Quantum correlated photons via a passive nonlinear microcavity

Abstract

Photons, by nature, typically do not exhibit interactions with each other. Creating photon-photon interactions holds immense importance in both fundamental physics and quantum technologies. Currently, such interactions have only been achieved indirectly as mediated by atomic-like quantum emitters with resonant photon-atom interactions. However, the use of these indirect interactions presents substantial fundamental challenges that impede scaling and practical applications. Here we demonstrate creation of non-classical photon correlations, including photon anti-bunching, via a passive InGaP photonic integrated circuit. Our approach employs the quantum interference between uncorrelated light and the two-photon bound state, the latter of which arises from the $\chi^{(2)}$-mediated photon interaction. Our work opens a new route in controlling quantum light by harnessing highly-engineerable bulk optical nonlinearities, which has significant implications for nonlinear optical quantum information processing and quantum networking.