NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Dr. Spillane is studying the use of integrated optics technology to create high performance quantum devices. A major focus of his program is to demonstrate high efficiency generation and detection of quantum states of light, which is critical for increasing the utility of quantum optical devices. One emphasis is to reduce the physical size, complexity, and power consumption of quantum optical sources, with the goal of creating a "plug and play" source suitable for both terrestrial and space applications.

Research Interests

He is interested in exploring techniques to create compact, high performance devices for both classical and quantum information processing. Fields of interest include nonlinear optical devices, quantum sensors, microcavity physics and applications, quantum cryptography, RF photonics, optical interconnects, nanotechnology, and biological and chemical sensors.

Selected Publications

• S. M. Spillane, et. al., "Observation of Nonlinear Optical Interactions of Ultralow levels of Light in a Tapered Optical Nanofiber Embedded in a Hot Rubidium Vapor", Physical Review Letters 100, 233602 (2008).
• S. M. Spillane, M. Fiorentino, R. G. Beausoleil, "Spontaneous parametric down conversion in a nanophotonic waveguide", Optics Express 15, 8770 (2007).
• M. Fiorentino, S. M. Spillane, R. G. Beausoleil, T. D. Roberts, P. Battle, M. W. Munro, "Spontaneous parametric down-conversion in periodically poled KTP waveguides and bulk crystals", Optics Express 15, 7479 (2007).
• M. Fiorentino, C. Santori, S. M. Spillane, R. G. Beausoleil, W. J. Munro, "Secure self-calibrating quantum random bit generator", Physical Review A 75, 032334 (2007).
• C. Santori, et. al., "Coherent population trapping in diamond N-V centers at zero magnetic field", Optics Express 14, 7986 (2006).
• S. M. Spillane, T. J. Kippenberg, K. J. Vahala, K. W. Goh, E. Wilcut, H. J. Kimble, "Ultrahigh-Q toroidal microresonators for cavity quantum electrodynamics", Physical Review A 71, 013817 (2005).
• T. J. Kippenberg, S. M. Spillane, K. J. Vahala, "Kerr-nonlinearity optical parametric oscillation in an ultra-high-Q toroid microcavity", Physical Review Letters 93, 083904 (2004).
• S. M. Spillane, T. J. Kippenberg, O. J. Painter, K. J. Vahala, "Ideality in a fiber-taper-coupled microresonator system for application to cavity quantum electrodynamics", Physical Review Letters 91, 043902 (2003).
• D. K. Armani, T. J. Kippenberg, S. M. Spillane, K. J. Vahala, "Ultra-high-Q toroid microcavity on a chip", Nature 421, 925 (2003).
• S. M. Spillane, T. J. Kippenberg, K. J. Vahala, "Ultralow-threshold Raman laser using a spherical dielectric microcavity", Nature 415, 621 (2002).