High-Efficiency Single-Photon Detection System for Advanced Optical Quantum Information Experiments
Abstract
In support of the ONR Quantum Information Science goals of achieving quantumenhancedsecurity, computation, and metrology, we seek funding for a high-efficiencysuperconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) system, consisting of 32individual detectors along with the associated electronic and cryogenic hardware to enablehigh-precision and advanced photonic quantum information processing (QIP) experimentsin our laboratory. Replacing inefficient avalanche photodetectors, these SNSPDs possess thedesirable properties of high efficiency, high temporal resolution, low dark counts, and photonnumberresolution. Our laboratory is especially well-suited to implement such optical QIPexperiments as we possess the critical resource for such experiments: a high-efficiency timemultiplexedheralded single-photon source capable of efficiently creating large numbers ofsequential single photons as well as various multi-photon states including N00N and photonnumber Fock states. The efficiency of our source is significantly higher than alternative singlephotonsources as it can generate many-photon states at rates of hundreds to thousands of statesper second, as opposed to single events in hundreds or thousands of seconds (even years!) forother sources. Upgrading our source with high-efficiency SNSPDs will significantly enhance itsperformance and finally bring practical intermediate-scale optical QIP experiments within reach.These experiments involve the construction of various photonic circuits with applicationsranging from quantum metrology with the precise measurement of optical phase, to quantumcomputation with demonstrations of quantum supremacy, e.g., via boson-sampling. Suchphotonic circuits need multi-photon states to operate, and therefore require multiple highefficiencydetectors (with photon number resolution in certain applications) to measure theiroutputs. Thus, the requested high-efficiency SNSPD system will support the next generation ofoptical QIP experimental work in our laboratory, enabling the research of many students.Additionally, this system will provide students with opportunities to develop skills for operatingsuperconducting and cryogenic devices, which skills will prove invaluable as they enter themainstream in the coming decade.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 19, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012852
Entities
People
- Paul G. Kwiat
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign