Multiplexed Pseudo-Deterministic Photon Source with Asymmetric Switching Elements

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel multiplexed photon source design that uses asymmetric switching elements to enable high-rate, reliable single-photon production for quantum computing, overcoming speed limitations of traditional switches.

Contribution

It introduces a new multiplexing architecture utilizing multiple switches and asymmetric properties to operate at higher rates with slower switching components.

Findings

Performance limited by waveguide loss rates

Model demonstrates feasibility of high-rate photon generation

Design exploits one-way switching properties for improved multiplexing

Abstract

The reliable, deterministic production of trustworthy high-quality single photons is a critical component of discrete variable, optical quantum technology. For single-photon based fully error-corrected quantum computing systems, it is estimated that photon sources will be required to produce a reliable stream of photons at rates exceeding 1 GHz [1]. Photon multiplexing, where low probability sources are combined with switching networks to route successful production events to an output, are a potential solution but requires extremely fast single photon switching with ultra-low loss rates. In this paper we examine the specific properties of the switching elements and present a new design that exploits the general one-way properties of common switching elements such as thermal pads. By introducing multiple switches to a basic, temporal multiplexing device, we are able to use slow switching elements in a multiplexed source being pumped at much faster rates. We model this design under multiple error channels and show that anticipated performance is now limited by the intrinsic loss rate of the optical waveguides within integrated photonic chipsets.