PHOTONIC MULTIPLEXER FOR SINGLE-PHOTON SOURCES

• US 20190324213A1
• Filed: 06/27/2019
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Psiquantum, Corp.
• Original Assignee: Psiquantum, Corp.
• Inventors: NICKERSON, Naomi, BONNEAU, Damien, RUDOLPH, Terence
• Granted Patent: US 10,802,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3546 NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/70 Photonic quantum communication

Abstract

A device (e.g., a photonic multiplexer) is provided that includes a plurality of first switches. Each first switch in the plurality of first switches includes a plurality of first channels. Each first switch is configured to shift photons in the plurality of first channels by zero or more channels, based on first configuration information provided to the first switch. The device further includes a plurality of second switches. Each second switch includes a plurality of second channels. Each second channel is coupled with a respective first channel from a distinct first switch of the plurality of first switches. Each second switch is configured to shift photons in the plurality of second channels by zero or more channels, based on second configuration information provided to the second switch.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a plurality of photon sources coupled to a plurality of output terminals, wherein the plurality of photon sources are coupled together, by a first switch layer, into m groups of n photon sources per group,

wherein the first switch layer comprises m n-by-n switches, each of the m n-by-n switches is coupled to the n photon sources per group;

a second switch layer coupled to output terminals of the first switch layer, comprising a plurality of second layer n-by-n switches, wherein at least two output terminals from two respective photon sources residing within a first photon source group and a second photon source group are coupled directly to respective output terminals without being coupled to any intervening second switch from the second switch layer; and

wherein each switch from the second switch layer has less than m inputs and m outputs.

2. The device of claim 1, further including:

a first outermost second layer switch that is coupled to at least the first photon source group and a third photon source group and is a 2-by-2 switch, wherein the first outermost second layer switch is not coupled to the second photon source group; and

a second outermost second layer switch that is coupled to at least the second photon group and a fourth photon source group is a 2-by-2 switch, wherein the second outermost second layer switch is not coupled to the first photon source group.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of switches from the second switch layer are l-by-l switches and wherein l is less than m.