Generating entangled photons via enhanced spontaneous parametric downconversion in AlGaAs microring resonators

Spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) can be enhanced in double-channel side-coupled microring resonator structures, generating entangled photons spatially separated in different channels. The enhancement is even more drastic in single-channel side-coupled microring resonator structures, although the generated entangled photons are not spatially separated, and it might be most interesting to use a ring tuned for nondegenerate SPDC.     

Cascaded frequency upconversion for high-speed single-photon detection at 1550 nm

We present a device for two-stage frequency upconversion of single-photon-level signals in the 1.55 μm telecom band to the green spectral region with low excess noise, suitable for detection by low-timing-jitter silicon single-photon avalanche photodiodes (APDs). We achieve a net conversion efficiency of 87% and a system timing jitter below 70 ps FWHM, dominated by the jitter of the APD. Modifications of our device are suitable for downconversion of single photons from visible-wavelength quantum emitters into the telecom band.     

Semiclassical model of triple photons generation in optical fibers

In this Letter we study spontaneous generation of triple photon states in optical fibers by third order spontaneous downconversion. Using a semiclassical approach we derive an explicit expression for the triple photons generation efficiency as a function of fiber parameters. We show that optical fibers with well suited index profiles and standard outer diameters could be the key component of future triple photons sources.     

Two-order Interference of Single Photon

A pair of photons called signal and idler photons, respectively, are produced through the nonlinear process of type-I spontaneous parametric downconversion in BBO crystal pumped by the second-harmonic wave of a Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser pulse. The two-order interference phenomenon of the signal photon in Michelson interferometer is observed and give an analysis in detail.     

Four-photon interference with asymmetric beam splitters

Two experiments of four-photon interference are performed with two pairs of photons from parametric downconversion with the help of asymmetric beam splitters. The first experiment is a generalization of the Hong-Ou-Mandel interference effect to two pairs of photons while the second one utilizes this effect to demonstrate a four-photon de Broglie wavelength of lambda/4 by projection measurement.     

Effect of polarization deviation of spontaneous parametric down-conversion on the degree of biphoton entanglement

Analysis is given to the effect of polarization deviation due to spontaneous parametric downconversion on the states of polarization-entangled photons generated via a cascaded two-crystal geometry with type I phase matching (e?oo).     

Multiplexing photons with a binary division strategy

We present a scheme to produce clock-synchronized photons from a single parametric downconversion source with a binary division strategy. The time difference between a clock and detections of the herald photons determines the amount of delay that must be imposed to a photon by actively switching different temporal segments, so that all photons emerge from the output with their wavepackets temporally synchronized with the temporal reference. The operation is performed using a binary division configuration which minimizes the passages through switches. Finally, we extend this scheme to the production of many synchronized photons and find expressions for the optimal amount of correction stages as a function of the pair generation rate and the target coherence time. Our results show that, for the generation of this heralded single-photon per output state at an optimized input photon flux, the output rate of our scheme scales essentially with the reciprocal of the target output photon number. With current technology, rates of up to 10⁴ synchronized pairs per second could be observed with only 7 correction stages.     

Quantum Nonlocality of Photon Pairs in Interference in a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer

Nonlocal character of entangled photon pairs generated in spontaneous parametric downconversion is demonstrated. One photon from a pair propagates through a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and is detected in coincidence-count measurement with its twin. Width of the coincidence-count interference pattern (measured for various values of path difference in the Mach-Zehnder interferometer) depends on spectral width of the twin as a result of entanglement of photons in a pair. The experimental setup is analyzed for a Gaussian spectral filter and a Fabry-Perot resonator. It is shown that nonlocal interference is much stronger for cw pumping in comparison with femtosecond pulsed pumping for values of parameters commonly used in spontaneous parametric downconversion experiments.     

Generation of correlated photons in controlled spatial modes by downconversion in nonlinear waveguides

We report the observation of correlated photon pairs generated by spontaneous parametric downconversion of a 400-nm pump pulse in a quasi-phase-matched KTiOPO(4) nonlinear waveguide. The highest ratio of coincidence to single-photon count rates observed near 800 nm exceeds 18%. This suggests that nonlinear waveguides will be a promising source of correlated photons for metrology and quantum information processing applications. We also discuss possibilities of controlling the spatial characteristics of the downconverted photons produced in multimode waveguide structures.     

Ellipsometric measurements by use of photon pairs generated by spontaneous parametric downconversion

We present a novel interferometric technique for performing ellipsometric measurements. This technique relies on the use of a nonclassical optical source, namely, polarization-entangled twin photons generated by spontaneous parametric downconversion from a nonlinear crystal, in conjunction with a coincidence-detection scheme. Ellipsometric measurements acquired with this scheme are absolute; i.e., they do not require source and detector calibration.     

