Cavity-based optical switching via phase modulation in warm rubidium vapor
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Optical switching remains a key outstanding challenge for scalable photonic quantum computing due to the trade-off between speed, bandwidth, and loss. Quantum photonics demands all three to enable high computational clock rates and resource-efficient scaling to large systems. We present a cavity-based optical switch that overcomes this limitation, demonstrating a rise time of 22 ns, an insertion loss of 2.4 dB, and an extinction ratio of 17.5, which bridges the gap between speed and efficiency in photonic switching. All-optical control is achieved via phase modulation of a signal field detuned from the near-degenerate two-photon absorption ladder in warm rubidium vapor. The ultimate performance of our switch will find applications in active multiplexing, loop-based quantum memory, and feed-forward for quantum error-correction protocols.
Source: Physical Review A
DOI: 10.1103/r7xf-lptn
Authors: G. Booton, T. Wasawo, W. O. C. Davis, C. McGarry, K. R. Rusimova, A. O. C. Davis, J. Nunn, P. J. Mosley
Institutions: University of Bath, Macquarie University, The University of Sydney
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,675
OpenAlex ID: W4416175527