Detection and spectral measurement of single photons in communication bands using up-conversion technology

Quantum information systems are commonly operated in conventional communication bands (1310 and 1550 nm) over an optical fiber to take advantage of low transmission loss. However, the detection and spectral measurement of single photons in these communication bands are limited due to high noise and low sensitivity of single photon detectors in the wavelength ranges. To demonstrate high efficiency detection and high sensitivity spectral measurement, we have implemented a single photon detector and a spectrometer based on frequency up-conversion technology. This detector and spectrometer uses a 5-cm periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide and a tunable pump laser around 1550 nm, to convert signal photons around 1310 to 710 nm. The converted photons are then detected by a silicon-based avalanche photodiode (APD). The overall detection efficiency of the single photon detector is as high as 32%, which is three times higher than commercial InGaAs APDs. The sensitivity of the spectrometer is measured to be −126 dBm, which is at least three orders-of-magnitude better than any commercial optical spectrum analyzer in this wavelength range.     

Erasing distinguishability using quantum frequency up-conversion

The frequency distinguishability of two single photons was successfully erased using single photon frequency up-conversion. A frequency nondegenerate photon pair generated via spontaneous four-wave mixing in a dispersion shifted fiber was used to emulate two telecom-band single photons that were in the same temporal mode but in different frequency modes. The frequencies of these photons were converted to the same frequency by using the sum-frequency generation process in periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides, while maintaining their temporal indistinguishability. As a result, the two converted photons exhibited a nonclassical dip in a Hong-Ou-Mandel quantum interference experiment. The present scheme will add flexibility to networking quantum information systems that use photons with various wavelengths.     

Infrared detection and photon energy up-conversion in graphene layer infrared photodetectors integrated with LEDs based on van der Waals heterostructures: Concept,device model,and characteristics

We propose the concept of the infrared detection and photon energy up-conversion in the devices using the integration of the graphene layer infrared detectors (GLIPs) and the light emitting diodes (LEDs) based on van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures. Using the developed device model of the GLIP-LEDs, we calculate their characteristics. The GLIP-LED devices can operate as the detectors of far- and mid infrared radiation (FIR and MIR) with an electrical output or with near-infrared radiation (NIR) or visible radiation (VIR) output. In the latter case, GLIP-LED devices function as the photon energy up-converters of FIR and MIR to NIR or VIR. The operation of GLIP-LED devices is associated with the injection of the electron photocurrent produced due to the interband absorption of the FIR/MIR photons in the GLIP part into the LED emitting NIR/VIR photons. We calculate the GLIP-LED responsivity and up-conversion efficiency as functions the structure parameters and the energies of the incident FIR/MIR photons and the output NIR/VIR photons. The advantages of the GLs in the vdW heterostructures (relatively high photoexcitation rate from and low capture efficiency into GLs) combined with the reabsorption of a fraction of the NIR/FIR photon flux in the GLIP (which can enable an effective photonic feedback) result in the elevated GLIP-LED device responsivity and up-conversion efficiency. The positive optical feedback from the LED section of the device lead to increasing current injection enabling the appearance of the S-type current-voltage characteristic with a greatly enhanced responsivity near the switching point and current filamentation.     

Single photon level spectrum measurement at fiber communication band using frequency up-conversion technology

We have developed a polarization independent (PI) spectrometer based on frequency up-conversion technology for single photon level spectrum measurement at the fiber communication band. To overcome the polarization dependence of the frequency up-conversion process, we use two periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguides with a polarizing beam splitter. We experimentally study the sensitivity and resolution of the PI up-conversion spectrometer. We demonstrate the spectrometer by way of a spectrum measurement of a single photon level signal in the communication band.     

