Superconducting weak-link junctions host electron-hole hybridized excitations called Andreev bound states, central to mesoscopic transport and emerging quantum information platforms. Andreev physics has so far been synonymous with the microwave range. However, advancements in superconductor-semiconductor hybrid junctions open the door to the characterization, and manipulation, of Andreev states by light. Here we introduce a model for light-Andreev interaction, with distinct features: Electrons transitioning into Andreev levels can sidestep Pauli exclusion, resulting in two optical absorption resonances separated by twice the bound-state energy. One resonance populates the Andreev state and the other empties it, enabling optical control of Andreev qubit parity; pumping both resets the junction and prevents saturation. Given their strong microwave coupling, we show how Andreev bound states can operate as optical-to-microwave transducers with MHz-scale intermode coupling, a key ingredient for heat load management and quantum networking. We illustrate these effects with realistic device parameters. Our results highlight the possibilities in the new field of Andreev optoelectronics.

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• Andreev bound states
• Circuit quantum electrodynamics
• Hybrid quantum systems
• Quantum information with hybrid systems
• Josephson junctions
• Nanowires
• Transducers
• Weak links
• Microwave techniques
• Optical absorption spectroscopy