Experimental demonstration of sub-shot-noise intensity correlations in an intense twin beam

Twin-beam states of light produced by spontaneous parametric downconversion are endowed with sub-shot-noise photon-number correlations at any intensity regime. We have demonstrated sub-shot-noise photon-number correlations in a ps-pulsed intense (more than 1000 photons) twin beam by measuring the variance of the difference in the number of photons detected in the two outputs of the crystal. The variance is 3.25 dB below the shot-noise level. Measurements show that detection of sub-shot-noise correlation requires a careful selection of twin coherence areas and that these areas depend on the pump intensity.     

Broadband frequency mode entanglement in waveguided parametric downconversion

We report the observation of beatings of the coincidence event rate in a Hong-Ou-Mandel interference (HOMI) between signal and idler photons from a parametric downconversion (PDC) process inside a multimode KTP waveguide. As an explanation we introduce biphotonic states entangled in their broadband frequency modes generated by waveguide mode triples and propose a suitable entanglement detection scheme.     

Orbital angular momentum of entangled counterpropagating photons

We elucidate the paraxial orbital angular momentum of entangled photon pairs generated by spontaneous parametric downconversion in different noncollinear geometries in which the entangled photons counterpropagate. We find, in particular, the orbital angular momentum of entangled pairs generated in transverse-emitting configurations, in which none of the known rules for selecting orbital angular momentum holds.     

Generation of indistinguishable and pure heralded single photons with tunable bandwidth

We describe a new scheme to fully control the joint spectrum of paired photons generated in spontaneous parametric downconversion. We show the capability of this method to generate frequency-uncorrelated photon pairs that are pure and indistinguishable and whose bandwidth can be readily tuned. Importantly, the scheme we propose can be implemented in any nonlinear crystal and frequency band of interest.     

Tunable control of the frequency correlations of entangled photons

We experimentally demonstrate a new technique to control the type of frequency correlations of entangled photon pairs generated by spontaneous parametric downconversion. Frequency-correlated and frequency-anticorrelated photons are produced when a broadband pulse is used as a pump. The method is based on the control of the group velocities of the interacting waves and can be applied in any nonlinear medium and frequency band of interest.     

Preservation of photon indistinguishability after transmission through surface-plasmon-polariton waveguide

We experimentally demonstrated preservation of indistinguishability between two photons via mode conversions, namely, photon-to-plasmon and plasmon-to-photon conversions. A two-photon interference experiment was carried out using a broadband photon pair generated through a spontaneous parametric downconversion process. We observed the so-called Hong-Ou-Mandel dip with an interferometer including a 1-mm-long surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) waveguide. The photon indistinguishability of 92.4% was retained after propagation in the SPP waveguide.     

Near-infrared quantum cutting in transparent nanostructured glass ceramics

Quantum cutting downconversion involving the emission of two near-infrared photons for each blue photon absorbed is realized in transparent glass ceramics with embedded Pr3+/Yb3+: beta-YF3 nanocrystals. On excitation of Pr3+ ions with a visible photon at 482 nm, Yb3+ ions emit two near-infrared photons at 976 nm through an efficient cooperative energy transfer from Pr3+ to Yb3+, with optimal quantum efficiency close to 200%. The development of the near-infrared quantum cutting transparent glass ceramic could open a route to enhance the energy efficiency of the silicon solar cell by converting one blue solar photon to two near-infrared ones.     

High-performance guided-wave asynchronous heralded single-photon source

We report on a guided-wave asynchronous heralded single-photon source based on the creation of nondegenerate photon pairs by spontaneous parametric downconversion in a periodically poled lithium niobate wave-guide. We show that, by use of the signal photon at 1310 nm as a trigger, a gated detection process permits announcement of the arrival of single photons at 1550 nm at the output of a single-mode optical fiber with a high probability of 0.37. At the same time the multiphoton emission probability is reduced by a factor of 10 compared with Poissonian light sources. Furthermore, the model we have developed to calculate those figures of merit is shown to be accurate. This study can therefore serve as a paradigm for the conception of new quantum communication and computation networks.     

Efficient antireflective downconversion Er3+ doped ZnO/Si thin film

This study is an investigation of the potential of Er doped ZnO thin films for downconversion photons and an antireflective layer when placed in front of the silicon solar cells. We optimized the properties of the film with appropriate deposition conditions on Si (111) substrate by aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) process. An enhancement of both crystallinity and optical response was achieved in the case of film doped with 2.504 at.% Er³⁺. A low reflectance and high refractive index of the film were obtained at around 632 nm. Downconversion process was also reached for this film under visible excitation to near-infrared (NIR) 980 nm photons useful for Si solar cell.