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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Integrated photonic Galton board and its application for photon counting

The Galton board is a desktop probability machine traditionally used to visualize the principles of statistical physics from classical particles. Here, we demonstrate a photonic Galton board that enables on-chip observation of statistics from single-photon interference. The photonic Galton board consists of a directional coupler matrix terminated by an array of superconducting nanowire detectors to provide spatiotemporal resolution. This design also allows for photon-number-resolving capability, making it suitable for high-speed photon counting. Our results demonstrate the compatibility between single-photon detector array and photonic integrated circuits, paving the way for implementing on-chip large-scale quantum optics experiments and photonic quantum computing.

Qin, Hezheng (ORCID:0009000139348800)↗
NASA NTRS1978

Optical communication with two-photon coherent stages. I - Quantum-state propagation and quantum-noise reduction

To determine the ultimate performance limitations imposed by quantum effects, it is also essential to consider optimum quantum-state generation. Certain 'generalized' coherent states of the radiation field possess novel quantum noise characteristics that offer the potential for greatly improved optical communications. These states have been called two-photon coherent states because they can be generated, in principle, by stimulated two-photon processes. The use of two-photon coherent state (TCS) radiation in free-space optical communications is considered. A simple theory of quantum state propagation is developed. The theory provides the basis for representing the free-space channel in a quantum-mechanical form convenient for communication analysis. The new theory is applied to TCS radiation.

Yuen, H. P.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluation of the absolute single-photon detection efficiency of HRPPD

Pixelated High Rate Picosecond Photon Detectors (HRPPDs) by Incom Inc. are promising photosensors for use in Ring Imaging CHerenkov (RICH) detectors, where a high gain, sub-mm position resolution and sub-100ps timing resolution are required in a single photon mode. Quantum Efficiency (QE) has been measured for the first batch of EIC HRPPDs both by Incom and EIC research groups at Jefferson Lab and Brookhaven Lab, with peak values at ∼365 nm typically exceeding 30%. Furthermore, in this study, we present a first direct measurement of Photon Detection Efficiency being equal to (17.1 ± 0.1 [stat] ± 0.3 [sys])% at 398.6 nm, for a pixel near the center of HRPPD, in a photoelectron pulse counting mode using a picosecond diode laser. HRPPD QE at the same spot and at the same wavelength was evaluated to be (24.4 ± 0.1 [stat] ± 0.3 [sys])%, leading to a Collection Efficiency estimate of (70.3 ± 1.6)%, which is consistent with the expectations.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS2003

Synthesis and Characterization of Chalcopyrite (CuInS2 and CuhInSe2) Colloidal Nanoparticles for Optoelectronic Applications via Low-Temperature Pyrolysis of Single-Source Precursors

Nanocrystalline (or quantum dot) materials hold potential as components of next-generation photovoltaic (PV) devices. The inclusion of quantum dots in PV devices has been proposed as a means to improve the efficiency of photon conversion (quantum dot solar cell), enable low-cost deposition of thin-films, provide sites for exciton dissociation, and pathways for electron transport. Quantum dots are also expected to be more resistant to degradation from electron, proton, and alpha particle radiation than the corresponding bulk material, a requirement for use in space solar ~sells. Chalcopyrite nanocrystals can be produced by low-temperature thermal decomposition of single-source precursors such as (PR3)2CuIn(ER')4 (R = Ph, R' = Et, E = S; R = R' = Ph, E = Se). Single-source precursors are molecules which contain all the necessary elements for synthesis of a desired material. Thermal decomposition of the precursor results in the formation of material with the correct stoichiometry as a nanocrystalline powder or a thin film, often at significantly lower temperatures than those typically employed for thin-film deposition by multi-source evaporation techniques, typically less than 500 C. We show that CuInSz and CuInSe2 nanocrystals can be synthesized from the precursors at temperatures as low as 250 C. The nanocrystals are characterized by optical spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy.

