Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers as Enabling Quantum Technology

Year: 2022

Authors: Vitiello M.S., De Natale P.

Autors Affiliation: CNR, Ist Nanosci, NEST, Piazza San Silvestro 12, I-56127 Pisa, Italy; Scuola Normale Super Pisa, Piazza San Silvestro 12, I-56127 Pisa, Italy; CNR, Ist Nazl Ott, Via Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy; LENS European Lab Nonlinear Spect, Ist Nazl Ottica, Via Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy.

Abstract: Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) represent the most fascinating achievement of quantum engineering, showing how artificial materials can be generated through quantum design, with tailor-made properties. Their inherent quantum nature deeply affects their core physical parameters. QCLs indeed display intrinsic linewidths approaching the quantum limit, and show spontaneous phase-locking of their emitted modes via intracavity four-wave-mixing, meaning that they can naturally operate as miniaturized metrological frequency rulers, also in frontier frequency domains, as the far-infrared, yet unexplored in quantum science. Here, the authors discuss the fundamental quantum properties of QCLs operating at terahertz frequencies and their key technological performances, highlighting future perspectives of this frontier research field in disruptive areas of quantum technologies such as quantum sensing, quantum metrology, quantum imaging, and photonic-based quantum computation.

Journal/Review: ADVANCED QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES

Volume: 5 (1)      Pages from: 2100082-1  to: 2100082-13

More Information: This work was supported by the European Research Council through the ERC Consolidator Grant (681379) SPRINT. The authors acknowledge L. Consolino for technical discussions.Open Access Funding provided by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche within the CRUI-CARE Agreement.
KeyWords: metrology; quantum cascade lasers; quantum materials; quantum technologies; terahertz
DOI: 10.1002/qute.202100082

Citations: 29
data from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) are update at: 2024-11-24
References taken from IsiWeb of Knowledge: (subscribers only)