A review of electro-optic, semiconductor optical amplifier and photonic crystal-based optical switches for application in quantum computing

Light is established as a successful carrier in quantum optical computing and data processing, as photon always maintains the quantum phenomenon of a particle. In this connection it is always associated with definite wave function (eigenstate) and eigenvalues of energy, polarization, momentum, etc. Since last few years, different research works are seen in the field of quantum computing, where light is used as a carrier signal at different capacities, because of several hidden advantages of light. To do these, scientists used the optical/optoelectronic switches in proper method. In this paper, the authors have studied different applications of light in the area of quantum computing, where the stream of photon flow are modulated by the use of high-speed optical/optoelectronic switches. In this review study the applications of electro-optic Pockels cell-based switches, semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)-based switches and photonic band gap crystal-based switches in the domain of quantum optical computing and information processing are included. These switches are high speed in nature and can act on the quantum state of light to make necessary changes. Here only some important areas in this field are covered, though there are a number of research outcomes which are not discussed because of space limitations.