Castro, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Development of Transition Edge Sensor Detectors Optimized for Single-Photon Spectroscopy in the Optical and Near-Infrared

The search for biosignatures in the atmospheres of exoplanets will be a key focus of future space telescopes that operate in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared bands. Detection of biosignatures requires an instrument with moderate spectral resolving power ($R \sim 100$) and a large bandwidth ($\sim 400$ nm -- $\sim 1.8$ $\mu$m). Additionally, biosignature detection is a photon-starved science; instruments designed for these measurements would ideally combine high optical efficiency with quantum-limited photon detectors (i.e., detectors that exhibit zero dark current). In this work, we report on our efforts to develop energy resolving transition edge sensor (TES)-based detectors designed for biosignature detection. TESs operated as microcalorimeters are compelling detectors for this application. Unlike semiconductor detectors, TESs eliminate the need for dispersive optics and are truly single photon detectors -- fundamental TES noise yields uncertainty in the energies of detected photons, not in the number of detected photons. We introduce TESs designed for this application and discuss the path toward realizing a TES-based dispersionless spectrometer optimized for biosignature detection.

Instrumentation and Photography↗
NASA NTRS2018

Development of Transition Edge Sensor Detectors Optimized for Single-Photon Spectroscopy in the Optical and Near-Infrared

The search for biosignatures in the atmospheres of exoplanets will be a key focus of future space telescopes that operate in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared bands. Detection of biosignatures requires an instrument with moderate spectral resolving power (R ~ 100) and a large bandwidth (~ 400 nm – ~ 1.8 µm). Additionally, biosignature detection is a photon-starved science; instruments designed for these measurements would ideally combine high optical efficiency with quantum-limited photon detectors (i.e., detectors that exhibit zero dark current). In this work, we report on our efforts to develop energy resolving transition edge sensor (TES)-based detectors designed for biosignature detection. TESs operated as microcalorimeters are compelling detectors for this application. Unlike semiconductor detectors, TESs eliminate the need for dispersive optics and are truly single photon detectors – fundamental TES noise yields uncertainty in the energies of detected photons, not in the number of detected photons. We introduce TESs designed for this application and discuss the path toward realizing a TES-based dispersionless spectrometer optimized for biosignature detection.

Instrumentation and Photography↗
DOE OSTI2025

Mitigation of birefringence in cavity-based quantum networks using frequency-encoded photons

Atom-cavity systems offer unique advantages for building large-scale distributed quantum computers by providing strong atom-photon coupling while allowing for high-fidelity local operations of atomic qubits. However, in prevalent schemes where the photonic state is encoded in polarization, cavity birefringence introduces an energy splitting of the cavity eigenmodes and alters the polarization states, thus limiting the fidelity of remote entanglement generation. To address this challenge, we propose a scheme that encodes the photonic qubit in the frequency degree-of-freedom. The scheme relies on resonant coupling of multiple transverse cavity modes to different atomic transitions that are well-separated in frequency. We numerically investigate the temporal properties of the photonic wavepacket, two-photon interference visibility, and atom-atom entanglement fidelity under various cavity polarization-mode splittings and find that our scheme is less affected by cavity birefringence. Finally, we propose practical implementations in two trapped ion systems, using the fine structure splitting in the metastable D state of 40 Ca + , and the hyperfine splitting in the ground state of 225 Ra + . Furthermore, our study presents an alternative approach for cavity-based quantum networks that is less sensitive to birefringent effects, and is applicable to a variety of atomic and solid-state emitter-cavity interfaces.

Cavity quantum electrodynamics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ultrafast and Highly Collimated Radially Polarized Photons at Room Temperature from a Colloidal Quantum Dot Coupled to a Hybrid Nanoantenna

To harness the potential of radially polarized photons for classical and quantum communication applications, we demonstrate an on-chip, room-temperature device, which generates highly directional radially polarized photons at very high rates. The photons are emitted from a giant CdSe/CdS colloidal quantum dot (gQD) accurately positioned at the tip of a metal nanocone centered inside a hybrid metal-dielectric bullseye antenna. We show that due to the large and selective Purcell enhancement specifically for the out-of-plane optical dipole of the gQD, the emitted photons can have a very high degree of radial polarization (>93%), based on a quantitative metric. Our study emphasizes the importance of accurate gQD positioning for optimal radial polarization purity through extensive experiments and simulations, which contribute to the fundamental understanding of radial polarization in nanostructured devices and pave the way for implementation of such systems in practical applications using structured quantum light.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Bridge Connectivity Dictates Spin Interactions and Triplet Pair Dynamics in Intramolecular Singlet Fission

