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Efficient integrated quantum memory for light

Nature Photonics (2026)Cite this article

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Abstract

Scalable implementation of quantum networks and photonic processors demands integrated photonic memories with high efficiency, yet current integrated systems have been limited to storage efficiencies below 27.8%. Here we demonstrate highly efficient integrated quantum memories based on rare-earth-ion-doped crystals coupled with impedance-matched microcavities, realized in two novel architectures: 200-μm-thin membranes of Eu3+:Y2SiO5 integrated with fibre-based microcavities and waveguide-based cavities fabricated using femtosecond lasers. Our approach achieves reliable integrated quantum storage with record efficiencies of 80.3(7)% for weak coherent pulses and 69.8(1.6)% for telecom-heralded single photons, alongside the storage of 20 temporal modes with an average efficiency of 51.3(2)%. Moreover, the thin-membrane Eu3+:Y2SiO5 architecture enables spectrally tunable efficient quantum storage via variable strain, providing a flexible interface for quantum networks. By combining high efficiency, large multimode capacity and tunability, our devices establish a versatile hardware foundation for scalable quantum repeaters and chip-scale photonic processors.

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Fig. 1: The devices for efficient integrated quantum memories based on REI doped crystals.
Fig. 2: Efficient and multiplexed single-photon-level storage in the WGC.
Fig. 3: Efficient and spectrally tunable quantum storage using 151Eu3+:Y2SiO5 membranes coupled into the FBC.
Fig. 4: Efficient storage of telecom-heralded single photons in the FBC.
Fig. 5: Performance overview of quantum memories for light.

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Data availability

Data for Figs. 1–5 are available via Figshare at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.30987664 (ref. 59). Additional data related to this Article are available from the corresponding authors upon request.

Code availability

The custom codes used to produce the results presented in this Article are available from the corresponding authors upon request.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the Quantum Science and Technology-National Science and Technology Major Project (grant no. 2021ZD0301200), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 12222411, 11821404, 12474367 and 12204459) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (grant no. WK2030250135). This work is partially carried out at the USTC Center for Micro and Nanoscale Research and Fabrication. Z.-Q.Z. acknowledges the support from the Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Ruo-Ran Meng, Pei-Xi Liu, Xiao Liu, Tian-Xiang Zhu, Peng-Jun Liang, Chao Zhang.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China

    Ruo-Ran Meng, Pei-Xi Liu, Xiao Liu, Tian-Xiang Zhu, Peng-Jun Liang, Chao Zhang, Zhong-Yang Tang, Hong-Zhe Zhang, Jin-Ming Cui, Ming Jin, Zong-Quan Zhou, Chuan-Feng Li & Guang-Can Guo

  2. Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Quantum Network, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China

    Ruo-Ran Meng, Pei-Xi Liu, Xiao Liu, Tian-Xiang Zhu, Peng-Jun Liang, Chao Zhang, Zhong-Yang Tang, Hong-Zhe Zhang, Jin-Ming Cui, Ming Jin, Zong-Quan Zhou, Chuan-Feng Li & Guang-Can Guo

  3. CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China

    Ruo-Ran Meng, Pei-Xi Liu, Xiao Liu, Tian-Xiang Zhu, Peng-Jun Liang, Chao Zhang, Zhong-Yang Tang, Hong-Zhe Zhang, Jin-Ming Cui, Ming Jin, Zong-Quan Zhou, Chuan-Feng Li & Guang-Can Guo

  4. Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China

    Peng-Jun Liang, Chao Zhang, Jin-Ming Cui, Zong-Quan Zhou, Chuan-Feng Li & Guang-Can Guo

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Contributions

Z.-Q.Z. designed the experiments and supervised all aspects of this work. M.J., R.-R.M. and X.L. performed the FBC experiments with technical support from Z.-Y.T. and J.-M.C. M.J. locked the cavity for FBC. R.-R.M. realized quantum storage with FBC. X.L. fabricated the device for FBC. P.-X.L. and T.-X.Z. conducted the WGC experiments with assistance from H.-Z.Z. P.-X.L. performed the simulation. T.-X.Z. designed the pumping strategy. P.-J.L. grew the crystal. C.Z. constructed the quantum light source. R.-R.M., P.-X.L., X.L., T.-X.Z., M.J. and Z.-Q.Z. wrote the paper, with input from others. Z.-Q.Z. and C.-F.L. supervised the project. All authors contributed to discussing the experiments and results.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Ming Jin, Zong-Quan Zhou or Chuan-Feng Li.

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Nature Photonics thanks Erhan Saglamyurek and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Meng, RR., Liu, PX., Liu, X. et al. Efficient integrated quantum memory for light. Nat. Photon. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-026-01845-y

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