Two-photon Interference Effect Research Articles

Two-Photon Interference of Single Photons from Dissimilar Sources

Entanglement swapping and heralding are at the heart of many protocols for distributed quantum information. For photons, this typically involves Bell-state measurements based on two-photon interference effects. In this context, hybrid systems that combine high rate, ultrastable, and pure quantum sources with long-lived quantum memories are particularly interesting. Here, we develop a theoretical description of pulsed two-photon interference of photons from dissimilar sources to predict the outcomes of second-order cross-correlation measurements. These are directly related to, and hence used to quantify, photon indistinguishability. We study their dependence on critical system parameters such as quantum state lifetime and emission frequency, and quantify the impact of time jitter, pure dephasing, and spectral wandering. We show that for a fixed lifetime of one of the two emitters, for each frequency detuning there is an optimal lifetime of the second emitter that leads to the highest photon indistinguishability. Expectations for different hybrid combinations involving III-V semiconductor quantum dots, color centers in diamond, atom-scale defects in two-dimensional materials and neutral atoms are quantitatively compared for real-world system parameters. Our work provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of dissimilar emitters and enables assessment of which imperfections can be tolerated in hybrid photonic quantum networks.

Two-photon interferences of weak coherent lights

Multiphoton interference is an important phenomenon in modern quantum mechanics and experimental quantum optics, and it is fundamental for the development of quantum information science and technologies. Over the last three decades, several theoretical and experimental studies have been performed to understand the essential principles underlying such interference and to explore potential applications. Recently, the two-photon interference (TPI) of phase-randomized weak coherent states has played a key role in the realization of long-distance quantum communication based on the use of classical light sources. In this context, we investigated TPI experiments with weak coherent pulses at the single-photon level and quantitatively analyzed the results in terms of the single- and coincidence-counting rates and one- and two-photon interference-fringe shapes. We experimentally examined the Hong–Ou–Mandel-type TPI of phase-randomized weak coherent pulses to compare the TPI effect with that of correlated photons. Further experiments were also performed with two temporally- and spatially separated weak coherent pulses. Although the observed interference results, including the results of visibility and fringe shape, can be suitably explained by classical intensity correlation, the physics underlying the TPI effect needs to be interpreted as the interference between the two-photon states at the single-photon level within the utilized interferometer. The results of this study can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the TPI of coherent light at the single-photon level.

High-Dimensional Two-Photon Interference Effects in Spatial Modes.

Two-photon interference is a fundamental quantum optics effect with numerous applications in quantum information science. Here, we study two-photon interference in multiple transverse-spatial modes along a single beam-path. Besides implementing the analog of the Hong-Ou-Mandel interference using a two-dimensional spatial-mode splitter, we extend the scheme to observe coalescence and anticoalescence in different three- and four-dimensional spatial-mode multiports. The operation within spatial modes, along a single beam path, lifts the requirement for interferometric stability and opens up new pathways of implementing linear optical networks for complex quantum information tasks.

Attosecond-resolution Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry.

When two indistinguishable photons are each incident on separate input ports of a beamsplitter, they "bunch" deterministically, exiting via the same port as a direct consequence of their bosonic nature. This two-photon interference effect has long-held the potential for application in precision measurement of time delays, such as those induced by transparent specimens with unknown thickness profiles. However, the technique has never achieved resolutions significantly better than the few-femtosecond (micrometer) scale other than in a common-path geometry that severely limits applications. We develop the precision of Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry toward the ultimate limits dictated by statistical estimation theory, achieving few-attosecond (or nanometer path length) scale resolutions in a dual-arm geometry, thus providing access to length scales pertinent to cell biology and monoatomic layer two-dimensional materials.

Two-photon interference of polarization-entangled photons in a Franson interferometer

We present two-photon interference experiments with polarization-entangled photon pairs in a polarization-based Franson-type interferometer. Although the two photons do not meet at a common beamsplitter, a phase-insensitive Hong-Ou-Mandel type two-photon interference peak and dip fringes are observed, resulting from the two-photon interference effect between two indistinguishable two-photon probability amplitudes leading to a coincidence detection. A spatial quantum beating fringe is also measured for nondegenerate photon pairs in the same interferometer, although the two-photon states have no frequency entanglement. When unentangled polarization-correlated photons are used as an input state, the polarization entanglement is successfully recovered through the interferometer via delayed compensation.

