-scale sources on silicon platforms offer scalability and CMOS compatibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the generation of frequency-correlated photon pairs using a silicon nitride ring cavity.
• To characterize the device and analyze the phase matching condition for spontaneous four-wave mixing.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of a 150-GHz silicon nitride ring cavity.
• Evaluation of joint spectrum intensity for generated photon pairs.
• Quantification of joint spectral intensity based on phase matching.

Main Results:

• Successful generation of frequency-correlated photon pairs.
• Confirmation of photon pair generation across 42 correlated frequency modes.
• Achieved a bandwidth of 51.25 nm for the generated photon pairs.

Conclusions:

• The silicon nitride ring cavity enables efficient generation of frequency-correlated photon pairs.
• The results demonstrate the potential for scalable, chip-based quantum light sources.
• Phase matching conditions are critical for optimizing photon pair generation in such devices.