Researchers at NIST have developed a novel approach to controlling light using nonlinear nanophotonic structures. By incorporating networks of nonlinear photonic elements and nanoscale patterns, they can overcome traditional limitations in controlling optical fields.
The key innovation is using photonic crystal microresonators (PhCRs) with nanostructured inner walls to enable single-mode frequency shifting and universal phase-matching for nonlinear optical processes. This allows for unprecedented control of light-matter interactions and efficient wavelength conversion between different optical states.
The research team demonstrated this by creating an optical frequency synthesizer with an unprecedented operational bandwidth using two nonlinear integrated photonic microresonators. This approach provides a powerful tool for converting optical fields from one state to another while conserving energy and phase-matching.
The potential impact of this work is significant for quantum technologies, as it enables more efficient and precise control of light in integrated photonic systems. This could lead to advancements in quantum communication, sensing, and computing by providing new ways to manipulate and process quantum information.
The research is still in progress, with ongoing work focused on optimizing the nanostructured linear cavities and exploring novel cavity designs for even greater control over optical fields. The implementation of these technologies could take several years, but the potential benefits for quantum technologies are substantial.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/nonlinear-nanophotonic-control-light
Keywords: Nonlinear optics, Phase-matching, Microresonators, Photonic crystal, Optical frequency