Observation of two-photon interference effect with a single non-photon-number resolving detector.

Multiphoton interference effects can be measured with a single detector when two input photons are temporally well separated when compared with the dead time of the single-photon avalanche detector. Here we experimentally demonstrate that the Hong-Ou-Mandel interference effect can be observed with a single non-photon-number resolving detector via a time-delayed coincidence measurement of successive electrical signals from the detector. The two-photon interference experiment is performed by utilizing temporally well-separated pairwise weak coherent pulses, and the interference fringes are successfully measured with high visibility in the range of the limited upper bound for the weak coherent photon source.

Classes of two-photon states defined by linear interactions and destructive two-photon quantum interference in a single mode

We describe a two-photon quantum interference effect which differs from the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect in that the destructive quantum inference occurs on a component of the state where two photons are in a single output mode while maintaining the two-photon events in the alternative mode. This effect is manifestly nonclassical but requires more sophisticated technology to observe than the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect. The theory outlined in this paper can also be used to classify two-photon states into classes which are related by the ability to transform the states within the class by using only linear optical interactions. This theory shows that there is an infinite number of these classes of two photon states when there are two or more modes which can support the photons.

Two-photon quantum interference for an undergraduate lab

We present a simple setup allowing undergraduate students to reproduce the Hong–Ou–Mandel experiment during a half-day labwork session and observe the coalescence of two indistinguishable photons merging on a balanced beamsplitter. This two-photon interference effect, fundamentally related to the bosonic character of the photons, is commonly used in the fields of quantum communication and computing to test the indistinguishability of two single-photon wavepackets. The setup makes use of very few optical elements and requires little alignement that can be performed by students themselves. It allows them to gather essential experimental skills related to parametric crystals, fibre optics and single-photon detection, and to transpose abstract concepts of quantum physics to a hands-on experiment in the lab.

Super-resolved optical lithography with phase controlled source

Recently, we have demonstrated that second-order subwavelength interference could be realized in an optical lithography scheme with an effective entangled source [P. Hong and G. Zhang, Phys. Rev. A 88, 043838 (2013)]. In this paper, by considering the correlation function in both the source plane and observation plane, we show how the coherence property of such a source is controlled via introduction of random-phase correlation, which finally affects the two-photon interference effect observed in the far-field plane. Furthermore, by introducing different but similar random-phase correlations, we generalize the phase controlled source with particular high-order coherence properties to obtain higher-order subwavelength interference, i.e., high-order super-resolved optical lithography. These results show the importance of phase control in generating a light field with particular high-order coherence properties.

Classical-to-quantum transition with broadband four-wave mixing.

A key question of quantum optics is how nonclassical biphoton correlations at low power evolve into classical coherence at high power. Direct observation of the crossover from quantum to classical behavior is desirable, but difficult due to the lack of adequate experimental techniques that cover the ultrawide dynamic range in photon flux from the single photon regime to the classical level. We investigate biphoton correlations within the spectrum of light generated by broadband four-wave mixing over a large dynamic range of ∼80 dB in photon flux across the classical-to-quantum transition using a two-photon interference effect that distinguishes between classical and quantum behavior. We explore the quantum-classical nature of the light by observing the interference contrast dependence on internal loss and demonstrate quantum collapse and revival of the interference when the four-wave mixing gain in the fiber becomes imaginary.

How nonlinear optical effects degrade Hong–Ou–Mandel like interference

Two-photon interference effects, such as the Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) effect, can be used to characterize to what extent two photons are identical [20]. Furthermore, these interference effects underly linear optics quantum computation. We show here how nonlinear optical effects, such as those mediated by atoms or quantum dots in a cavity, degrade the interference. This implies that, on the one hand, nonlinearities are to be avoided if one wishes to utilize the interference, but on the other hand, one may be able to measure or detect nonlinearities by observing the disappearance of the interference.

High visibility two-photon interference with classical light

Two-photon interference with independent classical sources, in which superposition of two indistinguishable two-photon paths plays a key role, is of limited visibility with a maximum value of 50%. By using a random-phase grating to modulate the wavefront of a coherent light, we introduce superposition of multiple indistinguishable two-photon paths, which enhances the two-photon interference effect with a signature of visibility exceeding 50%. The result shows the importance of phase control in the control of high-order coherence of classical light.

