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Observing the dynamics of quantum states generated inside nonlinear optical cavities

Author

Listed:
  • Seou Choi

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Yannick Salamin

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    University of Central Florida)

  • Charles Roques-Carmes

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Stanford University)

  • Jamison Sloan

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Stanford University)

  • Michael Horodynski

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Marin Soljačić

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Observing non-classical properties of light is a long-standing interest to advance a wide range of quantum applications. Optical cavities are essential to generate and manipulate non-classical light. However, detecting changes in cavity properties induced by the quantum state remains a critical challenge in the optical domain due to the weak material nonlinearity. Here, we propose a framework for observing the dynamics of quantum states generated inside nonlinear optical cavities. We leverage the symmetry-breaking process of a bistable system, which is highly sensitive to the initial state, enabling detection of quantum state displacement through an asymmetric equilibrium of a macroscopic observable. With a nonlinear response at the single photon level, our approach directly imprints the cavity field distribution onto the statistics of bistable cavity steady-states. We experimentally demonstrate our approach in a degenerate optical parametric oscillator, generating and reconstructing different quantum states. As a validation, we reconstruct the Husimi Q function of the cavity squeezed vacuum state. In addition, we observe the evolution of the quantum vacuum state inside the cavity as it undergoes phase-sensitive amplification. By enabling generation and measurement of quantum states in a single nonlinear optical cavity, our method paves a way for studying exotic dynamics of quantum optical states in nonlinear driven-dissipative systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Seou Choi & Yannick Salamin & Charles Roques-Carmes & Jamison Sloan & Michael Horodynski & Marin Soljačić, 2025. "Observing the dynamics of quantum states generated inside nonlinear optical cavities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-63035-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63035-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Seou Choi & Yannick Salamin & Charles Roques-Carmes & Rumen Dangovski & Di Luo & Zhuo Chen & Michael Horodynski & Jamison Sloan & Shiekh Zia Uddin & Marin Soljačić, 2024. "Photonic probabilistic machine learning using quantum vacuum noise," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Sébastien Gleyzes & Stefan Kuhr & Christine Guerlin & Julien Bernu & Samuel Deléglise & Ulrich Busk Hoff & Michel Brune & Jean-Michel Raimond & Serge Haroche, 2007. "Quantum jumps of light recording the birth and death of a photon in a cavity," Nature, Nature, vol. 446(7133), pages 297-300, March.
    3. Gerhard Kirchmair & Brian Vlastakis & Zaki Leghtas & Simon E. Nigg & Hanhee Paik & Eran Ginossar & Mazyar Mirrahimi & Luigi Frunzio & S. M. Girvin & R. J. Schoelkopf, 2013. "Observation of quantum state collapse and revival due to the single-photon Kerr effect," Nature, Nature, vol. 495(7440), pages 205-209, March.
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