The first quantum light circuit for current excitation light source

The official website of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany announced on September 27 that the school’s scientists led an international research team composed of Polish and Russian scientists to solve a major limitation of the use of photonic circuits in optical quantum computers. A complete quantum optical structure is integrated onto the chip. This latest achievement, published in the journal Nature Photonics, will help light quantum computers to be used early in data encryption, big data ultrafast computing, and highly complex system quantum simulation.

Because carbon nanotubes are less than one hair in diameter, they are the best choice for the smallest source of light quantum circuits. When lasers are used to illuminate carbon nanotubes, they emit many single photons. However, since existing chips contain electrical components and do not accept additional laser systems, the laser technology that excites photons emitted by carbon nanotubes is difficult to integrate into existing chips, and becomes a constraint for the development of optical quantum computers.

New research uses currents flowing through carbon nanotubes to stimulate carbon nanotubes to emit a single photon. The research team used carbon nanotubes as a single photon source and a detector as a superconducting nanowire. The carbon nanotubes and two detectors were respectively connected to the nanophotonic waveguide, and the resulting optical structure was cooled by liquid helium. Single photon. The device can be integrated into existing chips. KIT nanotechnology expert Ralph Krok said: "Our circuit is a major advancement in the field of optical quantum computers. Now we can fully use current to stimulate carbon nanotubes to emit single photons, overcoming the constraints that hinder the use of optical quantum computers. ”

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