Observation of temporal beating in first- and second-order intensity measurement between independent Raman Stokes fields in atomic vapor

By using spontaneous Raman processes in the high-gain regime, we produce two independent Raman Stokes fields from an atomic ensemble. Temporal beating is observed between the two directly generated Stokes fields in a single realization. The beat frequency is found to be a result of an ac Stark frequency shift effect. However, due to the spontaneous nature of the process, the phases of the two Stokes fields change from one realization to another so that the beat signal disappears after averaging over many realizations. On the other hand, the beat signal is recovered in an intensity correlation measurement, showing a two-photon interference effect. The beat signal in intensity correlation enables us to obtain dephasing information in the Raman process. The dephasing effect is found to depend on the temperature of the atomic medium.

Optical analog of population trapping in the continuum: Classical and quantum interference effects

A quantum theory of light propagation in two optical channel waveguides tunnelling-coupled to a common continuum of modes (such as those of a slab waveguide) is presented, and classical and quantum interference effects are investigated. For classical light, the photonic system realizes an optical analogue of coherent population trapping in the continuum encountered in atomic physics, where destructive interference between different light leakage channels leads to the appearance of a trapped state embedded in the continuum. For nonclassical light, two-photon interference effects are predicted, such as the tendency of photon pairs to bunch when decaying into the continuum.

Observation of quantum interference between a single-photon state and a thermal state generated in optical fibers

We experimentally demonstrate a Hong-Ou-Mandel type of two-photon interference effect with a heralded single-photon state and a thermal state. The light sources in the 1550 nm telecom band are generated from two independent dispersion-shifted fibers via four-wave mixing process. The observed visibility is (82+/- 11)%. This type of interference between independent sources is crucial in quantum information process with independent qubits.

Temporal coherence and indistinguishability in two-photon interference effects

We show that temporal two-photon interference effects involving the signal and idler photons created by parametric down-conversion can be fully characterized in terms of the variations of two length parameters---called the biphoton path-length difference and the biphoton path-asymmetry-length difference---which we construct using the six different length parameters that a general two-photon interference experiment involves. We perform an experiment in which the effects of the variations of these two parameters can be independently controlled and studied. In our experimental setup, which does not involve mixing of signal and idler photons at a beam splitter, we further report observations of Hong-Ou-Mandel- (HOM-)like effects both in coincidence and in one-photon count rates. As an important consequence, we argue that the HOM and the HOM-like effects are best described as observations of how two-photon coherence changes as a function of the biphoton path-asymmetry-length difference.

“Spreading” of a biphoton in a group-velocity-dispersion medium and two-photon interference

It is shown that two-photon Bell states can be prepared by “spreading” of a two-photon wave packet (biphoton) in a dispersive medium without compensating for group delays between photons with orthogonal polarizations or using narrow-band filters but by selecting the time correlation function. This is possible because two-photon interference effects are manifested in the shape of the time correlation function of intensity due to its spreading.

Observation of nonclassical photon statistics due to quantum interference.

Phase-dependent photon statistics is observed in the mixed field of a narrow band two-photon source and a coherent field. At a certain phase, the nonclassical effect of photon antibunching occurs while at another the photon bunching effect appears. Furthermore, we observed a novel nonclassical phenomenon that exhibits more complex structure. The different features in photon statistics are attributed to a two-photon interference effect.

Quantum Interference by Two Temporally Distinguishable Pulses

We report a two-photon interference effect, in which the entangled photon pairs are generated from two laser pulses well-separated in time. In a single pump pulse case, interference effects did not occur in our experimental scheme. However, by introducing a second pump pulse delayed in time, quantum interference was then observed. The visibility of the interference fringes shows a dependence on the delay time between two laser pulses. The results are explained in terms of indistinguishability of biphoton amplitudes which originates from two temporally separated laser pulses.

Quantum Interference by Two Temporally Distinguishable Pulses

We report a two-photon interference effect, in which the entangled photon pairs are generated from two laser pulses well-separated in time. In a single pump pulse case, interference effects did not occur in our experimental scheme. However, by introducing a second pump pulse delayed in time, quantum interference was then observed. The visibility of the interference fringes shows a dependence on the delay time between two laser pulses. The results are explained in terms of indistinguishability of biphoton amplitudes which originates from two temporally separated laser pulses.