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Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a new chip that can store multiple photons for over one microsecond. Photons are particles of light used to carry quantum information, but they are often difficult to pause while other operations occur. This storage must happen on chips no larger than one centimeter, a distance light travels in just a few trillionths of a second. Storing light for even a single microsecond represents a significant leap forward for quantum technology.

The team led by physics professor Elizabeth Goldschmidt used a platform combining spectral hole burning and thin-film lithium niobate. They created an atomic frequency comb by using a laser to arrange atoms into a specific pattern. This design allows the material to temporarily catch and hold incoming photons. The resulting device preserves quantum information with high fidelity, meaning the data remains accurate during storage.

Priyash Barya, a graduate student and co-first author, noted that no one else has achieved this level of scalability on such a platform. Unlike conventional methods that require long travel paths where photons are easily absorbed, or complex atom integration that is hard to scale, this approach uses simple nanophotonic waveguides. Goldschmidt emphasized that the device is not a unique, custom-built item but can be manufactured commercially at scale by people without specialized quantum optics knowledge.

Future work will focus on improving retrieval efficiency and extending storage times further. The group plans to refine their frequency comb design and test different erbium isotopes that are less susceptible to noise. Goldschmidt views this project as a step toward integrating quantum memories into scalable computers and communication networks, though it is just one part of their broader research goals in integrated photonics.