Bypassing the filtering challenges in microwave-optical quantum transduction through optomechanical four-wave mixing

Microwave-optical quantum transduction is a key enabling technology in quantum networking, but has been plagued by a formidable technical challenge. As most microwave-optical-transduction techniques rely on three-wave mixing processes, the processes consume photons from a driving telecom-band (pump)...

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Main Authors: James Schneeloch, Erin Sheridan, A. Matthew Smith, Christopher C. Tison, Daniel L. Campbell, Matthew D. LaHaye, Michael L. Fanto, Paul M. Alsing
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2025-07-01
Series:Physical Review Research
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/f35f-4128
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author James Schneeloch
Erin Sheridan
A. Matthew Smith
Christopher C. Tison
Daniel L. Campbell
Matthew D. LaHaye
Michael L. Fanto
Paul M. Alsing
author_facet James Schneeloch
Erin Sheridan
A. Matthew Smith
Christopher C. Tison
Daniel L. Campbell
Matthew D. LaHaye
Michael L. Fanto
Paul M. Alsing
author_sort James Schneeloch
collection DOAJ
description Microwave-optical quantum transduction is a key enabling technology in quantum networking, but has been plagued by a formidable technical challenge. As most microwave-optical-transduction techniques rely on three-wave mixing processes, the processes consume photons from a driving telecom-band (pump) laser to convert input microwave photons into telecom-band photons detuned from the laser by this microwave frequency. However, cleanly separating out single photons detuned only a few GHz away from a classically bright laser in the same spatial mode requires frequency filters of unprecedented extinction over a very narrow transition band, straining the capabilities of today's technology. Instead of confronting this challenge directly, we show how one may achieve the same transduction objective with comparable efficiency using a four-wave mixing process in which pairs of pump photons are consumed to produce transduced optical photons widely separated in frequency from the pump. We develop this process by considering higher-order analogues of photoelasticity and electrostriction than those used in conventional optomechanics, and examine how the efficiency of this process can be made to exceed conventional optomechanical couplings.
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publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher American Physical Society
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series Physical Review Research
spelling doaj-art-c473fcde3df24a53945de44afd8708582025-08-20T03:30:36ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642025-07-017303301310.1103/f35f-4128Bypassing the filtering challenges in microwave-optical quantum transduction through optomechanical four-wave mixingJames SchneelochErin SheridanA. Matthew SmithChristopher C. TisonDaniel L. CampbellMatthew D. LaHayeMichael L. FantoPaul M. AlsingMicrowave-optical quantum transduction is a key enabling technology in quantum networking, but has been plagued by a formidable technical challenge. As most microwave-optical-transduction techniques rely on three-wave mixing processes, the processes consume photons from a driving telecom-band (pump) laser to convert input microwave photons into telecom-band photons detuned from the laser by this microwave frequency. However, cleanly separating out single photons detuned only a few GHz away from a classically bright laser in the same spatial mode requires frequency filters of unprecedented extinction over a very narrow transition band, straining the capabilities of today's technology. Instead of confronting this challenge directly, we show how one may achieve the same transduction objective with comparable efficiency using a four-wave mixing process in which pairs of pump photons are consumed to produce transduced optical photons widely separated in frequency from the pump. We develop this process by considering higher-order analogues of photoelasticity and electrostriction than those used in conventional optomechanics, and examine how the efficiency of this process can be made to exceed conventional optomechanical couplings.http://doi.org/10.1103/f35f-4128
spellingShingle James Schneeloch
Erin Sheridan
A. Matthew Smith
Christopher C. Tison
Daniel L. Campbell
Matthew D. LaHaye
Michael L. Fanto
Paul M. Alsing
Bypassing the filtering challenges in microwave-optical quantum transduction through optomechanical four-wave mixing
Physical Review Research
title Bypassing the filtering challenges in microwave-optical quantum transduction through optomechanical four-wave mixing
title_full Bypassing the filtering challenges in microwave-optical quantum transduction through optomechanical four-wave mixing
title_fullStr Bypassing the filtering challenges in microwave-optical quantum transduction through optomechanical four-wave mixing
title_full_unstemmed Bypassing the filtering challenges in microwave-optical quantum transduction through optomechanical four-wave mixing
title_short Bypassing the filtering challenges in microwave-optical quantum transduction through optomechanical four-wave mixing
title_sort bypassing the filtering challenges in microwave optical quantum transduction through optomechanical four wave mixing
url http://doi.org/10.1103/f35f-4128
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