Quantum light sources with configurable lifetime leveraging parity-time symmetry

Nuo Chen, Wen-Xiu Li, Yun-Ru Fan (), Hang-Hang Li, Hong Zeng, Wu-Qiang Chi, Heng Zhou, Hao Li, Li-Xing You, Guang-Can Guo, Qiang Zhou (), Jing Xu () and Xin-Liang Zhang ()
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Nuo Chen: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, School of Optical and Electronic Information & Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics
Wen-Xiu Li: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences
Yun-Ru Fan: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences
Hang-Hang Li: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, School of Optical and Electronic Information & Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics
Hong Zeng: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences
Wu-Qiang Chi: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, School of Optical and Electronic Information & Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics
Heng Zhou: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Key Lab of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communication Networks, School of Information and Communication Engineering
Hao Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology
Li-Xing You: Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology
Guang-Can Guo: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences
Qiang Zhou: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences
Jing Xu: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, School of Optical and Electronic Information & Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics
Xin-Liang Zhang: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, School of Optical and Electronic Information & Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Quantum light sources with configurable photon lifetimes are essential for large-scale quantum circuits, enabling applications in programmable quantum computing, quantum communications, and quantum metrology. However, the fundamental trade-off between efficiency and photon lifetime imposes significant challenges on the design of high-performance, large configurable lifetime quantum light sources. Here, we report on such chip-scale quantum light sources by harnessing the unique feature of parity-time (PT) symmetry. The core design centers on employing PT-symmetric coupling between two microresonators of distinct circumferences, enabling a broad range and selective tuning of the intracavity photon density of states. By controlling the alignment between resonators, we achieved a near 20-fold photon lifetime tuning range (7.1 ± 1.5 ~ 129.6 ± 1.9 ps), with the shortest lifetimes near the exceptional point (EP). The device generates energy-time entangled photon pairs with 87.1 ± 1.1% interference visibility and a heralded second-order autocorrelation of $${g}_{H}^{\left(2\right)}\left(0\right)=$$ g H 2 0 = 0.069 ± 0.001. Our work highlights the potential of PT symmetry for advanced quantum applications, including high-speed communication and programmable quantum computing, quantum coherent tomography, and beyond.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65698-9

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