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Akalin T. Terahertz sources: Powerful photomixers. Nat Photon. 2012;6(2):81.
Abstract: An efficient continuous-wave source of terahertz radiation that combines the outputs from two near-infrared semiconductor lasers in a novel photomixer looks set to benefit applications in spectroscopy and imaging.
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Brida G, Genovese M, Ruo Berchera I. Experimental realization of sub-shot-noise quantum imaging. Nat Photon. 2010;4(4):227–30.
Abstract: The properties of quantum states have led to the development of new technologies, ranging from quantum information to quantum metrology. A recent field of research to emerge is quantum imaging, which aims to overcome the limits of classical imaging by making use of the spatial properties of quantum states of light . In particular, quantum correlations between twin beams represent a fundamental resource for these studies. One of the most interesting proposed schemes takes advantage of the spatial quantum correlations between parametric down-conversion light beams to realize sub-shot-noise imaging of weak absorbing objects, leading ideally to noise-free imaging. Here, we present the first experimental realization of this scheme, showing its potential to achieve a larger signal-to-noise ratio than classical imaging methods. This work represents the starting point for this quantum technology, which we anticipate will have applications when there is a requirement for low-photon-flux illumination (for example for use with biological samples).
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Capmany J, Gasulla I, Sales S. Microwave photonics: Harnessing slow light. Nat Photon. 2011;5(12):731–3.
Abstract: Slow-light techniques originally conceived for buffering high-speed digital optical signals now look set to play an important role in providing broadband phase and true time delays for microwave signals.
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Divochiy A, Marsili F, Bitauld D, Gaggero A, Leoni R, Mattioli F, et al. Superconducting nanowire photon-number-resolving detector at telecommunication wavelengths. Nat Photon. 2008;2(5):302–6.
Abstract: Optical-to-electrical conversion, which is the basis of the operation of optical detectors, can be linear or nonlinear. When high sensitivities are needed, single-photon detectors are used, which operate in a strongly nonlinear mode, their response being independent of the number of detected photons. However, photon-number-resolving detectors are needed, particularly in quantum optics, where n-photon states are routinely produced. In quantum communication and quantum information processing, the photon-number-resolving functionality is key to many protocols, such as the implementation of quantum repeaters1 and linear-optics quantum computing2. A linear detector with single-photon sensitivity can also be used for measuring a temporal waveform at extremely low light levels, such as in long-distance optical communications, fluorescence spectroscopy and optical time-domain reflectometry. We demonstrate here a photon-number-resolving detector based on parallel superconducting nanowires and capable of counting up to four photons at telecommunication wavelengths, with an ultralow dark count rate and high counting frequency.
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Fazal FM, Block SM. Optical tweezers study life under tension. Nat Photon. 2011;5(6):318–21.
Abstract: Optical tweezers have become one of the primary weapons in the arsenal of biophysicists, and have revolutionized the new field of single-molecule biophysics. Today's techniques allow high-resolution experiments on biological macromolecules that were mere pipe dreams only a decade ago.
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Gabay M, Triscone J-M. Superconductors: Terahertz superconducting switch. Nat Photon. 2011;5(8):447–9.
Abstract: The use of terahertz pulses to 'gate' interlayer charge transport in a superconductor could lead to a variety of new and interesting applications.
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Gao J, McMillan JF, Wong CW. Nanophotonics: Remote on-chip coupling. Nat Photon. 2012;6(1):7–8.
Abstract: Scientists have demonstrated strongly coupled photon states between two distant high-Q photonic crystal cavities connected by a photonic crystal waveguide. Remote dynamic control over the coupled states could aid the development of delay lines, optical buffers and qubit operations in both classical and quantum information processing.
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Goulielmakis E. Attosecond photonics: Extreme ultraviolet catastrophes. Nat Photon. 2012;6(3):142–3.
Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet attosecond pulses, which emerge from the interaction of atoms with intense laser fields, play a central role in modern ultrafast science and the exploration of electron behaviour. Recent work now shows that catastrophe theory can help optimize the properties of these pulses.
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Hase M, Katsuragawa M, Constantinescu AM, Petek H. Frequency comb generation at terahertz frequencies by coherent phonon excitation in silicon. Nat Photon. 2012;6:243–247.
Abstract: High-order nonlinear light–matter interactions in gases enable the generation of X-ray and attosecond light pulses, metrology and spectroscopy1. Optical nonlinearities in solid-state materials are particularly interesting for combining optical and electronic functions for high-bandwidth information processing2. Third-order nonlinear optical processes in silicon have been used to process optical signals with bandwidths greater than 1 GHz (ref. 2). However, fundamental physical processes for a silicon-based optical modulator in the terahertz bandwidth range have not yet been explored. Here, we demonstrate ultrafast phononic modulation of the optical index of silicon by irradiation with intense few-cycle femtosecond pulses. The anisotropic reflectivity modulation by the resonant Raman susceptibility at the fundamental frequency of the longitudinal optical phonon of silicon (15.6 THz) generates a frequency comb up to seventh order. All-optical >100 THz frequency comb generation is realized by harnessing the coherent atomic motion of the silicon crystalline lattice at its highest mechanical frequency.
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He R, Sazio PJA, Peacock AC, Healy N, Sparks JR, Krishnamurthi M, et al. Integration of gigahertz-bandwidth semiconductor devices inside microstructured optical fibres. Nat Photon. 2012;6(3):174–9.
Abstract: The prospect of an all-fibre optical communications network in which light can be generated, modulated and detected within the fibre itself without the need for discrete optoelectronic devices is an appealing one. However, to become a reality, this approach requires the incorporation of optoelectronic materials and functionalities into silica fibres to create a new breed of semiconductor-fibre hybrid devices for performing various tasks. Here, we report the integration of precisely doped semiconductor materials and high-quality rectifying semiconductor junctions into microstructured optical fibres, enabling high-speed, in-fibre functionalities such as photodetection at telecommunications wavelengths. These semiconductor-fibre hybrid devices exhibit a bandwidth of up to 3 GHz and seamless coupling to standard single-mode optical fibres.
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