PhoQS project: Quantum photonic systems in silicon nitride technology

In this research project, the feasibility of integration of quantum optic components, which are used in photonic quantum computers and sensors, in commercially available silicon nitride technology is investigated.

Silicon nitride is widely used in highly integrated CMOS technologies and therefore, it allows mass production of photonic components with low process tolerances, which leads to very low prices per chip. Moreover, it can be monolithically integrated, which means that electronic and photonic components are placed in the same chip. Thus, parasitic resistances, capacitances and inductances, resulting from interconnects between multiple chips are avoided. Silicon nitride photonics allow fabrication of optical components with very low optical losses, high quality factor resonators and optical nonlinearity, which are required in quantum systems.

The project focusses on:

• Input and output coupling of photonic signals into Si₃N₄ structures
• Investigating the feasibility of fabrication of nonlinear components in Si₃N₄
• Development of optical components ins commercially available silicon nitride technology
• Generation of pump pulses for PDC (parametric-down-conversion) and QPG (quantum pulse gate) applications in Si₃N₄ compatible technologies