Self-aligned multi-channel superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors.

We describe a micromachining process to allow back-side coupling of an array of single-mode telecommunication fibers to individual superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs). This approach enables a back-illuminated detector structure which separates the optical access and electrical readout on two sides of the chip and thus allows for compact integration of multi-channel detectors. As proof of principle, we show the integration of four detectors on the same silicon chip with two different designs and their performances are compared. In the optimized design, the device shows saturated system detection efficiency of 16% while the dark count rate is less than 20 Hz, all achieved without the use of metal reflectors or distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs). This back-illumination approach also eliminates the cross-talk between different detection channels.

Cascaded optical transparency in multimode-cavity optomechanical systems.

Electromagnetically induced transparency has great theoretical and experimental importance in many areas of physics, such as atomic physics, quantum optics and, more recent, cavity optomechanics. Optical delay is the most prominent feature of electromagnetically induced transparency, and in cavity optomechanics, the optical delay is limited by the mechanical dissipation rate of sideband-resolved mechanical modes. Here we demonstrate a cascaded optical transparency scheme by leveraging the parametric phonon-phonon coupling in a multimode optomechanical system, where a low damping mechanical mode in the unresolved-sideband regime is made to couple to an intermediate, high-frequency mechanical mode in the resolved-sideband regime of an optical cavity. Extended optical delay and higher transmission as well as optical advancing are demonstrated. These results provide a route to realize ultra-long optical delay, indicating a significant step towards integrated classical and quantum information storage devices.

Electrical tuning and switching of an optical frequency comb generated in aluminum nitride microring resonators.

Aluminum nitride (AlN) has been shown to possess both strong Kerr nonlinearity and electro-optic Pockels effect. By combining these two effects, here we demonstrate on-chip reversible on/off switching of the optical frequency comb generated by an AlN microring resonator. We optimize the design of gating electrodes and the underneath resonator structure to effectively apply an electric field without increasing the optical loss. The switching of the comb is monitored by measuring one of the frequency comb peaks while varying the electric field. The controlled comb electro-optic response is investigated for direct comparison with the transient thermal effect.

Optical frequency comb generation from aluminum nitride microring resonator.

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is an appealing nonlinear optical material for on-chip wavelength conversion. Here we report optical frequency comb generation from high-quality-factor AlN microring resonators integrated on silicon substrates. By engineering the waveguide structure to achieve near-zero dispersion at telecommunication wavelengths and optimizing the phase matching for four-wave mixing, frequency combs are generated with a single-wavelength continuous-wave pump laser. Further, the Kerr coefficient (n2) of AlN is extracted from our experimental results.

GHz optomechanical resonators with high mechanical Q factor in air.

We demonstrate wheel-shaped silicon optomechanical resonators for resonant operation in ambient air. The high finesse of optical whispering gallery modes (loaded optical Q factor above 500,000) allows for efficient transduction of the wheel resonator's mechanical radial contour modes of frequency up to 1.35 GHz with high mechanical Q factor around 4,000 in air.

Tunable optical coupler controlled by optical gradient forces.

We demonstrate optical gradient force-tunable directional couplers in free-standing silicon nitride slot waveguides. Utilizing device geometries optimized for strong optomechanical interactions allows us to control the optical transmission without the aid of a cavity. Static, wideband tuning as well as low-power optical modulation is achieved.

Integrated GaN photonic circuits on silicon (100) for second harmonic generation.

We demonstrate second order optical nonlinearity in a silicon architecture through heterogeneous integration of single-crystalline gallium nitride (GaN) on silicon (100) substrates. By engineering GaN microrings for dual resonance around 1560 nm and 780 nm, we achieve efficient, tunable second harmonic generation at 780 nm. The χ2 nonlinear susceptibility is measured to be as high as 16 ± 7 pm/V. Because GaN has a wideband transparency window covering ultraviolet, visible and infrared wavelengths, our platform provides a viable route for the on-chip generation of optical wavelengths in both the far infrared and near-UV through a combination of χ2 enabled sum-/difference-frequency processes.