Work

Spatial coherence effects on second- and fourth-order temporal interference

Year: 2008

Type: article

Abstract: We report the results of two experiments performed with two-photon light, produced via collinear degenerate optical spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC), in which both second-order (one-photon) and fourth-order (two-photon) interferograms are recorded in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI). In the first experiment, high-visibility fringes are obtained for both the second- and fourth-order interferograms. In the second experiment, the MZI is modified by the removal of a mirror from one of its arms; this leaves the fourth-order interferogram unchanged, but extinguishes the second-order interferogram. A theoretical model that takes into consideration both the temporal and spatial degrees-of-freedom of the two-photon state successfully explains the results. While the temporal interference in the MZI is independent of the spatial coherence of the source, that of the modified MZI is not.

Source: Optics Express

DOI: 10.1364/oe.16.007634

Authors: Timothy Yarnall, Ayman F. Abouraddy, Bahaa E. Saleh, Malvin C. Teich

Institutions: MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University

Language: English

Topic: Quantum Information and Cryptography

Subfield: Artificial Intelligence

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,270

OpenAlex ID: W1966476103

FWCI: 2.64

Cites: 25

Cited by: 14

Related to: 10