Electron spin plays a critical role in determining the structure, dynamics, and reactivities of molecular excited states, including multiexciton processes such as singlet fission. These systems exhibit triplet pair states whose excited state dynamics can be widely tuned through molecular engineering. For example, the electronic coupling between covalently linked chromophores can be readily modulated using chemical bridges to control proximity, quantum interference, or resonance effects. However, less is known about how spin coupling interactions are impacted by chromophore architecture, and how this influences triplet pair recombination dynamics. Here, in this study, we investigate the role of bridge connectivity and chromophore identity in modulating interchromophore exchange and dipolar coupling interactions for a series of pentacene and tetracene dimers bridged by alternant hydrocarbons (phenylene, naphthalene, anthracene). Using both time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance and transient absorption spectroscopy, we find that the boundedness and recombination pathways of the triplet pair spins are highly sensitive to molecular architecture and chromophore-specific magnetic dipolar interactions. Notably, nominally ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic eigenstates result in distinct spin state orderings, consistent with predictions from quantum interference-based graphical models. These findings establish new design principles for tuning spin dynamics in iSF materials, with implications for photonic and quantum information applications.

He, Guiying [City Univ. of New York (CUNY), NY (Un↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Cascaded Random Access Quantum Memory

Dynamic random access memory is critical to classical computing but notably absent in experimental quantum computers. Here we realize an 8-bit cascaded random access quantum memory using superconducting circuits and cavities and showcase the ability to perform arbitrary gate operations on it. In addition to individual error channels such as photon loss, quantum memories can also experience decoherence from many-body self-interaction. We characterize the origin and contributions of many-body infidelity throughout the memory cycle. We find that individual modes can be accessed with $\lesssim 1.5\%$ infidelity per mode and that the entire memory can be accessed in arbitrary order with an error rate below the depolarization threshold of the surface code, paving the way for fault-tolerant quantum memories.

Li, Ziqian [Stanford U., Appl. Phys. Dept.; Stanfo↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ultrafast Symmetry Control in Photoexcited Quantum Dots

Symmetry control is essential for realizing unconventional properties, such as ferroelectricity, nonlinear optical responses, and complex topological order, thus it holds promise for the design of emerging quantum and photonic systems. Nevertheless, fast and reversible control of symmetry in materials remains a challenge, especially for nanoscale systems. Here, reversible symmetry changes are unveiled in colloidal lead chalcogenide quantum dots on picosecond timescales. Using a combination of ultrafast electron diffraction and total X-ray scattering, in conjunction with atomic-scale structural modeling and first-principles calculations, it is revealed that symmetry-broken lead sulfide quantum dots restore to a centrosymmetric phase upon photoexcitation. The symmetry restoration is driven by photoexcited electronic carriers, which suppress lead off-centering for about 100 ps. Furthermore, the change in symmetry is closely correlated with the electronic properties, and the bandgap transiently red-shifts in the symmetry-restored quantum dots. Overall, this study elucidates reversible symmetry changes in colloidal quantum dots, and more broadly defines a new methodology to optically control symmetry in nanoscale systems on ultrafast timescales.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

3D quantum ghost imaging microscope

Quantum ghost imaging uses quantum-entangled photons to generate a two-dimensional image with only a bucket detector at the sample. Here we expand on this approach to generate a three-dimensional image without scanning. A quantum-entangled light source directly links information between a pair of 2D sensors, one of which captures a standard image from one perspective and a second sensor which captures a ghost image from a perpendicular perspective. By correlating the spatial information from the two detectors for each photon pair, we obtain three dimensions of spatial information (x, y, and z) for each scattered photon. We demonstrate that this system can study microscopic environments by imaging scattering from metallic nanoparticle clusters. This approach has the potential to greatly reduce the flux of light required to obtain a 3D image of a biological sample and thereby extend the number of images that can be obtained before photodamaging the sample.

