Generating single microwave photons in a circuit

Publication Year
2007

Type

Journal Article
Journal
Nature
Volume
449
Pages
328
Date Published
09/2007

Microwaves have widespread use in classical communication technologies, from long-distance broadcasts to short-distance signals within a computer chip. Like all forms of light, microwaves, even those guided by the wires of an integrated circuit, consist of discrete photons. To enable quantum communication between distant parts of a quantum computer, the signals must also be quantum, consisting of single photons, for example. However, conventional sources can generate only classical light, not single photons.