Up-conversion detection of mid-infrared light carrying orbital angular momentum

Frequency up-conversion is an effective method of mid-infrared (MIR) detection by converting long-wavelength photons to the visible domain, where efficient detectors are readily available. Here, we generate MIR light carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) from a difference frequency generation process and perform up-conversion on it via sum frequency conversion in a bulk quasi-phase-matching crystal. The maximum quantum conversion efficiencies from MIR to visible are 34.0%, 10.4%, and 3.5% for light with topological charges of 0, 1, and 2, respectively, achieved by utilizing an optimized strong pump light. We also verify the OAM conservation with a specially designed interferometer, and the results agree well with the numerical simulations. Our study opens up the possibilities for generating, manipulating, and detecting MIR light that carries OAM, and will have great potential for optical communications and remote sensing in the MIR regime.     

Experimental state tomography of itinerant single microwave photons

A wide range of experiments studying microwave photons localized in superconducting cavities have made important contributions to our understanding of the quantum properties of radiation. Propagating microwave photons, however, have so far been studied much less intensely. Here we present measurements in which we reconstruct the quantum state of itinerant single photon Fock states and their superposition with the vacuum by analyzing moments of the measured amplitude distribution up to fourth order. Using linear amplifiers and quadrature amplitude detectors, we have developed efficient methods to separate the detected single photon signal from the noise added by the amplifier. From our measurement data we have also reconstructed the corresponding Wigner function.     

基于相关光子的单光子探测器量子效率测量系统

为准确测量近红外波段单光子探测器量子效率,搭建了基于自发参量下转换效应的测量系统.系统利用中心波长为518nm的脉冲激光泵浦周期极化磷酸氧钛钾晶体,通过自发参量下转换过程产生相关光子对,分别测量了Si和InGaAs雪崩光电二极管单光子探测器在778nm和1 550nm波长点的量子效率,并对测量不确定度进行了分析.实验表明,该装置可以测量近红外单光子探测器量子效率参量,测量不确定度均优于1%.     

Causality, relativity and quantum correlation experiments with moving reference frames

Entanglement, one of the most important features of quantum mechanics, is at the core of the famous Einstein-Bohr philosophical debate [1] and is the principal resource for quantum information processing [2]. We report on new experimental investigations of the properties of entangled photon pairs with emphasis on the tension between quantum mechanics and relativity [3,4]. Entangled photons are sent via an optical fiber network to two villages near Geneva, separated by more than 10 km where they are analyzed by interferometers [5]. The photon pair source is set as precisely as possible in the center so that the two photons arrive at the detectors within a time interval of less than 5 ps (corresponding to a path length difference of less than 1 mm). This sets a lower bound on the ‘speed of quantum information’ to 10⁷ times the speed of light. Next, one detector is set in motion [6] so that both detectors, each in its own inertial reference frame, are first to do the measurement! The data always reproduces the quantum correlations.     

通信波长频率一致纠缠光源的频谱测量

本文利用光栅单色仪实现了对超短脉冲抽运周期极化磷酸氧钛钾晶体产生的通信波长频率一致纠缠光子源的频谱特性分析.测量到双光子的联合频谱呈正关联分布,为频率一致纠缠光源.信号光、闲置光中心波长分别为1574.4 nm和1574.9 nm,频谱宽度分别为35.3 nm和37.6 nm,双光子符合包络宽度约为3 nm.根据单光子频谱宽度与双光子符合包络宽度的比值可以得到双光子的频率纠缠参量R约为12,表征了信号光子与闲置光子之间具有较高的频率纠缠度.     

两个独立全光纤多通道光子纠缠源的Hong-Ou-Mandel干涉

独立光子源的干涉是实现复杂量子体系应用(比如多光子纠缠态产生和量子隐形传态等)的核心技术.利用100 GHz密集波分复用技术,实现了1.55μm全光纤多通道独立纠缠光子源的Hong-Ou-Mandel干涉,在不去除暗符合(随机符合计数)的情况下,可见度为53.2%±8.4%,去除暗符合可见度可达到82.9%±5.3%.给出了关于色散位移光纤中基于自发四波混频过程产生的单光子光谱纯度严格的理论描述,模拟了抽运脉冲宽度和滤波器带宽对单光子光谱纯度的影响,并给出了理论上的最佳条件(最佳的抽运脉冲宽度为8 ps,高斯滤波器带宽为40 GHz及以下).在测量Hong-Ou-Mandel干涉之前,先测量了液氮冷却状态下的色散位移光纤关联光子源的符合和随机符合比率,在抽运功率为23μW的情况下,最大比率可以达到131.Hong-Ou-Mandel干涉在高精度光学测量、测量装置无关的量子密钥分配等应用中扮演着极为重要的角色.     

