Laboratory of Photonics and Quantum Measurements

The Laboratory of Photonics and Quantum Measurements works broadly defined, in the field of Cross-Quantum Technology, i.e. it uses quantum mechanical processes such as parametric frequency conversion or radiation pressure quantum effects in both emerging classical applications in technology, as well as fundamental quantum science and technology experiments.

Research

Chipscale frequency combs

The development of optical frequency combs, and notably self-referencing, has revolutionized precision measurements over the past decade, and enabled counting of the cycles of light. Frequency combs, for which Hall and Haensch shared the Physics Nobel Prize in 2005 has enabled dramatic advances in timekeeping, metrology and spectroscopy. In 2007, research on microresonators resulted in the discovery of a novel method to generate optical frequency combs using parametric frequency conversion in optical microresonators.

Cavity Quantum Optomechanics

Although mechanical oscillator are ubiquitous in our modern information technology, and used in time-keeping, MEMS accelerometers or in radio frequency filters in cell-phones, yet their quantum control had remained an outstanding challenge. The ability to achieve such quantum control has been a longstanding challenge. Over the past decade, this has become a reality: Following quantum control of individual isolated quantum systems, the latter has now been extended to macroscopic, engineered mechanical oscillators, owing to the advances in the field of cavity optomechanics.

Superconducting Circuit Optomechanics

The theme of this project is the investigation of optomechanics – light coupled to mechanical motion at the microscale – using superconducting circuits in the microwave domain. The idea is to create an inductor-capacitor circuit made out of a thin film superconductor where the capacitor is mechanically compliant, i.e. one of its electrodes is a suspended membrane. As this membrane vibrates, it modulates the capacitance and, in turn, the resonance frequency of the microwave cavity

News

Laser Cooling of a Nanomechanical Oscillator to Its Zero-Point Energy

Published:24.05.20 — Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) and IBM Research Zurich have recently demonstrated the laser cooling of a nanomechanical oscillator down to its zero-point energy.

An illustration of LiDAR waves. Credit: Johann Riemensberger

Speeding up long-range coherent LiDAR

Published:13.05.20 — LiDAR is a technique used for measuring distances with laser light. In a study published in Nature, researchers at EPFL show a new way to speed up a type of LiDAR engine by using photonic circuits.

Solitons driven by different lasers, can either join each other to form an undivided entity or repeatedly collide into and cross each other. Credit: Weng Wenle/EPFL

Colliding solitons in optical microresonators

Published:24.04.20 — Solitons in optical microresonators are frequently used to generate frequency combs, which have found applications in sensing, telecommunication, and metrology. Now, scientists at EPFL have discovered a novel state of colliding solitons, which reveals interesting properties that can be used in both fundamental studies and practical applications.

Key Publications

Optomechanics

Elastic strain engineering for ultralow mechanical dissipation: Science (2018)

A dissipative quantum reservoir for microwave light using a mechanical oscillator: Nature Physics (2017)
Measurement and control of a mechanical oscillator at its thermal decoherence rate: Nature (2015)
Cavity optomechanics: Review of Modern Physics (2014)
Quantum-coherent coupling of a mechanical oscillator to an optical cavity mode: Nature (2012)
Optomechanically induced transparency: Science (2010)
Cavity Optomechanics: Back-Action at the Mesoscale: Science (2008)

Frequency combs

Massively parallel coherent laser ranging using a soliton microcomb: Nature (2020)
Dissipative Kerr solitons in optical microresonators: Science (2018)
Microresonator-Based Optical Frequency Combs: Science (2011)
Microresonator-based solitons for massively parallel coherent optical communications: Nature (2017)
Photonic chip-based optical frequency comb using soliton Cherenkov radiation: Science (2015)
Temporal solitons in optical microresonators: Nature Photonics (2014)
Optical frequency comb generation from a monolithic microresonator: Nature (2007)

Meet us NEXT

Contact

Tobias Kippenberg
Full Professor, Laboratory of Photonics and Quantum Measurements (STI/SB)

Mail: [email protected]

Phone: 41 21 693 44 28

Address: EPFL SB IPHYS LPQM1
PH D3 355 (Bâtiment PH)
CH-1015 Lausanne