Ultrastable Optical Parametric Oscillators
Continuous-wave optical parametric oscillators (cw-OPOs) are coherent light sources that combine narrow linewidth, high output power, and wide tunability, particularly in the mid-infrared region — a spectral window where laser radiation with such characteristics is typically scarce.
In our laboratory, a significant part of our research is devoted to the development of ultrastable and spectrally pure laser sources in the mid-infrared. We are designing a compact and robust cw-OPO module with exceptional thermo-mechanical stability (Ultrastable-MIR-OPO). The emission features of this system meet the stringent requirements of a broad range of applications, including spectroscopy, climate science, astronomy, defense, fundamental physics, and quantum technologies.
Compact Squeezed Light Sources
We are actively engaged in the development of compact sources of squeezed light, a crucial step toward integrating quantum resources into real-world systems. Our work focuses on designing miniaturized architectures that maintain high performance in terms of squeezing levels, stability, and compatibility with advanced detection schemes.
By leveraging cascaded nonlinear optical processes and carefully engineered designs, we aim to deliver high-performance squeezed states in a compact format. This approach enables us to overcome the limitations of conventional bulk systems and to meet the stringent demands of field-deployable quantum technologies.
These sources find applications in precision measurements, including gravitational wave detection — as in the context of the SMART_Q_ET project — where compact squeezed light modules are essential to meet the constraints of next-generation detectors.
A key part of this effort involves the investigation of materials and platforms suitable for efficient nonlinear optical interactions in reduced footprints. We explore both bulk implementations using materials such as fused silica, and integrated configurations based on guided-wave structures, including aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) platforms, which offer strong nonlinearities and compact integration potential.
Through this multifaceted approach, we are contributing to the advancement of scalable quantum-enhanced technologies capable of operating beyond the laboratory environment. Compact squeezed light sources are fundamental not only for quantum sensing and interferometry, but also for applications in metrology, secure communications, biomedical diagnostics, and fundamental physics experiments, where sensitivity, stability, and size constraints are of critical importance.