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Nonlinear interferometers, which use parametric amplifiers in place of beam splitters, can improve the signal to noise ratio of interferometric sensors by a factor of twice the power gain. Recently ORNL has realized a novel, inherently stable, nonlinear interferometer using nonlinear rubidium (Rb) vapor. This approach reduces the complexity and the size, weight and power requirements (SWAP) of earlier demonstrations. However, it is still constructed using bulk, free-space optics on a lab table. This project seeks to realize a reduced SWAP further and perform measurements to quantify its performance relative to other approaches.

We propose an entirely new experimental photonic qubit interface which will enable quantum connections between common material qubits such as ions or atoms.

Localized electron emission from nanostructures can be achieved with the aid of excitation of plasmons with short optical pulses.

Keep Information Safe at Sea with Quantum Physics

Qubits must typically be kept isolated and very cold to minimize interactions with the external environment. These interactions lead to qubit decoherence - essentially loss of quantum information - and adversely affect the efficiency of quantum computing schemes. However, it may be possible to not only control these environmental interactions, but harness them in a constructive manner that results in entanglement, versus destroying it. The result is a scalable, more efficient, quantum computing platform that doesn't require cryogenics to operate.

Reducing the propagation loss, while increasing electric field confinement, is a major goal of nanophotonics for future high bandwidth, high processing speed computational requirements. However, in the current state-of-the-art metal waveguides, the propagating signal suffers restrictive limiting losses as the size of the components are reduced to the nano-scale regime. In this project we seek to exploit the propagation of surface plasmon nanojets on nanostructured thin films in order to reduce propagation losses while retaining field confinement. This improvement will allow advances into future nanophotonic-based computational platforms that will leapfrog Moore’s Law.