Work

Observation of non-diffracting behavior at the single-photon level

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: We demonstrate the generation of non-diffracting heralded single photons, i.e. which are characterized by a single-photon transverse intensity distribution which remains essentially unchanged over a significant propagation distance. For this purpose we have relied on the process of spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) for the generation of signal and idler photon pairs, where our SPDC crystal is pumped by a Bessel-Gauss (BG) beam. Our experiment shows that the well-understood non-diffracting behavior of a BG beam may be directly mapped to the signal-mode, single photons heralded by the detection of a single idler photon. In our experiment, the heralded single photon is thus arranged to be non-diffracting without the need for projecting its single-photon transverse amplitude, post-generation, in any manner.

Source: Optics Express

DOI: 10.1364/oe.20.029761

Authors: Héctor Cruz-Ramírez, Roberto Ramírez-Alarcón, Francisco J. Morelos, Pedro A. Quinto-Su, Julio C. Gutiérrez-Vega, Alfred B. U’Ren

Institution: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Language: English

Topic: Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,270

Funders: Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México