Topologically protecting squeezed light on a photonic chip

Abstract

Squeezed light is a critical resource in quantum sensing and information processing. Due to the inherently weak optical nonlinearity and limited interaction volume, considerable pump power is typically needed to obtain efficient interactions to generate squeezed light in bulk crystals. Integrated photonics offers an elegant way to increase the nonlinearity by confining light strictly inside the waveguide. For the construction of large-scale quantum systems performing many-photon operations, it is essential to integrate various functional modules on a chip. However, fabrication imperfections and transmission cross talk may add unwanted diffraction and coupling to other photonic elements, reducing the quality of squeezing. Here, by introducing the topological phase, we experimentally demonstrate the topologically protected nonlinear process of four-wave mixing, enabling the generation of squeezed light on a silica chip. We measure the cross-correlations at different evolution distances for various topological sites and verify the nonclassical features with high fidelity. The squeezing parameters are measured to certify the protection of cavity-free, strongly squeezed states. The demonstration of topological protection for squeezed light on a chip brings new opportunities for quantum integrated photonics, opening novel approaches for the design of advanced multi-photon circuits.