arXiv · 2609.06399
Telecom-Integrated Photonic Memory Operating Near the Mechanical Ground State
Abstract
Scalable quantum networks require quantum memories that are chip-integrated, telecom-band compatible, and capable of flexible retrieval. Nanofabricated mechanical resonators meet these criteria. They offer independent tunability of optical and mechanical modes, long-lived phonon states, and design flexibility beyond atomic systems, making them strong candidates for practical integrated quantum memory. Here, we demonstrate an on-chip, absorptive optomechanical memory for telecom-band photons, based on optomechanically induced transparency (OMIT) and operating near the mechanical ground state. The device stores telecom-band photons, demonstrating compatibility with external photon sources at the few-photon level, while enabling on-demand retrieval. By placing the device in a dilution refrigerator at 20 mK and tailoring the control field to suppress optical heating, we achieve a remarkably low phonon occupancy of just 0.32 during the storage process. Our results lay the groundwork for scalable, phonon-based quantum memory devices and open new avenues for integrating mechanical systems into practical quantum network architectures.
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Jindao Tang, Bo Jing, Liping Zeng, Peiqin Chen, Hengrui Liang, Yifei Zhang, Xinyao Xu, Qizhi Cai, Xueying Zhang, Qiang Zhou, You Wang, Haizhi Song, Guangcan Guo, Guangwei Deng. 2026-09-06. Telecom-Integrated Photonic Memory Operating Near the Mechanical Ground State. https://doi.org/10.1002/lpor.202502677
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