Photon Statistics Research Articles

Symmetries and wave functions of photons confined in three-dimensional photonic band gap superlattices

We perform a computational study of confined photonic states that appear in a three-dimensional (3D) superlattice of coupled cavities, resulting from a superstructure of intentional defects. The states are isolated from the vacuum by a 3D photonic band gap, using a diamondlike inverse woodpile crystal structure, and they exhibit “Cartesian” hopping of photons in high-symmetry directions. We investigate the confinement dimensionality to verify which states are fully 3D-confined, using a recently developed scaling theory to analyze the influence of the structural parameters of the 3D crystal. We create confinement maps that trace the frequencies of 3D-confined bands for select combinations of key structural parameters, namely the pore radii of the underlying regular crystal and of the defect pores. We find that a certain minimum difference between the regular and defect pore radii is necessary for 3D-confined bands to appear, and that an increasing difference between the defect pore radii from the regular radii supports more 3D-confined bands. In our analysis, we find that their symmetries and spatial distributions are more varied than electronic orbitals known from solid-state physics. We surmise that this difference occurs since the confined photonic orbitals derive from global Bloch states governed by the underlying superlattice structure, whereas single-atom orbitals are localized. Based on this realization, we suggest that the extent symmetries of “photonic orbitals” could possibly translate to novel macroscopic behaviors of “photonic solid-state matter,” never before seen in the standard electronic solid-state systems. We also discover pairs of degenerate 3D-confined bands with p-like orbital shapes and mirror symmetries matching the symmetry of the superlattice. Finally, we investigate the enhancement of the local density of optical states for cavity quantum electrodynamics applications. We find that donorlike superlattices, i.e., where the defect pores are smaller than the regular pores, provide greater enhancement in the air region than acceptorlike structures with larger defect pores, and thus offer better prospects for doping with quantum dots and ultimately for 3D networks of single photons steered across strongly coupled cavities. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Violation of Bell inequality by photon scattering on a two-level emitter

Entanglement, the non-local correlations present in multipartite quantum systems, is a key resource for quantum technologies. It is therefore a major priority to develop simple and energy-efficient methods for generating high-fidelity entangled states. In the case of light, entanglement can be realized by interactions with matter but the required nonlinear interaction is often impractically weak. Here we show how a single two-level emitter deterministically coupled to light in a nanophotonic waveguide can be used to realize photonic quantum entanglement by excitation at the single-photon level. Efficient optical coupling enables mediation of two-photon interactions by the emitter, creating a strong nonlinearity that leads to entanglement. We experimentally verify energy–time entanglement by violating a Bell inequality in an interferometric measurement of the two-photon scattering response. The on-chip two-level emitter acts as a passive scatterer, so that no advanced spin control is required. As such, our method may provide a more efficient approach to synthesizing photonic entangled states for quantum simulators or metrology.

Photon correlations in the collective emission of hybrid gold-(CdSe/CdS/CdZnS) nanocrystal supraparticles

We investigate the photon statistics of the light emitted by single self-assembled hybrid gold-CdSe/CdS/CdZnS colloidal nanocrystal supraparticles through the detailed analysis of the intensity autocorrelation function g (2)(τ). We first reveal that, despite the large number of nanocrystals involved in the supraparticle emission, antibunching can be observed. We then present a model based on non-coherent Förster energy transfer and Auger recombination that well captures photon antibunching. Finally, we demonstrate that some supraparticles exhibit a bunching effect at short time scales corresponding to coherent collective emission.

First-order optical coherence of photonic-dimer coherent states.

Photon-photon correlations assume a pivotal significance in optical coherence. Recently, a new, to the best of our knowledge, type of quantum photonic states, the coherent state of photonic dimers, has been introduced, wherein the fundamental building blocks are two-photon bound states, instead of individual photons as in conventional lasers. In this Letter, we investigate the first-order coherence properties of the photonic-dimer coherent states, as well as the interference patterns in a double-slit interferometer setup, and compare with the coherence properties of other optical light sources, e.g., the conventional laser and the thermal light.

Room temperature quantum emitters in aluminum nitride epilayers on silicon

Room temperature quantum emitters have been reported in aluminum nitride grown on sapphire, but until now they have not been observed in epilayers grown on silicon. We report that epitaxial aluminum nitride grown on silicon by either plasma vapor deposition or metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy contains point-like emitters in the red to near-infrared part of the spectrum. We study the photon statistics and polarization of emission at a wavelength of 700–750 nm, showing signatures of quantized electronic states under pulsed and CW optical excitation. The discovery of quantum emitters in a material deposited directly on silicon can drive integration using industry standard 300 mm wafers, established complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor control electronics, and low marginal-cost mass-manufacturing.

