Work

Exchange symmetry in multiphoton quantum interference

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Photons are bosons, and yet, when prepared in specific entangled states, they can exhibit nonbosonic behavior. While this phenomenon has so far been studied in two-photon systems, exchange symmetries and interference effects in multiphoton scenarios remain largely unexplored. In this work, we show that multiphoton states uncover a rich landscape of exchange symmetries. With three photons already, multiple pairwise combinations are possible, where each pair of photons can exhibit bosonic, fermionic, or anyonic exchange symmetry. This gives rise to symmetry systems that are not possible to achieve with two photons alone. We experimentally investigate how these symmetry configurations manifest in the observed interference of three photons, whereby tuning the exchange symmetry with respect to a specific photon pair controls the complete three-photon interference behavior. We show that multiphoton interference can be effectively turned on and off by tuning the symmetry of the constituent pairs. The possibility of accessing and tuning new quantum statistics in a scalable photonic platform not only deepens our understanding of quantum systems but is also highly relevant for quantum technologies that rely on quantum interference.

Source: Physical Review A

DOI: 10.1103/4thx-c9s7

Authors: Shreya Kumar, Alex E. Jones, Daniel Bhatti, Stefanie Barz

Institutions: University of Stuttgart, Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology, University of Bristol, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University

Language: English

Topic: Quantum Information and Cryptography

Subfield: Artificial Intelligence

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,675