The NIR (Near-infrared) laser spectroscopy laboratory is dedicated to the advancement of photonic and quantum information technology in an interdisciplinary effort. This encompasses the development of components for applications in quantum communication, methods for photonic quantum computers, and concepts for optical neural networks for energy efficient machine learning. To realize these scientific goals a combination of research methods that use optics in its extremes is applied. Specifically, the laboratory combines high spectral resolution (few hundred Kilohertz) with fully flexible and fast (< Nanosecond) temporal control, and ultra-low light intensities (single photons).
The following equipment and techniques are available in the laboratory
Grating stabilized continuous wave diode lasers at 894 nm, 876 nm, 853 nm, and 447 nm, power up to 3 W, linewidth ~ 100 kHz (Sacher Lasertechnik, Toptica Photonics)
Electro-optic laser modulators for generation of arbitrary laser pulse shapes, 200 ps temporal resolution (Jenoptik)
Digital micromirror devices (Texas instruments) to imprint arbitrary spatial intensity patterns onto laser beams for pattern recognition in the context of machine learning
Superconducting nanowire detectors (Opus Quantum) for single photon counting, < 100 ps timing jitter, > 95% photon detection efficiency at 894 nm, > 90 % at 1550 nm.
