Targeted quantum routing of single photons in a giant-atom waveguide-QED system
Yong Wang, Wenan Li, Yuan Chen · Physical Review A · 2025
In this paper, we propose a single-photon routing scheme using a hybrid system, where a two-level giant atom is coupled to a pair of one-dimensional coupled-resonator waveguides. Using the discrete-coordinate scattering approach, exact expressions of the four scattering coefficients are obtained, and the single-photon routing properties are studied. We find that the single-photon routing properties are closely related to the size of the giant atom, the coupling strength between the giant atom and waveguides, and the phase difference between two coupled channels of the atom-upper (lower) waveguide. Without considering the effect of phases of the atom-waveguide coupling coefficients, the probability for a single-photon routing from one waveguide to the other does not exceed $50%$. However, by properly selecting coupling points between the giant atom and two waveguides, and the phase difference between two atom-upper (lower) waveguide coupling coefficients, a single photon can be transferred from the input port to an arbitrarily selected output port deterministically, i.e., with $100%$ probability. It is also found that chiral and nonreciprocal single-photon scattering can be realized in our model by properly adjusting the phase difference between two atom-upper (lower) waveguide coupled channels. Our paper offers a promising route towards achieving tunable single-photon routing and constructing optical scalable quantum networks.