First integrated electro-optic transducers demonstrated in thin-film lithium tantalate for quantum computing
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[Submitted on 10 Jun 2026]
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Summary
Researchers demonstrate the first integrated electro-optic microwave-optical transducers using thin-film lithium tantalate (TFLT), a material platform offering improved bias stability and high-power handling compared to lithium niobate. Using wafer-scale deep ultraviolet lithography, they fabricated hundreds of devices per wafer, achieving coherent bidirectional conversion between C-band optical photons and 4.9-5.5 GHz microwave photons with continuous multi-day operation. The results establish TFLT as a scalable and robust platform for quantum interconnects and modular quantum processors.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledHere we demonstrate the first integrated electro-optic microwave-optical transducers realized in thin-film lithium tantalate (TFLT), a material platform offering Pockels nonlinearity comparable to TFLN together with improved bias stability and high-power handling.
Across six devices we observe coherent bidirectional conversion between C-band optical photons and 4.9-5.5 GHz microwave photons, with measured on-chip efficiencies and inferred single-photon coupling rates g_0/2π ~ 1 kHz consistent with theory.
Continuous operation over multiple days is achieved using a static bias field with minimal feedback, demonstrating a major operational advantage.
These results establish TFLT as a scalable and robust electro-optic platform for future quantum interconnects and modular quantum processors.
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