Derivation of Bose's Entropy Spectral Density from the Multiplicity of Energy Eigenvalues.

The modern textbook analysis of the thermal state of photons inside a three-dimensional reflective cavity is based on the three quantum numbers that characterize photon's energy eigenvalues coming out when the boundary conditions are imposed. The crucial passage from the quantum numbers to the continuous frequency is operated by introducing a three-dimensional continuous version of the three discrete quantum numbers, which leads to the energy spectral density and to the entropy spectral density. This standard analysis obscures the role of the multiplicity of energy eigenvalues associated to the same eigenfrequency. In this paper we review the past derivations of Bose's entropy spectral density and present a new analysis of energy spectral density and entropy spectral density based on the multiplicity of energy eigenvalues. Our analysis explicitly defines the eigenfrequency distribution of energy and entropy and uses it as a starting point for the passage from the discrete eigenfrequencies to the continuous frequency.

Increasing quantum communication rates using hyperentangled photonic states

Quantum communication is based on the generation of quantum states and exploitation of quantum resources for communication protocols. Currently, photons are considered as the optimal carriers of information, because they enable long-distance transition with resilience to decoherence and they are relatively easy to create and detect. Entanglement is a fundamental resource for quantum communication and information processing, and it is of particular importance for quantum repeaters. Hyperentanglement, a state where parties are entangled with two or more degrees of freedom (DoFs) simultaneously, provides an important additional resource because it increases data rates and enhances error resilience. However, in photonics, the channel capacity, i.e., the ultimate throughput, is fundamentally limited when dealing with linear elements. We propose a technique for achieving higher transmission rates for quantum communication by using hyperentangled states, based on multiplexing multiple DoFs on a single photon, transmitting the photon, and eventually demultiplexing the DoFs to different photons at the destination, using Bell state measurements. Following our scheme, one can generate two entangled qubit pairs by sending only a single photon. The proposed transmission scheme lays the groundwork for novel quantum communication protocols with higher transmission rates and refined control over scalable quantum technologies.

Efficient qudit based scheme for photonic quantum computing

Linear optics is a promising alternative for the realization of quantum computation protocols due to the recent advancements in integrated photonic technology. In this context, usually qubit based quantum circuits are considered, however, photonic systems naturally allow also for d-ary, i.e., qudit based, algorithms. This work investigates qudits defined by the possible photon number states of a single photon in d > 2 optical modes. We demonstrate how to construct locally optimal non-deterministic many-qudit gates using linear optics and photon number resolving detectors, and explore the use of qudit cluster states in the context of a d-ary optimization problem. We find that the qudit cluster states require less optical modes and are encoded by a fewer number of entangled photons than the qubit cluster states with similar computational capabilities. We illustrate the benefit of our qudit scheme by applying it to the k-coloring problem.

Photon statistics analysis of h-BN quantum emitters with pulsed and continuous-wave excitation

We report on the quantum photon statistics of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) quantum emitters by analyzing the Mandel Q parameter. We have measured the Mandel Q parameter for h-BN quantum emitters under various temperature and pump power excitation conditions. Under pulsed excitation, we can achieve a Mandel Q of −0.002, and under continuous-wave excitation, this parameter can reach −0.0025. We investigate the effect of cryogenic temperatures on Mandel Q and conclude that the photon statistics vary weakly with temperature. Through the calculation of spontaneous emission from an excited two-level emitter model, we demonstrate good agreement between the measured and calculated Mandel Q parameters when accounting for the experimental photon collection efficiency. Finally, we illustrate the usefulness of Mandel Q in quantum applications by the example of random number generation and analyze the effect of Mandel Q on the speed of generating random bits via this method.

Observation of photonic chiral edge states in penrose quasicrystals

Photonic chiral edge states with one-way propagation and robust topological protection are hallmark features of photonic Chern insulators. To date, photonic chiral edge states have been observed in two-dimensional (2D) periodic and amorphous gyromagnetic photonic crystals. Recent theoretical studies reveal that photonic chiral edge states can also exist in 2D Penrose quasicrystals with long-range order but lack translational symmetry. Here, we report the first experimental observation of photonic chiral edge states in a 2D Penrose-tiled gyromagnetic photonic quasicrystal. By using microwave measurements, we observe a complete photonic band gap in the Penrose photonic quasicrystal despite the absence of bulk Bloch bands in momentum space. Moreover, we directly observe unidirectional backscattering-immune photonic chiral edge states within the photonic bandgap of the 2D Penrose quasicrystal. These results broaden our understanding of photonic chiral edge states and provide a new platform for exploring the intriguing properties of topological photonic quasicrystals.

