Operating quantum waveguide circuits with superconducting single-photon detectors

Published

May 24, 2010

Author(s)

C. M. Natarajan, A. Peruzzo, Shigehito Miki, Masahide Sasaki, Z. Wang, Burm Baek, Sae Woo Nam, Robert Hadfield, Jeremy L. O'Brien

Abstract

Advanced quantum information science and technology (QIST) applications place exacting demands on optical components. Quantum waveguide circuits offer a route to scalable QIST on a chip. Superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) provide infrared single-photon sensitivity combined with low dark counts and picosecond timing resolution. In this study, we bring these two technologies together. Using SSPDs we observe a two-photon interference visibility of 92.3 ± 1.0% in a silica-on-silicon waveguide directional coupler at λ=804 nm higher than that measured with silicon detectors (89.9 ± 0.3%). We further operated controlled-NOT gate and quantum metrology circuits with SSPDs. These demonstrations present a clear path to telecom-wavelength quantum waveguide circuits.

Citation

Applied Physics Letters

Volume

96

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

superconducting nanowire single photon detector, optical waveguide, photonic quantum circuit

Citation

Natarajan, C. , Peruzzo, A. , Miki, S. , Sasaki, M. , Wang, Z. , Baek, B. , Nam, S. , Hadfield, R. and O'Brien, J. (2010), Operating quantum waveguide circuits with superconducting single-photon detectors, Applied Physics Letters, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=904567 (Accessed October 14, 2025)