Peter Rakich
Yale University

Abstract
In this presentation, we explore how control of photon–phonon interactions offers powerful new strategies for manipulating noise and information, extending the performance of integrated photonic systems in both classical and quantum domains. We begin in silicon photonics, where tailorable photon–phonon interactions produce dramatic enhancement of Brillouin nonlinearities, yielding optical amplifiers [1], Brillouin lasers [2], a terahertz-bandwidth non-magnetic isolator [3], ultra-narrowband microwave-photonic filters [4,5], and laser cooling of a continuum of phonon modes as a new way to control noise in Brillouin interactions [6].
Turning to cryogenic temperatures, where phonon dissipation plummets, we use engineerable Brillouin interactions to access, probe, and control ultra-long-lived (~10 ms) phonons within new micro-fabricated resonators [7,8], demonstrating quantum optomechanical strategies that harness these phonons as a quantum memory [9]. Finally, leveraging the same micro-fabrication techniques, we create ultra-high-finesse micro-mirrors and microcavities [10] to enable new optical clock and novel quantum technologies. Integrating new milimeter-scale vacuum-gap reference cavities dielectric-induced thermodynamic noise by storing light in vacuum with photonic circuits [11], we demonstrate compact stabilized lasers and chip-based microwave oscillators with record-level phase noise [12], paving the way for integrable systems rivaling laboratory-scale precision oscillators. Building on these concepts we explore new hybrid quantum platforms for quantum computing, sensing and networking.

References
[1] E. A. Kittlaus et al., Nat. Photon. 10, 463 (2016).
[2] N. T. Otterstrom et al., Science 360, 1113 (2018).
[3] H. Cheng et al., Nat. Photon. (2025).
[4] S. Gertler et al., Nat. Commun. 13, 1947 (2022).
[5] Y. Zhou et al., Nat. Commun. 15 (2024).
[6] N. T. Otterstrom et al., Phys. Rev. X 8, 041034 (2018).
[7] W. H. Renninger et al., Nat. Phys. 14, 601 (2018).
[8] Y. Luo et al., Nat. Phys. (2026).
[9] H. H. Diamandi et al., Nat. Phys. 21, 1482 (2025).
[10] N. Jin et al., Optica 9, 965 (2022).
[11] H. Cheng et al., Nat. Photon. (2025).
[12] I. Kudelin et al., Nature 627, 534 (2024).

Biography
Peter T. Rakich (Ph.D. Physics, MIT) is the Donna L. Dubinsky Professor of Applied Physics and Physics at Yale University and a member of the Yale Quantum Institute. He is a recipient of the Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering and ONR's Young Investigator Award for studies of the mechanical properties of light. His research group explores new strategies to harness photons, phonons, and nonlinearities to build the next generation of integrated technologies for quantum information processing, communications, and precision measurement—spanning integrated photonics, quantum optomechanics, and ultra-low-noise oscillators. He and his team have harnessed the mechanical properties of light to create Brillouin amplifiers, lasers, and non-magnetic isolators in silicon photonics; demonstrated quantum control of long-lived bulk acoustic phonons as the basis for quantum memories; and developed micro-fabricated Fabry–Pérot reference cavities enabling chip-based stabilized lasers and low-noise microwave oscillators. He is also co-founder and scientific advisor of Resonance Micro Technologies, which is commercializing this oscillator technology. Before arriving at Yale, he was a Senior Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories (2008–2012). He is an author of more than 90 peer-reviewed journal publications on topics ranging from photonic crystals and optomechanics to cryogenic phonon physics and precision oscillators.

Location
Leuchs-Russell Auditorium, A.1.500, Staudtstr. 2
Location details