Standard Homodyne Research Articles

Correlation measurement of squeezed light

We study the implementation of a correlation measurement technique for the characterization of squeezed light which is nearly free of electronic noise. With two different sources of squeezed light, we show that the sign of the covariance coefficient, revealed from the time-resolved correlation data, is witnessing the presence of squeezing in the system. Furthermore, we estimate the degree of squeezing using the correlation method and compare it to the standard homodyne measurement scheme. We show that the role of electronic detector noise is minimized using the correlation approach as opposed to homodyning where it often becomes a crucial issue.

Partial k‐space reconstruction in single‐shot diffusion‐weighted echo‐planar imaging

Partial k-space sampling is frequently used in single-shot diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (DW-EPI) to reduce the TE and thereby improve the SNR. However, it increases the sensitivity of the technique to bulk rotational motion, which introduces a phase gradient across the tissue that shifts the echo in k-space. If the echo is displaced into the high spatial frequencies, conventional homodyne reconstruction fails, causing intensity oscillations across the image. Zero-padding, on the other hand, compromises the image resolution and may cause truncation artifacts. We present an adaptive version of the homodyne algorithm that detects the location of the echo in k-space and adjusts the center and width of the homodyne filters accordingly. The adaptive algorithm produces artifact-free images when the echo is shifted into the high positive k-space range, and reduces to the standard homodyne algorithm in the absence of bulk motion.

Verifying continuous-variable entanglement of intense light pulses

Three different methods have been discussed to verify continuous variable entanglement of intense light beams. We demonstrate all three methods using the same setup to facilitate the comparison. The nonlinearity used to generate entanglement is the Kerr effect in optical fibers. Due to the brightness of the entangled pulses, standard homodyne detection is not an appropriate tool for the verification. However, we show that by using large asymmetric interferometers on each beam individually, two noncommuting variables can be accessed and the presence of entanglement verified via joint measurements on the two beams. Alternatively, we witness entanglement by combining the two beams on a beam splitter that yields certain linear combinations of quadrature amplitudes which suffice to prove the presence of entanglement.

A planar hybrid transceiving mixer at 76.5GHz for automotive radar applications

Abstract. A growing number of applications for radar systems in automobiles demands for low-cost radar front-ends. A planar monostatic radar front-end is particularly suited for low cost applications as it uses only one antenna for transmission and reception and, thus, minimizes the needed chip area. Generally, in a standard homodyne radar a radio-frequency (RF) signal generated by an oscillator is used for both, the transmitted signal and the local oscillator (LO). Well controlled distribution of the input power between antenna and mixer is crucial. A transceiving mixer at 76.5GHz is presented, where this distribution is done by use of a rat-race coupler. In a conventional transceiver the oscillator signal is split into the transmitted and in the LO signal by a directional coupler. A second directional coupler is needed in order to merge the received and the LO signal at the mixer. In our design the purpose of splitting and merging the signals is realized with only one coupler. Elimination of the second coupler reduces losses significantly. The received signal is down-converted to the intermediate frequency (IF) by use of a balanced mixer. For small relative speed in a CW-Doppler-radar or short distance in a FMCWradar the IF is very small. Therefore 1/f noise is a significant value. In order to achieve good 1/f noise characteristics, Schottky diodes were used. The diodes were flip-chip bonded onto a microstrip circuit on a Al2O3 substrate. \\ The assembled transceiver was measured on-waver. An input power of 7 dBm was applied. The measured output power was 3 dBm and the conversion loss 9 dB. A noise figure of 15.3 dB was measured at 100 kHz.