Near-visible topological edge states in a silicon nitride platform

Demonstrations of topological photonics have so far largely been confined to infrared wavelengths where imaging technology and access to low-dimensional quantum materials are both limited. Here, we designed and fabricated silicon nitride ring-resonator arrays to demonstrate photonic topological edge states at ∼780 nm. We observed edge states corresponding to the integer quantum Hall Hamiltonian with topological protection against fabrication disorder. This demonstration extends the concept of topological edge states to the near-visible regime and paves the way for nonlinear and non-Hermitian topological photonics with the rich library of near-visible quantum emitters.

Deterministic Generation of Qudit Photonic Graph States from Quantum Emitters

We propose and analyze deterministic protocols to generate qudit photonic graph states from quantum emitters. We show that our approach can be applied to generate any qudit graph state and we exemplify it by constructing protocols to generate one- and two-dimensional qudit cluster states, absolutely maximally entangled states, and logical states of quantum error-correcting codes. Some of these protocols make use of time-delayed feedback, while others do not. The only additional resource requirement compared to the qubit case is the ability to control multilevel emitters. These results significantly broaden the range of multiphoton entangled states that can be produced deterministically from quantum emitters. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Strong coupling-induced frequency shifts of highly detuned photonic modes in multimode cavities.

Strong coupling between light and molecules is a fascinating topic exploring the implications of the hybridization of photonic and molecular states. For example, many recent experiments have explored the possibility that strong coupling of photonic and vibrational modes might modify chemical reaction rates. In these experiments, reactants are introduced into a planar cavity, and the vibrational mode of a chemical bond strongly couples to one of the many photonic modes supported by the cavity. Some experiments quantify reaction rates by tracking the spectral shift of higher-order cavity modes that are highly detuned from the vibrational mode of the reactant. Here, we show that the spectral position of these cavity modes, even though they are highly detuned, can still be influenced by strong coupling. We highlight the need to consider this strong coupling-induced frequency shift of cavity modes if one is to avoid underestimating cavity-induced reaction rate changes. We anticipate that our work will assist in the re-analysis of several high-profile results and has implications for the design of future strong coupling experiments.

Research Progress of Single-Photon Emitters Based on Two-Dimensional Materials.

From quantum communications to quantum computing, single-photon emitters (SPEs) are essential components of numerous quantum technologies. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have especially been found to be highly attractive for the research into nanoscale light-matter interactions. In particular, localized photonic states at their surfaces have attracted great attention due to their enormous potential applications in quantum optics. Recently, SPEs have been achieved in various 2D materials, while the challenges still remain. This paper reviews the recent research progress on these SPEs based on various 2D materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), and twisted-angle 2D materials. Additionally, we summarized the strategies to create, position, enhance, and tune the emission wavelength of these emitters by introducing external fields into these 2D system. For example, pronounced enhancement of the SPEs' properties can be achieved by coupling with external fields, such as the plasmonic field, and by locating in optical microcavities. Finally, this paper also discusses current challenges and offers perspectives that could further stimulate scientific research in this field. These emitters, due to their unique physical properties and integration potential, are highly appealing for applications in quantum information and communication, as well as other physical and technological fields.

Fluorescence lifetime of plant leaves with sub-nanosecond resolution

The study aimed to develop a measurement apparatus for in vivo chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) fluorescence decay measurements of plants by means of time correlated single photon counting. In this approach, sub-nanosecond laser pulses with a repetition rate of 10 MHz are applied to excite the sample, followed by the analysis of arrival times of the emitted fluorescence photons. Photon statistics are generated by iteratively fitting the sum of two exponential functions. The tool was tested on both plastid and in vivo leaf samples of Savoy cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. sabauda) with 3–4 subsequent leaves giving a complete sample coverage starting from the outermost. The Chl-a fluorescence lifetime exhibited a gradual increase in both the isolated plastid suspensions and the in vivo leaf samples towards the innermost leaf layers explained by an increase of natural absence of light (etiolation syndrome). Furthermore, cadmium stress and iron deficiency were investigated on treated sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) samples in vivo using TCSPS measurements. The reduced fluorescence quenching resulted in an increased fluorescence lifetime. Finally, a long-term (10 week) testing of the setup was carried out on Chl-retaining resurrection Haberlea rhodopensis plants protecting themselves by an elevated non-photochemical quenching yielding a decrease of fluorescence lifetime during their desiccation.

