Boson Sampling is a computational paradigm representing one of the most viable and pursued approaches to demonstrate the regime of quantum advantage. In this work, we demonstrate a compact and reconfigurable 3D-integrated platform for photonic Boson Sampling. We perform 3- and 4-photon experiments, showing the possibility of programming the circuit to implement a large number of unitary transformations. These results show that such compact and highly-reconfigurable layout can be scaled up to experiments with larger number of photons and modes, and can provide a viable direction for hybrid computing.

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Quantum technologies are bringing a new technological revolution that we must learn to understand and manage. The Italian Quantum Weeks are promoted by Italian scientists, engineers and educators on the occasion of the first World Quantum Day (April 14th, 2022) with the aim of raising awareness on the quantum world and the opportunities that the quantum revolution is about to bring. CAPABLE is among the sponsors of this event and our Researcher Giacomo Corrielli is among the lecturers.

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Our work on the quantum photonic memristor fabricated by femtosecond laser micromachining is displayed on the journal cover of Nature Photonics.

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Memristive devices are a class of physical systems with history-dependent dynamics characterized by signature hysteresis loops in their input–output relations. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel integrated photonic memristor that acts on single-photon states. We fully characterize the memristive dynamics of our device and tomographically reconstruct its quantum output state. Finally, we propose a possible application of our device in the framework of quantum machine learning through a scheme of quantum reservoir computing, which we apply to classical and quantum learning tasks.

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Quantum technologies promise to revolutionize the way we acquire, manipulate, and communicate information. Photons are key players in quantum technologies with a transversal role in all applications. Integrated photonics is the only viable approach to scale up quantum photonics to the level of real-world applications. In this context, the ERC Proof of Concept PhotonFAB aims at the commercial exploitation in the globally expanding market of quantum technologies of the integrated photonic devices developed in the main ERC Advanced Grant project CAPABLE. These devices are characterized by a unique microfabrication technology based on direct writing with femtosecond lasers, providing high versatility and unique 3D layout capabilities.

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Femtosecond laser micromachining is becoming an established technique for the fabrication of complex three-dimensional structures in glass. The possibility to encompass both optical and fluidic components in a single substrate allows us to realize optofluidic devices usable in several application fields. We present new investigations of laser-assisted etching in Eagle XG glass showing good etching conditions at low repetition rates and low irradiation speeds, which allow for complex microchannel network formation.

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We present an optimization of the dynamics of integrated optical switches based on thermal phase shifters. Simulations, surface micromachining and innovative layouts allowed us to improve the temporal response of the optical switches down to a few milliseconds. In addition, taking advantage of an electrical pulse shaping approach where an optimized voltage signal is applied to the heater, we proved a switching time as low as 78 µs, about two orders of magnitude shorter with respect to the current state of the art of thermally-actuated optical switches in glass.

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Integrated quantum photonics is revolutionizing the field of quantum information in all applications. Although different platforms are being currently developed, none of them has shown the versatility of femtosecond laser micromachining (FLM) in producing all the components of a complete quantum system, encompassing quantum sources, reconfigurable state manipulation, quantum memories, and detection. A review article on this topic is very timely and could further promote the development of this field by convincing end-users of the great potentials of this technological platform and by stimulating more research groups in FLM to direct their efforts to the exciting field of quantum technologies.

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The ERC PoC project DISPLAYGHT, originated from ERC AdG CAPABLE, has been chosen as a success story by the EU Commission. To know more on the fabrication of a new generation of electronic displays, read the following article here.

On September 15^th, the PoliFAB annual meeting has taken place. As tradition, the users have presented the activities carried out in the cleanroom. Recent advancements on programmable femtosecond laser written circuits have been presented with an oral talk and a poster.