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arXiv · 2406.02704

Quantum-enabled continuous microwave-to-optics frequency conversion

Abstract

A quantum interface between microwave and optical photons is essential for entangling remote superconducting quantum processors. To preserve fragile quantum states, a transducer must operate efficiently while generating less than one photon of noise referred to its input. Here, we present a platform that meets these criteria, utilizing a combination of electrostatic and optomechanical interactions in devices made entirely from crystalline silicon. This platform's small mechanical dissipation and low optical absorption enable ground-state radiative cooling, resulting in quantum-enabled operation with a continuous laser drive. Under the optimal settings for high efficiency (low noise), we measure an external efficiency of $2.2\%$ ($0.47\%$) and an input-referred added noise of $0.94$ ($0.58$) in microwave-to-optics conversion. We quantify the transducer throughput using the efficiency-bandwidth product, finding it exceeds previous demonstrations with similar noise performance by approximately two orders of magnitude, thereby paving a practical path to interconnecting remote superconducting qubits.

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BibTeXRIS

Han Zhao, William David Chen, Abhishek Kejriwal, Mohammad Mirhosseini. 2024-06-04. Quantum-enabled continuous microwave-to-optics frequency conversion. https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.02704

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