Chip-based array of near-identical, pure, heralded single-photon sources

Journal article

Interference between independent single photons is perhaps the most fundamental interaction in quantum optics. It has become increasingly important as a tool for optical quantum information science, as one of the rudimentary quantum operations, together with photon detection, for generating entanglement between non-interacting particles. Despite this, demonstrations of large-scale photonic networks involving more than two independent sources of quantum light have been limited due to the difficulty in constructing large arrays of high-quality, single-photon sources. Here, we solve the key challenge, reporting on a novel array of five near-identical, low-loss, high-purity, heralded single-photon sources using spontaneous four-wave mixing on a silica chip. We verify source quality through a series of heralded Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) experiments, and further report the experimental three-photon extension of the HOM interference effect, which maps out for the first time, to our knowledge, the interference landscape between three independent single-photon sources.

Authors: Spring, J; Mennea, P; Metcalf, B; Humphreys, P; Gates, J

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Optical Society of America
• Journal: Optica
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 90-96
• Publication date: 2017-01-11
• Acceptance date: 2016-11-14
• DOI: 10.1364/OPTICA.4.000090
• EISSN: 2334-2536
• Keywords: integrated optics; nonlinear optics, integrated optics; quantum information and processing; quantum optics; nonlinear optics, four-wave mixing; squeezed states