English

A quantum optical valve in a nonlinear-linear resonator junction

Quantum Physics 2014-06-06 v2 Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Abstract

Electronic diodes, which enable the rectification of an electrical energy flux, have played a crucial role in the development of current microelectronics after the invention of semiconductor p-n junctions. Analogously, signal rectification at specific target wavelengths has recently become a key goal in optical communication and signal processing. Here we propose a genuinely quantum device with the essential rectifying features being demonstrated in a general model of a nonlinear-linear junction of coupled resonators. It is shown that such a surprisingly simple structure is a versatile valve and may be alternatively tuned to behave as: a photonic diode, a single or two-photon rectified source turning a classical input into a quantum output depending on the input frequency, or a quantum photonic splitter. Given the relevance of non-reciprocal operations in integrated circuits, the nonlinear-linear junction realises a crucial building component in prospective quantum photonic applications.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1307.6493,
  title  = {A quantum optical valve in a nonlinear-linear resonator junction},
  author = {Eduardo Mascarenhas and Daniel Valente and Simone Montangero and Alexia Auffeves and Dario Gerace and M. Franca Santos},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1307.6493},
  year   = {2014}
}

Comments

Accepted in EPL

R2 v1 2026-06-22T00:57:14.159Z