HenleyHall
Quantum Photonics Lab @ UCSB
Quantum Photonics Lab @ UCSB

The QPL develops nonlinear photonic, nanophotonic, and optoelectronic devices to solve fundamental problems in computing, communications, networking, and metrology. We employ a distinctive hybrid approach, where we explore how several different but complementary quantum systems can be heterogeneously integrated to create new functionality and capabilities not possible with each individual component. We recruit and train scientists from a wide range of fields across engineering, materials science, and physics. Our lab specializes in nanoscale device fabrication and testing, emerging quantum materials and systems, and the development of novel quantum optical measurement techniques. Currently of particular interest are nonlinear quantum photonics, quantum nanophotonic platforms based on III-V quantum dots, 2D material photonic integration, and hybrid quantum systems. 

QPIC Test Structures

Quantum Photonic Integrated Circuits

The development of scalable optical technologies for quantum communications, computing, and precision measurements requires reducing existing table-top experiments to fully integrated chip-scale photonic circuits. We utilize several approaches, including AlGaAs-on-insulator, silicon nitride, and III-Vs on silicon, that combine ultra-bright deterministic and probabilistic quantum light sources with ultra-low-loss photonic circuits, passive and active components, and superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors.
Quantum Interconnects

Quantum Interconnects

An outstanding challenge in quantum information science and networking is the ability to interconnect multiple types of quantum systems, which is often challenging due to the large disparity in operating environments and qubit frequencies. Our research focuses on developing innovative electro-optic, opto-mechanical, and quantum optical frequency converters for applications in microwave-to-optical transduction and quantum networking.
AlGaAsOI Quantum Photonic Device

Quantum Light Sources & Metrology

Quantum information science (QIS) technologies for computing, communications, sensing, and metrology rely on the ability to generate and detect non-classical information using light and matter. Quantum photonics plays a central role in QIS because of the inherent scalability and low-loss, high-speed transmission of light. This project focuses on the development, metrology, and application of efficient, scalable, and turnkey sources of quantum light, such as single and entangled photons, squeezed states, and quantum frequency combs.

Resources & Facilities

The Quantum Photonics Laboratory will be temporarily located in the Engineering Sciences Building (ESB) during the construction of Henley Hall -- the future home of the Institute of Energy Efficiency (IEE) and the QPL due to be completed in 2020. Our lab will be equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation and quantum optical experimental techniques, with capabilities that include:

  • Cryogenics: A 4K closed-cycle cryostat with XYZ nanopositioning, low-working distance optical access, and DC-to-microwave electronic probe capabilities. The QPL also operates a 10 mK dilution refrigerator system with a customized vibration-stabilized optical confocal microscope combined with microwave electronics in the Quantum Foundry Low-Temperature Optics Lab in CNSI.
  • Spectroscopy: The QPL houses a suite of quantum photonic device testing and benchmarking tools for characterizing nonlinear quantum photonic circuits, semiconductor nanophotonic structures, quantum emitters, and 2D materials. Additional capabilities include time-resolved micro-photoluminescence, resonance fluorescence with high-NA imaging, and rapid spatial scanning capabilities.
  • Quantum Optics: We utilized superconducting nanowire single-photon detector arrays and time-correlated single-photon counting modules for photon correlation measurements with ~10 picosecond resolution across 8 channels.
  • Quantum Opto-Electronic Microscopy: We're developing a novel microwave-optical heterodyne spectroscopy probe for studying hybrid electro-opto-mechanical quantum systems at 10 mK.

​In addition to collaborating with several research groups and laboratories across campus, we also leverage the state-of-the-art facilities available at UCSB for material growth, device nanofabrication, and characterization, including the

​Materials Research Laboratory (MRL)
​UCSB Nanofabrication Facility (Nanotech)
California Nanosystems Institute (CNSI)

UCSB Nanofab