Topological Photonic Chiral Mode Converters

AbstractTopological photonic states are immune to structural defects and perturbations, which are considered as a promising solution for realizing robust integrated optical devices. As an essential photonic component, the chiral mode converter, which can directionally switch the modes of photonic states, plays a key role in integrated photonics. However, there is no way to realize topological photonic chiral mode converters. Here, a method is proposed to realize topological photonic chiral mode converters by dynamically encircling exceptional points in topological photonic systems. The device can directionally switch modes of topological photonic states and endow the mode converter with topology protection. Chiral dynamic behavior emerges between the two topological states due to the nonadiabatic transitions within the non‐Hermitian topological photonic system. The topological photonic chiral mode converter is robust against random perturbations of coupling strengths. The realization of a topological chiral mode converter endows topology protection into traditional photonic devices and will promote the practical applications of topological photonic states, such as mode multiplexers and optical isolators.

Tailored Triggering of High-Quality Multi-Dimensional Coupled Topological States in Valley Photonic Crystals

The combination of higher-order topological insulators and valley photonic crystals has recently aroused extensive attentions due to the great potential in flexible and efficient optical field manipulations. Here, we computationally propose a photonic device for the 1550 nm communication band, in which the topologically protected electromagnetic modes with high quality can be selectively triggered and modulated on demand. Through introducing two valley photonic crystal units without any structural alteration, we successfully achieve multi-dimensional coupled topological states thanks to the diverse electromagnetic characteristics of two valley edge states. According to the simulations, the constructed topological photonic devices can realize Fano lines on the spectrum and show high-quality localized modes by tuning the coupling strength between the zero-dimensional valley corner states and the one-dimensional valley edge states. Furthermore, we extend the valley-locked properties of edge states to higher-order valley topological insulators, where the selected corner states can be directionally excited by chiral source. More interestingly, we find that the modulation of multi-dimensional coupled photonic topological states with pseudospin dependence become more efficient compared with those uncoupled modes. This work presents a valuable approach for multi-dimensional optical field manipulation, which may support potential applications in on-chip integrated nanophotonic devices.

Photon counting based pump-probe technique for quantitative characterization of fluorescence in a lock-in free detection manner

The stimulated emission (SE) signal in pump-probe experiment is conventionally measured with lock-in detection to differentiate the weak signals from the relatively large background of spontaneous emission and probe beam. Therefore, direct characterization of signal strength are often major limiting factors in terms of noise, speed, and data acquisition. In contrast, photon counting allows direct quantification of signal strength, while synchronized pump-probe pulse enables precise timing and the separation of signals accordingly. Herein, the SE based pump-probe method is combined with time-correlated single-photon counting to investigate the ultrafast photochemical parameters, digitally and quantitatively. As a proof-of-concept, our technique is applied to investigate, fluorescence lifetime (τ)∼3.71ns , optical absorption cross-section (σabs)∼1.23×10−16cm2 , and the SE cross-section (σSE)∼2.22×10−17cm2 , of a fluorescent dye (ATTO 647N) quantitatively. The experimental results are also compared with theoretical photon statistics to further justify the advantages including experimental and statistical critical molecular dynamics parameters extraction with excellent high accuracy.

Super-resolution and super-sensitivity of quantum LiDAR with a multi-photonic state and binary outcome photon counting measurement

Here, we are investigating the enhancement in resolution and phase sensitivity of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) based quantum LiDAR. We are using a multi-photonic state (MPS), superposition of four coherent states [Int. J. Quantum Inf. 19, 2150013 (2021)0219-749910.1142/S0219749921500131], as the input state and binary outcome parity photon counting measurement and binary outcome zero non-zero photon counting measurement as the measurement schemes. We have thoroughly investigated the results in lossless as well as lossy cases. We found enhancement in resolution and phase sensitivity in comparison to the coherent state and even coherent superposition state (ECSS) based quantum LiDAR. Our analysis shows that MPS may be an alternative nonclassical resource in the field of quantum imaging and quantum sensing technologies, like in quantum LiDAR.

Anti-Jaynes–Cummings interaction of a two-level atom with squeezed light: photon statistics, atomic population inversion and entropy of entanglement

Anti-Jaynes–Cummings interaction of a two-level atom with squeezed light: photon statistics, atomic population inversion and entropy of entanglement