Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics with Anderson-localized Modes

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that intentionally introduced disorder in photonic crystal waveguides can create Anderson-localized modes that significantly enhance light-matter interactions, offering a robust platform for quantum information applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach using disorder to generate Anderson-localized modes, enhancing quantum emitter coupling without precise nanoscale fabrication.

Findings

Emission rate enhanced by a factor of 15 on resonance

94% of emitted photons couple to the localized mode

Disordered media serve as an efficient platform for quantum electrodynamics

Abstract

A major challenge in quantum optics and quantum information technology is to enhance the interaction between single photons and single quantum emitters. Highly engineered optical cavities are generally implemented requiring nanoscale fabrication precision. We demonstrate a fundamentally different approach in which disorder is used as a resource rather than a nuisance. We generate strongly confined Anderson-localized cavity modes by deliberately adding disorder to photonic crystal waveguides. The emission rate of a semiconductor quantum dot embedded in the waveguide is enhanced by a factor of 15 on resonance with the Anderson-localized mode and 94 % of the emitted single-photons couple to the mode. Disordered photonic media thus provide an efficient platform for quantum electrodynamics offering an approach to inherently disorder-robust quantum information devices.