Cale M. Gentry

Dark state lasers.

We propose a novel laser cavity based on imaginary-frequency resonance splitting in coupled resonators. Using different free-spectral ranges (FSRs), a Vernier-like effect where only one longitudinal mode lases allows for ultra-wide tuning of single-frequency lasers.

Quantum-correlated photon pairs generated in a commercial 45 nm complementary metal-oxide semiconductor microelectronic chip

Correlated photon pairs are a fundamental building block of quantum photonic systems. While pair sources have previously been integrated on silicon chips built using customized photonics manufacturing processes, these often take advantage of only a small fraction of the established techniques for microelectronics fabrication and have yet to be integrated in a process which also supports electronics. Here we report the first demonstration of quantum-correlated photon pair generation in a device fabricated in an unmodified advanced (sub-100nm) complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process, alongside millions of working transistors. The microring resonator photon pair source is formed in the transistor layer structure, with the resonator core formed by the silicon layer typically used for the transistor body. With ultra-low continuous-wave on-chip pump powers ranging from 5

Tunable coupled-mode dispersion compensation and its application to on-chip resonant four-wave mixing

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Ultra-efficient CMOS fiber-to-chip grating couplers

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75% efficient wide bandwidth grating couplers in a 45 nm microelectronics CMOS process

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Room-temperature-deposited dielectrics and superconductors for integrated photonics

W, we demonstrate pair generation rates between 165 Hz and 332 kHz using >80% efficient WSi superconducting nanowire single photon detectors. Coincidences-to-accidentals ratios consistently exceeding 40 were measured with a maximum of 55. In the process of characterizing this source we also accurately predict pair generation rates from the results of classical four-wave mixing measurements. This proof-of-principle device demonstrates the potential of commercial CMOS microelectronics as an advanced quantum photonics platform with capability of large volume, pristine process control, and where state-of-the-art high-speed digital circuits could interact with quantum photonic circuits.

Dark state lasers

We propose and demonstrate mode coupling as a viable dispersion compensation technique for phase-matched resonant four-wave mixing (FWM). We demonstrate a dual-cavity resonant structure that employs coupling-induced frequency splitting at one of three resonances to compensate for cavity dispersion, enabling phase matching. Coupling strength is controlled by thermal tuning of one cavity enabling active tuning of the resonant frequency matching. In a fabricated silicon microresonator, we show an 8 dB enhancement of seeded FWM efficiency over the noncompensated state. The measured FWM has a peak wavelength conversion efficiency of -37.9  dB across a free spectral range (FSR) of 3.334 THz (∼27  nm), which is, to the best of our knowledge, the largest in a silicon microresonator to demonstrate FWM to date. This form of dispersion compensation can be beneficial for many devices, including wavelength converters, parametric amplifiers, and widely detuned photon-pair sources. Apart from compensating dispersion, the proposed mechanism can alternatively be utilized in an otherwise dispersionless resonator to counteract the detuning effect of self- and cross-phase modulation on the pump resonance during FWM, thereby addressing a fundamental issue in the performance of light sources such as broadband optical frequency combs.

Robust packaging for fiber-to-grating couplers in a scalable photonics process

Apodized bi-level fiber-to-chip grating couplers, designed using a complex-wavevector band-structure approach, are demonstrated in a commercially available, monolithic SOI CMOS process achieving 92% (-0.36dB) coupling efficiency.

Robust fiber packaging in a scalable integrated photonics process

We present the design and characterization of highly directional vertical grating couplers achieving -1.2 dB coupling efficiency with 78nm 1- dB bandwidth realized in a commercially available 45nm microelectronics SOI process.

Four-wave mixing in silicon ``photonic molecule'' resonators with port-selective, orthogonal supermode excitation

We present an approach to fabrication and packaging of integrated photonic devices that utilizes waveguide and detector layers deposited at near-ambient temperature. All lithography is performed with a 365 nm i-line stepper, facilitating low cost and high scalability. We have shown low-loss SiN waveguides, high-Q ring resonators, critically coupled ring resonators, 50/50 beam splitters, Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) and a process-agnostic fiber packaging scheme. We have further explored the utility of this process for applications in nonlinear optics and quantum photonics. We demonstrate spectral tailoring and octave-spanning supercontinuum generation as well as the integration of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors with MZIs and channel-dropping filters. The packaging approach is suitable for operation up to 160 °C as well as below 1 K. The process is well suited for augmentation of existing foundry capabilities or as a stand-alone process.We present an approach to fabrication and packaging of integrated photonic devices that utilizes waveguide and detector layers deposited at near-ambient temperature. All lithography is performed with a 365 nm i-line stepper, facilitating low cost and high scalability. We have shown low-loss SiN waveguides, high-Q ring resonators, critically coupled ring resonators, 50/50 beam splitters, Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) and a process-agnostic fiber packaging scheme. We have further explored the utility of this process for applications in nonlinear optics and quantum photonics. We demonstrate spectral tailoring and octave-spanning supercontinuum generation as well as the integration of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors with MZIs and channel-dropping filters. The packaging approach is suitable for operation up to 160 ◦C as well as below 1 K. The process is well suited for augmentation of existing foundry capabilities or as a stand-alone process.