Observation of noise-assisted transport in an all-optical cavity-based network

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates experimentally that noise can enhance transport efficiency in optical fiber cavity networks, revealing a bell-shaped dependence on dephasing noise, and highlights potential applications in quantum transport simulation and solar energy design.

Contribution

First experimental observation of noise-assisted transport in an all-optical cavity network, confirming theoretical predictions and showcasing scalable optical platforms for quantum transport studies.

Findings

Transport efficiency peaks at optimal dephasing noise levels.

Bell-shaped dependence of transport efficiency on noise.

Optical cavity networks as promising quantum transport simulators.

Abstract

Recent theoretical and experimental efforts have shown the remarkable and counter-intuitive role of noise in enhancing the transport efficiency of complex systems. Here, we realize simple, scalable, and controllable optical fiber cavity networks that allow us to analyze the performance of transport networks for different conditions of interference, dephasing and disorder. In particular, we experimentally demonstrate that the transport efficiency reaches a maximum when varying the external dephasing noise, i.e. a bell-like shape behavior that had been predicted only theoretically. These optical platforms are very promising simulators of quantum transport phenomena, and could be used, in particular, to design and test optimal topologies of artificial light-harvesting structures for future solar energy technologies.