Dario Gerace

Quantum nature of a strongly coupled single quantum dot–cavity system

Cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) studies the interaction between a quantum emitter and a single radiation-field mode. When an atom is strongly coupled to a cavity mode, it is possible to realize important quantum information processing tasks, such as controlled coherent coupling and entanglement of distinguishable quantum systems. Realizing these tasks in the solid state is clearly desirable, and coupling semiconductor self-assembled quantum dots to monolithic optical cavities is a promising route to this end. However, validating the efficacy of quantum dots in quantum information applications requires confirmation of the quantum nature of the quantum-dot–cavity system in the strong-coupling regime. Here we find such confirmation by observing quantum correlations in photoluminescence from a photonic crystal nanocavity interacting with one, and only one, quantum dot located precisely at the cavity electric field maximum. When off-resonance, photon emission from the cavity mode and quantum-dot excitons is anticorrelated at the level of single quanta, proving that the mode is driven solely by the quantum dot despite an energy mismatch between cavity and excitons. When tuned to resonance, the exciton and cavity enter the strong-coupling regime of cavity QED and the quantum-dot exciton lifetime reduces by a factor of 145. The generated photon stream becomes antibunched, proving that the strongly coupled exciton/photon system is in the quantum regime. Our observations unequivocally show that quantum information tasks are achievable in solid-state cavity QED.

Photonic-crystal slabs with a triangular lattice of triangular holes investigated using a guided-mode expansion method

According to a recent proposal S. Takayama et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 061107 2005, the triangular lattice of triangular air holes may allow us to achieve a complete photonic band gap in two-dimensional photonic crystal slabs. In this work we present a systematic theoretical study of this photonic lattice in a high-index membrane, and a comparison with the conventional triangular lattice of circular holes, by means of the guided-mode expansion method whose detailed formulation is described here. Photonic mode dispersion below and above the light line, gap maps, and intrinsic diffraction losses of quasiguided modes are calculated for the periodic lattice as well as for line and point defects defined therein. The main results are summarized as follows: i The triangular lattice of triangular holes does indeed have a complete photonic band gap for the fundamental guided mode, but the useful region is generally limited by the presence of second-order waveguide modes; ii the lattice may support the usual photonic band gap for even modes quasi-TE polarization and several band gaps for odd modes quasi-TM polarization, which could be tuned in order to achieve doubly resonant frequency conversion between an even mode at the fundamental frequency and an odd mode at the second-harmonic frequency; iii diffraction losses of quasiguided modes in the triangular lattices with circular and triangular holes, and in line-defect waveguides or point-defect cavities based on these geometries, are comparable. The results point to the interest of the triangular lattice of triangular holes for nonlinear optics, and show the usefulness of the guided-mode expansion method for calculating photonic band dispersion and diffraction losses, especially for higher-lying photonic modes.

Planar photonic crystal cavities with far-field optimization for high coupling efficiency and quality factor

Different types of planar photonic crystal cavities aimed at optimizing the far-field emission pattern are designed and experimentally assessed by resonant scattering measurements. We systematically investigate the interplay between achieving the highest possible quality (Q) factor and maximizing the in- and out-coupling efficiency into a narrow emission cone. Cavities operate at telecommunications wavelengths, i.e. around approximately 1.55 microm, and are realized in silicon membranes. A strong modification of the far-field emission pattern, and therefore a substantial increase of the coupling efficiency in the vertical direction, is obtained by properly modifying the holes around L3, L5 and L7 type PhC cavities, as we predict theoretically and show experimentally. An optimal compromise yielding simultaneously a high Q-factor and a large coupling to the fundamental cavity mode is found for a L7-type cavity with a measured Q congruent with 62000, whose resonant scattering efficiency is improved by about two orders of magnitude with respect to the unmodified structure. These results are especially useful for prospective applications in light emitting devices, such as nano-lasers or single-photon sources, in which vertical in- and out-coupling of the electromagnetic field is necessarily required.

The quantum-optical Josephson interferometer

A proposed device—an optical analogue of the superconducting Josephson interferometer—might enable detailed studies of the role that dissipation has in strongly correlated quantum-optical systems.

