Optica Publishing Group launches new Gold Open Access Journal, Optica Quantum

WASHINGTON—Optica Publishing Group today published the first issue of its newest peer-reviewed, Gold Open Access journal, Optica Quantum.  Optica Quantum joins Optica Publishing Group’s diverse portfolio of 19 peer-reviewed journals and provides a home for high-impact research in quantum information science and technology (QIST), enabled by optics and photonics. Editor-in-Chief Michael G. Raymer of the University of Oregon, USA, leads the editorial board, comprised of outstanding researchers from around the world who are active in quantum science and technology.

“Discoveries in QIST have the potential to change the world through complex problem solving in both basic science and in technology.  Given this, Optica has actively been supporting and investing in this critical research field through its conferences and lobbying efforts, and I have been honored to be part of these initiatives,” said Raymer. “Optica Quantum further demonstrates the commitment of the Society to serve the needs of the quantum information science and technology community.”

The journal publishes original research articles, invited reviews, perspectives, tutorials, comments and replies. Its scope encompasses theoretical and experimental papers advancing fundamental quantum science as well as papers that advance enabling technologies and their applications in quantum information.

Recognizing the increasing focus and interest in open science across the globe, Optica Publishing Group is expanding its transparent peer review program to include Optica Quantum. Optics Continuum, formerly OSA Continuum, introduced transparent peer review to the Optica Publishing Group portfolio when it launched in 2018. Authors and reviewers who are interested in the transparent peer review option must all agree to publish their peer review correspondence along with the final article. The peer review correspondence includes editorial decision letters with reviewer comments and author responses. Reviewer names remain anonymous. The first issue of Optica Quantum includes a paper with peer review correspondence [see “Reviewer Comments” at Optica Quantum 1 6 (2023)].

The inaugural issue of Optica Quantum features five research articles and a perspective paper. Following are highlights from these papers, which can be accessed online in the OPG platform. 

• Hansen, et al., “Single-active-element demultiplexed multi-photon source.” Researchers in   Austria introduce a novel method for the resource-efficient generation of multi-photon states. They generate an eight-photon state using a single active optical element, paving the way to feasible large-scale multi-photon state preparation for tasks in quantum computing and simulation.
• Vylegzhanin, et al., “Excitation of 87Rb Rydberg atoms to nS and nD states (n≤68) via an optical nanofiber.” A collaboration from Japan, France and Denmark reports experimental progress on optical interactions of Rydberg atoms near an optical nanofiber. The interaction of Rydberg atoms with waveguides furthers the development of Rydberg-waveguide quantum systems.
• Dryazgov, et al., “Resource-efficient low-loss four-channel active demultiplexer for single photons.” Authors in Russia present a demultiplexer requiring only a single fast optical switch that produces four indistinguishable photons with an efficiency of 39.7% per channel. This work reduces the numbers of fast switches required for splitting the input photon sequence and eliminates the necessity to assemble long fiber delay lines. 
• Wang, et al., “Integrated electro-optic control of biphoton generation using hybrid photonics.” Researchers at the University of California San Diego have integrated lithium niobate pulse generators with state-of-the-art modulation bandwidths and silicon microring resonators on the same chip to produce a biphoton pair source that cannot be achieved with either material alone. Controlling the biphoton joint spectrum on-chip simplifies the overall operation and minimizes performance degradation due to coupling losses.
• Yabuno, et al., “Superconducting wide strip photon detector with high critical current bank structure.” A team at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Japan present a superconducting strip single-photon detector using a 20 mm-wide strip that shows promise for enabling polarization insensitivity, low jitter, and high-efficiency devices. Using photolithography fabrication can boost the realization of large-scale quantum systems.
• Walmsley, “Light in quantum computing and simulation.” In this perspective piece, Walmsley discusses concepts associated with photonic quantum simulation and computation and recent research progress in these areas.

About Optica Publishing Group (formerly OSA)

Optica Publishing Group is a division of the society, Optica (formerly OSA), Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide. It publishes the largest collection of peer-reviewed and most-cited content in optics and photonics, including 19 prestigious journals, the society’s flagship member magazine, and papers and videos from more than 835 conferences. With over 400,000 journal articles, conference papers and videos to search, discover and access, our publications portfolio represents the full range of research in the field from around the globe.