Quantum Light Sources from vdW Ultrathin Niobium Oxyhalide Crystals

The future of ultrasensitive detection and measurement capabilities vital to NASA’s aerospace applications relies on the development of advanced Quantum Sensing and Measurement (QSM) techniques. QSM encompasses a diverse array of technologies and instruments that harness the quantum nature of light, such as schemes involving squeezed light, discrete photon sources, and weak value principles, to name a few. QSM holds promise in achieving measurement precision unattainable via classical physics methodologies; notably, the utilization of quantum principles can significantly augment photon-based interferometric measurement, imaging, and sensing functionalities. One key QSM enabling technology is the integration of quantum light sources capable of generating entangled photon pairs and indistinguishable photons. Within the present technological landscape, there is a preference for ultracompact solid-state photon sources that can be fabricated directly onto chip-scale devices using microfabrication methods. These embodiments offer scalability and seamless integration with existing semiconductor technologies. However, the absence of a singular, ideal, commercially available platform meeting all single photon source criteria underscores the imperative for ongoing exploration and development of novel materials conducive to the production and control of quantum light in future QSM applications. To address the needs of next-generation QSM, Nanohmics, Inc. (Austin, TX), a sensing technologies and measurement instrumentation development company, working in collaboration with Professor Anton Malko at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) proposes to develop a novel near-infrared, room-temperature-operational, entangled photon pair source based ultrathin structures that are designed for ready-integration with state-of-the-art, microfabricated photonic integrated circuits (PICs).

Quantum photon sources have become indispensable tools for numerous NASA applications, including remote sensing, terrestrial and astronomical imaging, precise measurement, and optical communications. As QSM technologies advance, there is a growing necessity to integrate quantum sources into existing semiconductor processes and chip designs. While optically trapped single atoms/ions serve as a common source of “pure” photons, offering unparalleled photon indistinguishability, they require ultralow operational temperatures, complex equipment, and lack scalability for operations involving thousands of qubits. Waveguiding photons will lead to much higher brightness of the ultracompact sources.

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