Single-mode squeezed-light generation and tomography with an integrated optical parametric oscillator.

Area of Science:

• Quantum optics
• Integrated photonics
• Nonlinear optics

Background:

• Squeezed light is a key quantum resource for advanced technologies.
• Conventional methods for generating squeezed light are often bulky and complex.
• Integrated quantum photonics offers a path to miniaturization and efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a monolithic, chip-scale platform for efficient generation of squeezed states of light.
• To integrate essential quantum optical components onto a single chip.
• To demonstrate a compact and low-power system for quantum light generation.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the nonlinear χ(2) effect in a thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) resonator.
• Integrating a balanced homodyne measurement subsystem on the same chip.
• Employing second harmonic generation (SHG) for parametric oscillator pump field generation.

Main Results:

• Achieved a squeezing of 0.55 decibels and anti-squeezing of 1.55 decibels.
• Demonstrated a chip-scale platform occupying one square centimeter.
• Required only 20 milliwatts of input power for the pump field.

Conclusions:

• The developed TFLN resonator platform enables efficient, chip-scale generation of squeezed light.
• This integrated approach significantly reduces size, complexity, and power consumption.
• The work is a significant step towards practical, compact quantum optical systems.