Fast, Low Loss, Electro-Optic Switch for Quantum Information Processing

Single photon sources and detectors hold the key to achieving success in several quantum communication and computation applications. Many of these goals can be achieved with the realization of low-loss high-speed switching for single photons. AdvR proposes a unique implementation of an electro-optic (EO) deflector with ideal properties for single photon switching. The device operates on the principle of electro-optically controlled prisms engineered into a ferroelectric substrate, and is designed to have very low loss (less than 0.1%), fast switching speed (sub-nanosecond), good isolation (50dB crosstalk), and operation from the ultraviolet to the mid-infrared. AdvR has previously built and tested fiber-coupled EO switches and the demonstrated performance shows exciting potential for use in photonics-based approaches to quantum information science. This Phase I SBIR will investigate the use of the EO deflector technology for single photon switching and evaluate the feasibility of using engineered electro-optic deflectors to provide low-loss, high-speed switching for quantum information processing.

Quantum-based communication is of prime interest to corporations and government agencies with high security requirements. In cases where classical schemes are not considered trustworthy, key distribution by courier is typically used. Unlike human courier networks, quantum cryptography has the ability to detect interception of the key, has greater reliability and operating costs, and is automatic and instantaneous. For long distance quantum communication to be practical, ground-to-space links are a necessity due to the current limitations of optical fiber and photon detectors in ground-to-ground links. Another application is all-optical quantum computing (i.e. linear optical quantum computing), where the lack of high-purity on-demand photon sources is the biggest obstacle.

Satellite-based links established using on-demand single photon sources could provide a global quantum network. Additionally, a space-based implementation of the technology will answer important questions in fundamental physics by testing the properties of quantum entanglements over much greater distances than ever before, and due to earth's gravitational curvature may even provide an insight to the relationship between gravity and quantum physics.

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