High‐resolution spectral characterization of two photon states via classical measurements

Quantum optics plays a central role in the study of fundamental concepts in quantum mechanics, and in the development of new technological applications. Typical experiments employ sources of photon pairs generated by parametric processes such as spontaneous parametric down‐conversion and spontaneous four‐wave‐mixing. The standard characterization of these sources relies on detecting the pairs themselves and thus requires single photon detectors, which limit both measurement speed and accuracy. Here it is shown that the two‐photon quantum state that would be generated by parametric fluorescence can be characterised with unprecedented spectral resolution by performing a classical experiment. This streamlined technique gives access to hitherto unexplored features of two‐photon states and has the potential to speed up design and testing of massively parallel integrated nonlinear sources by providing a fast and reliable quality control procedure. Additionally, it allows for the engineering of quantum light states at a significantly higher level of spectral detail, powering future quantum optical applications based on time‐energy photon correlations.     

Near-infrared quantum cutting through a three-step energy transfer process in Nd(3+)-Yb(3+) co-doped fluoroindogallate glasses

The Nd(3+)-Yb(3+) couple was investigated in fluoroindogallate glasses using optical spectroscopy to elucidate the energy transfer mechanisms involved in the downconversion (DC) process. Upon excitation of a Nd(3+) ion by an ultraviolet photon, DC through a three-step energy transfer process occurs, in which the energy of the ultraviolet photon absorbed by the Nd(3+) ion is converted into three infrared photons emitted by Yb(3+) ions, i.e.?quantum cutting (QC). In addition, with excitation in the visible, our results confirm that the DC process occurs through a one-step energy transfer process, in which the energy of a visible photon absorbed by the Nd(3+) ion is converted into only one infrared photon emitted by an Yb(3+) ion. Time-resolved measurements enabled the estimation of the efficiencies of the cross-relaxation processes between Nd(3+) and Yb(3+) ions.     

门控下InGaAs/InP单光子探测器用于符合测量的时域滤波特性研究

基于砷化镓/磷化铟雪崩光电二极管(InGaAs/InP APD)的半导体单光子探测器因工作在通信波段,且具有体积小、成本低、操作方便等优势,在实用化量子通信技术中发挥了重要作用.为尽可能避免暗计数和后脉冲对单光子探测的影响,InGaAs/InP单光子探测器广泛采用门控技术来快速触发和淬灭雪崩效应,有效门宽通常在纳秒量级.本文研究揭示了门控下单光子探测器可测量的最大符合时间宽度受限于门控脉冲的宽度,理论分析与实验结果良好拟合.该研究表明,门控下InGaAs/InP单光子探测器用于双光子符合测量具有显著的时域滤波特性,限制了其在基于双光子时间关联测量的量子信息技术中的应用.     

Generation of Gaussian-Shape Single Photons for High Efficiency Quantum Storage

We report the generation of heralded single photons with Gaussian-shape temporal waveforms through the spatial light modulation technique in an atomic ensemble. Both the full width at half maximum and the peak position of the Gaussian waveform can be controlled while the single photon nature holds well. We also analyze the bandwidth of the generated single photons in frequency domain and show how the sidebands of the frequency spectrum are modified by the shape of the temporal waveform. The generated single photons are especially suited for the realization of high efficiency quantum storage based on electromagnetically induced transparency.     

