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VERSION:2.0
PRODID:icalendar-ruby
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
X-WR-CALNAME:Mihir Khanna Dissertation Defense
X-WR-TIMEZONE:Eastern Time (US & Canada)
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260909T220104Z
UID:tag:localist.com\,2008:EventInstance_53560203872989
DTSTART:20260807T170000Z
DTEND:20260807T190000Z
DESCRIPTION:Thesis Title: Cavity Electo-Optics for Quantum Transduction and
  Sensing\n\n \n\nAbstract: I present all-dielectric cavity electro-optic s
 ystems for efficient conversion between microwave and telecom-wavelength p
 hotons for quantum networks and for optical sensing and control of microwa
 ve fields. By spatially overlapping microwave and optical cavity modes wit
 hin lithium niobate\, a nonlinear optical crystal\, I harness the Pockels 
 effect to parametrically couple these disparate frequency domains. This di
 ssertation explores how bulk dielectric resonators can provide the field c
 onfinement\, low loss\, and optical power handling required to perform as 
 an electro-optic transducer with state-of-the-art efficiency at room-tempe
 rature\, and comparable to cryogenic superconducting platforms.\n\nThe wor
 k follows an iterative progression in which the microwave resonator geomet
 ry evolves to strengthen the electro-optic interaction without sacrificing
  the advantages of a bulk optical cavity. The first generation uses a cent
 imeter-scale lithium-niobate slab that serves simultaneously as a dielectr
 ic microwave resonator and as the nonlinear medium within a Fabry--Pérot 
 optical cavity. Its geometry is engineered to provide spatial and polariza
 tion overlap between the microwave and optical fields\, while the partiall
 y dielectric-filled optical cavity enables phase matching and single-sideb
 and operation. At room temperature\, this device demonstrates coherent per
 cent-level microwave--optical transduction under triply resonant operation
 \, in which the microwave\, optical pump\, and output fields are simultane
 ously resonant with modes of the system. \n\nI next develop a composite re
 sonator in which a smaller lithium niobate crystal is sandwiched between h
 igher-permittivity titanium dioxide crystals. This architecture reduces th
 e microwave mode volume by two orders of magnitude\, substantially strengt
 hening the electro-optic interaction while preserving the power handling a
 nd low-noise operation of the all-dielectric platform. The redesigned devi
 ce reaches a regime in which optical pumping measurably modifies the micro
 wave response\, producing electro-optic dynamical backaction --- amplifica
 tion and damping of the microwave mode --- along with enhanced conversion 
 and sensing of microwave fields. These room temperature demonstrations lay
  the foundation for quantum operation of such devices at cryogenic tempera
 tures.\n\nTogether\, the slab and sandwich devices establish the bulk all-
 dielectric approach. I further examine three alternative dielectric resona
 tor architectures\, both as directions for future development and as instr
 uctive designs whose limitations informed the evolution of the platform.
GEO:40.44508;-79.957697
LOCATION:Allen Hall\, 321
SUMMARY:Mihir Khanna Dissertation Defense
URL;VALUE=URI:https://calendar.pitt.edu/event/mihir-khanna-dissertation-def
 ense
CATEGORIES:Defenses
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END:VCALENDAR