Fermionized Photons in an Array of Driven Dissipative Nonlinear Cavities

We theoretically investigate the optical response of a one-dimensional array of strongly nonlinear optical microcavities. When the optical nonlinearity is much larger than both losses and intercavity tunnel coupling, the nonequilibrium steady state of the system is reminiscent of a strongly correlated Tonks-Girardeau gas of impenetrable bosons. Signatures of strong correlations are identified in the transmission spectrum of the system, as well as in the intensity correlations of the transmitted light. Possible experimental implementations in state-of-the-art solid-state devices are discussed.

Low-power continuous-wave generation of visible harmonics in silicon photonic crystal nanocavities.

We present the first demonstration of frequency conversion by simultaneous second- and third-harmonic generation in a silicon photonic crystal nanocavity using continuous-wave optical excitation. We observe a bright dual wavelength emission in the blue/green (450-525 nm) and red (675-790 nm) visible windows with pump powers as low as few microwatts in the telecom bands, with conversion efficiencies of ∼ 10 (-5) /W and ∼ 10/ W(2) for the second- and third-harmonic, respectively. Scaling behaviors as a function of pump power and cavity quality-factor are demonstrated for both second- and third order processes. Successful comparison of measured and calculated emission patterns indicates that third-harmonic is a bulk effect while second-harmonic is a surface-related effect at the sidewall holes boundaries. Our results are promising for obtaining practical low-power, continuous-wave and widely tunable multiple harmonic generation on a silicon chip.

Disorder-induced losses in photonic crystal waveguides with line defects

A numerical analysis of extrinsic diffraction losses in two-dimensional photonic crystal slabs with line defects is reported. To model disorder, a Gaussian distribution of hole radii in the triangular lattice of airholes is assumed. The extrinsic losses below the light line increase quadratically with the disorder parameter, decrease slightly with increasing core thickness, and depend weakly on the hole radius. For typical values of the disorder parameter the calculated loss values of guided modes below the light line compare favorably with available experimental results.

Genetically designed L3 photonic crystal nanocavities with measured quality factor exceeding one million

We report on the experimental realization of ultra-high quality factor (Q) designs of the L3-type photonic crystal nanocavity. Based on genetic optimization of the positions of few nearby holes, our design drastically improves the performance of the conventional L3 as experimentally confirmed by direct measurement of Q ≃ 2 × 106 in a silicon-based photonic crystal membrane. Our devices rank among the highest Q/V ratios ever reported in photonic crystal cavities, holding great promise for the realization of integrated photonic platforms based on ultra-high-Q resonators.

Direct evidence of light confinement and emission enhancement in active silicon-on-insulator slot waveguides

The authors experimentally demonstrate strong light confinement and enhancement of emission at 1.54μm in planar silicon-on-insulator waveguides containing a thin layer (slot) of SiO2 with Er3+ doped Si nanoclusters. Angle-resolved attenuated total reflectance is used to excite the slab guided modes, giving a direct evidence of the strong confinement of the electric field in the low-index active material for the fundamental transverse-magnetic mode. By measuring the guided photoluminescence from the cleaved-edge of the sample, the authors observe a more than fivefold enhancement of emission for the transverse-magnetic mode over the transverse-electric one. These results show that Si-based slot waveguides could be important as starting templates for the realization of Si-compatible active optical devices.

Room-temperature emission at telecom wavelengths from silicon photonic crystal nanocavities

Strongly enhanced light emission at wavelengths between 1.3 and 1.6 μm is reported at room temperature in silicon photonic crystal (PhC) nanocavities with optimized out-coupling efficiency. Sharp peaks corresponding to the resonant modes of PhC nanocavities dominate the broad sub-bandgap emission from optically active defects in the crystalline Si membrane. We measure a 300-fold enhancement of the emission from the PhC nanocavity due to a combination of far-field enhancement and the Purcell effect. The cavity enhanced emission has a very weak temperature dependence, namely less than a factor of 2 reduction between 10 K and room temperature, which makes this approach suitable for the realization of efficient light sources as well as providing a quick and easy tool for the broadband optical characterization of silicon-on-insulator nanostructures.