Eshun, Audrey [Lawrence Livermore National Laborat↗
DOE OSTI2025

Probing Surface Plasmon Dynamics in Periodic Nanostructures through Ultrafast Electron Microscopy

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) can be manipulated to localize and guide light in subwavelength distances, enabling them to find applications in a wide range of areas, from sensing to quantum computing. Among several methods of SPP excitation, periodic arrays of nano- and microstructures are of particular interest, as they enable engineering SPP properties through structural parameters. Here, in this study, using the photon-induced near-field electron microscopy (PINEM) technique, we investigated the mode formation, coupling, interference, and decay of SPPs in square and hexagonal arrays of circular nanoholes under both visible and near-infrared excitation. Polarization-resolved analysis revealed the key factors governing SPP localization and interference patterns, showing that the periodicity and symmetry of the array primarily determine the SPP interference patterns and their orientation, while pump polarization mainly modulates their intensity. Time-resolved PINEM measurements demonstrated the spatial dependence of the SPP temporal characteristics. In addition, cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy was employed to examine the intrinsic plasmonic characteristics of the structure. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations showed strong agreement with both PINEM and CL measurements on the spatial and spectral behavior of SPPs. Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of SPPs on nanostructures beyond the diffraction limit is crucial for optimizing plasmonic structures for advanced photonic and quantum technologies.

Plasmonics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Realization of a Quantum Slide Rule for 1+1 Dimensional Quantum Field Theories Using Josephson Superconducting Circuits

We have built a special type of electronic circuit—a “superconducting quantum simulator”—that allows us to mimic the behavior of complex quantum systems that are impossible to compute with ordinary computers. Our device is a long transmission line made of thousands of tiny superconducting junctions, acting as a one-dimensional “vacuum” for microwave photons. By terminating this line with a tunable, weak Josephson junction, we can control how strongly photons interact with each other.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Building a controlled-NOT gate between polarization and frequency

By harnessing multiple degrees of freedom (DoFs) within a single photon, controlled quantum unitaries, such as the two-qubit controlled-NOT ( cnot ) gate, play a pivotal role in advancing quantum communication protocols such as dense coding and entanglement distillation. In this work, we devise and realize a cnot operation between polarization and frequency DoFs by exploiting directionally dependent electro-optic phase modulation within a fiber Sagnac loop. Alongside computational basis measurements, we validate the effectiveness of this operation through the synthesis of all four Bell states in a single photon, all with fidelities greater than 98%. This demonstration opens new avenues for manipulating hyperentanglement across these two crucial DoFs, marking a foundational step toward leveraging polarization-frequency resources in fiber networks for future quantum applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Single-Photon Generation: Materials, Techniques, and the Rydberg Exciton Frontier

Due to their quantum nature, single-photon emitters (SPE) generate individual photons in bursts or streams. They are paramount in emerging quantum technologies such as quantum key distribution, quantum repeaters, and measurement-based quantum computing. Many such systems have been reported in the last three decades, from rubidium atoms coupled to cavities to semiconductor quantum dots and color centers implanted in waveguides. This review article highlights different solid-state and atomic systems with on-demand and controlled single-photon generation. We discuss and compare the performance metrics, such as purity and indistinguishability, for these sources and evaluate their potential for different applications. Finally, a new potential single-photon source, based on the Rydberg exciton in solid-state metal oxide thin films, is introduced, where we discuss its promising features and unique advantages in fabricating quantum chips for quantum photonic applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Long-range optical coupling with epsilon-near-zero materials

Long-range resonant quantum tunneling of electrons happens across potential barriers when the wavefunction interferes constructively outside the barrier. Here we demonstrate an analogy in optical systems based on epsilon-near-zero materials, achieving phase-modulated, long-range optical interactions between transparent semiconducting oxide layers beyond the evanescent photonic coupling. Distinct from weak thin-film interference, intense electromagnetic fields confined within the epsilon-near-zero thin films show anti-correlated intensity oscillations as a function of interlayer separation up to hundreds of microns. The oscillatory, anti-correlated electromagnetic field intensities were probed by second harmonic generation from wedged indium tin oxide multilayers. Such a system that hosts subwavelength mode footprint and simultaneously long-range radiative coupling offers prospects for long-distance optical communication, large-scale photonic circuits, and hybrid quantum photonic systems.

Wang, Danqing [Fudan University, Shanghai (China);↗