Non-classical correlations between single photons and phonons from a mechanical oscillator
Non-classically correlated pairs of single photons and phonons are generated and read out from a nanomechanical resonator, demonstrating that such resonators could be used for light–matter quantum interfaces. A new quantum information architecture Most quantum communication, quantum storage and quan...
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Published in | Nature (London) Vol. 530; no. 7590; pp. 313 - 316 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
London
Nature Publishing Group UK
18.02.2016
Nature Publishing Group |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Non-classically correlated pairs of single photons and phonons are generated and read out from a nanomechanical resonator, demonstrating that such resonators could be used for light–matter quantum interfaces.
A new quantum information architecture
Most quantum communication, quantum storage and quantum transduction protocols require an optical interface to single mechanical quanta of motion — that is, to single photons and phonons. Here Simon Gröblacher and colleagues demonstrate a quantum interface between non-classically correlated pairs of single photons and phonons, generated and read-out from a nanomechanical resonator. This proof-of-principle experiment implies the practicality of on-chip solid-state mechanical resonators as light–matter quantum interfaces.
Interfacing a single photon with another quantum system is a key capability in modern quantum information science. It allows quantum states of matter, such as spin states of atoms
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,
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, atomic ensembles
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,
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or solids
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, to be prepared and manipulated by photon counting and, in particular, to be distributed over long distances. Such light–matter interfaces have become crucial to fundamental tests of quantum physics
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and realizations of quantum networks
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. Here we report non-classical correlations between single photons and phonons—the quanta of mechanical motion—from a nanomechanical resonator. We implement a full quantum protocol involving initialization of the resonator in its quantum ground state of motion and subsequent generation and read-out of correlated photon–phonon pairs. The observed violation of a Cauchy–Schwarz inequality is clear evidence for the non-classical nature of the mechanical state generated. Our results demonstrate the availability of on-chip solid-state mechanical resonators as light–matter quantum interfaces. The performance we achieved will enable studies of macroscopic quantum phenomena
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as well as applications in quantum communication
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, as quantum memories
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and as quantum transducers
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,
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. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0028-0836 1476-4687 |
DOI: | 10.1038/nature16536 |