Quantum light sources with configurable lifetime leveraging parity-time symmetry.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41309639.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-65698-9 and PMC identifier 12660896.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
Quantum light sources with configurable photon lifetimes are essential for large-scale quantum circuits, enabling applications in programmable quantum computing, quantum communications, and quantum metrology. However, the fundamental trade-off between efficiency and photon lifetime imposes significant challenges on the design of high-performance, large configurable lifetime quantum light sources. Here, we report on such chip-scale quantum light sources by harnessing the unique feature of parity-time (PT) symmetry. The core design centers on employing PT-symmetric coupling between two microresonators of distinct circumferences, enabling a broad range and selective tuning of the intracavity photon density of states. By controlling the alignment between resonators, we achieved a near 20-fold photon lifetime tuning range (7.1 ± 1.5 ~ 129.6 ± 1.9 ps), with the shortest lifetimes near the exceptional point (EP). The device generates energy-time entangled photon pairs with 87.1 ± 1.1% interference visibility and a heralded second-order autocorrelation of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <msubsup><mrow><mi>g</mi></mrow> <mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow> <mrow> <mfenced><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow> </mfenced> </mrow> </msubsup> <mfenced><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow> </mfenced> <mo>=</mo></math> 0.069 ± 0.001. Our work highlights the potential of PT symmetry for advanced quantum applications, including high-speed communication and programmable quantum computing, quantum coherent tomography, and beyond.