Nearly deterministic linear optical controlled-NOT gate

We show how to construct a near deterministic CNOT gate using several single photons sources, linear optics, photon number resolving quantum nondemolition detectors, and feed forward. This gate does not require the use of massively entangled states common to other implementations and is very efficient on resources with only one ancilla photon required. The key element of this gate is nondemolition detectors that use a weak cross-Kerr nonlinearity effect to conditionally generate a phase shift on a coherent probe if a photon is present in the signal mode. These potential phase shifts can then be measured using highly efficient homodyne detection.     

Joint temporal density measurements for two-photon state characterization

We demonstrate a technique for characterizing two-photon quantum states based on joint temporal correlation measurements using time-resolved single-photon detection by femtosecond up-conversion. We measure for the first time the joint temporal density of a two-photon entangled state, showing clearly the time anticorrelation of the coincident-frequency entangled photon pair generated by ultrafast spontaneous parametric down-conversion under extended phase-matching conditions. The new technique enables us to manipulate the frequency entanglement by varying the down-conversion pump bandwidth to produce a nearly unentangled two-photon state that is expected to yield a heralded single-photon state with a purity of 0.88. The time-domain correlation technique complements existing frequency-domain measurement methods for a more complete characterization of photonic entanglement.     

Remote Quantum Information Concentration Via Weak Cross-Kerr Nonlinearity

By utilizing the quantum parity-check detectors (PCDs) based on the weak cross-Kerr nonlinearities, we propose a scheme for realizing the remote quantum information concentration (RQIC) with the quantum channel of four-photon bound entangled state. After the PCDs and single-photon operations, quantum information initially distributed in three spatially separated photons is concentrated back to a single photon without performing any global operations. The success probability of the scheme is almost a unit. The necessary single-photon unitary operations corresponding to possible measurement outcomes are given detailedly.     

Measuring the photon distribution with ON/OFF photodetectors

Reconstruction of photon statistics of optical states provides fundamental information on the nature of any optical field and helps with various relevant applications. Nevertheless, no detector that can reliably discriminate the number of incident photons is available. On the other hand, the alternative of reconstructing the density matrix by quantum tomography leads to various technical difficulties that are particularly severe in the pulsed regime (where mode matching between a signal and local oscillator is very challenging). Even if on/off detectors, as usual avalanche photodiodes operating in Geiger mode, seem useless as photo-counters, it was recently shown how reconstruction of photon statistics is possible by considering a variable quantum efficiency. Here we present experimental reconstructions of photon number distributions of both continuous-wave and pulsed light beams in a scheme based on on/off avalanche photodetection assisted by maximum-likelihood estimation. Reconstructions of the distribution for both semiclassical and quantum states of light (as single photon, coherent, pseudothermal, and multithermal states) are reported for single-mode and multimode beams. The stability and good accuracy obtained in the reconstruction of these states clearly demonstrate the interesting potentialities of this simple technique.     

基于Ⅱ类周期极化铌酸锂波导的通信波段小型化频率纠缠源产生及其量子特性测量

自发参量下转换过程制备的纠缠光源在量子光学及其相关领域有着广泛的应用.本文利用780 nm的分布式布拉格反射镜激光二极管抽运一块长10 mm的Ⅱ类准相位匹配的周期极化铌酸锂波导,产生了偏振正交的频率反关联纠缠光子对.通过实验结果与理论的完美结合得到,当进入波导的抽运光功率为44.9 mW时,下转换双光子对的产生速率为1.87×10~7s~(-1).利用单色仪对下转换光子的频谱进行分析,得到信号和闲置光子的中心波长分别为1561.43 nm和1561.45 nm,频谱宽度为3.62 nm和3.60 nm,双光子符合包络宽度约为3.18 nm,可以得到双光子的频率纠缠度为1.131.00,表征了双光子的频率纠缠特性.利用Hong-Ou-Mandel干涉仪测量双光子的二阶量子干涉特性,测得的干涉可见度为96.1%,干涉图谱的凹陷宽度为1.47 ps.