M. V. Chekhova

A versatile source of single photons for quantum information processing

The generation of high-quality single-photon states with controllable narrow spectral bandwidths and central frequencies is key to facilitate efficient coupling of any atomic system to non-classical light fields. Such an interaction is essential in numerous experiments for fundamental science and applications in quantum communication and information processing, as well as in quantum metrology. Here we implement a fully tunable, narrow-band and efficient single-photon source based on a whispering gallery mode resonator. Our disk-shaped, monolithic and intrinsically stable resonator is made of lithium niobate and supports a cavity-assisted spontaneous parametric down-conversion process. The generated photon pairs are emitted into two highly tunable resonator modes. We verify wavelength tuning over 100 nm of both modes with controllable bandwidth between 7.2 and 13 MHz. Heralding of single photons yields anti-bunching with g(2)(0)<0.2.

High-visibility, high-order lensless ghost imaging with thermal light

High-visibility Nth-order ghost imaging with thermal light has been realized by recording only the intensities in two optical paths in a lensless setup. It is shown that the visibility is dramatically enhanced as the order N increases, but longer integration times are required owing to the increased fluctuations of higher-order intensity correlation functions. It is also demonstrated that the required integration time for a good image depends on the partition ratio of the intensities on the two detectors and the complexity of the object.

Accessing higher order correlations in quantum optical states by time multiplexing.

We experimentally measured higher order normalized correlation functions (nCF) of pulsed light with a time-multiplexing-detector. We demonstrate excellent performance of our device by verifying unity valued nCF up to the eighth order for coherent light, and factorial dependence of the nCF for pseudothermal light. We applied our measurement technique to a type-II parametric downconversion source to investigate mutual two-mode correlation properties and ascertain nonclassicality.

Polarization state of a biphoton: Quantum ternary logic

Polarization state of biphoton light generated via collinear frequency-degenerate spontaneous parametric down-conversion is considered. A biphoton is described by a three-component polarization vector, its arbitrary transformations relating to the SU(3) group. A subset of such transformations, available with retardation plates, is realized experimentally. In particular, two independent orthogonally polarized beams of type-I biphotons are transformed into a beam of type-II biphotons. Polarized biphotons are suggested as ternary analogs of two-state quantum systems (qubits).

Systematic analysis of signal-to-noise ratio in bipartite ghost imaging with classical and quantum light

We present a complete and exhaustive theory of signal-to-noiseratio in bipartite ghost imaging with classical (thermal) and quantum (twin beams) light. The theory is compared with experiment for both twin beams and thermal light in a certain regime of interest.

Two-color bright squeezed vacuum

In a strongly pumped nondegenerate traveling-wave optical parametric amplifier, we produce a two-color squeezed vacuum with up to millions of photons per pulse. Our approach to registering this macroscopic quantum state is direct detection of a large number of transverse and longitudinal modes, which is achieved by making the detection time and area much larger than the coherence time and area, respectively. Using this approach, we obtain a record value of twin-beam squeezing for direct detection of bright squeezed vacuum. This makes direct detection of macroscopic squeezed vacuum a practical tool for quantum information applications.

Experimental entanglement concentration and universal Bell-state synthesizer

We report a Bell-state synthesizer in which an interferometric entanglement concentration scheme is used. An initially mixed polarization state from type-II spontaneous parametric down-conversion becomes entangled after the interferometric entanglement concentration. This Bell-state synthesizer is universal in the sense that the output polarization state is not affected by spectral filtering, crystal thickness, and, most importantly, the choice of pump source. It is also robust against environmental disturbance and a more general state, partially mixed-partially entangled state, can be readily generated as well.

High-visibility multiphoton interference of Hanbury Brown–Twiss type for classical light

Difference-phase (or Hanbury Brown\char21{}Twiss type) intensity interference of classical light is considered in higher orders in the intensity. It is shown that, while the visibility of sum-phase (NOON-type) interference for classical sources drops with the order of interference, the visibility of difference-phase interference has opposite behavior. For three-photon and four-photon interference of two coherent sources, the visibility can be as high as 81.8% and 94.4%, respectively. High-visibility three-photon and four-photon interference of space-time and polarization types has been observed in experiment, for both coherent and pseudothermal light.

Generation and direct detection of broadband mesoscopic polarization-squeezed vacuum.

Using a traveling-wave optical parametric amplifier with two orthogonally oriented type-I BBO crystals pumped by picosecond pulses, we generate vertically and horizontally polarized squeezed vacuum states within a broad frequency-angular range. Depending on the phase between these states, fluctuations in one or another Stokes parameter are suppressed below the shot-noise limit. Because of the large number of photon pairs produced, no local oscillator is required, and 3 dB squeezing is observed by means of direct detection.

Possibility of absolute calibration of analog detectors by using parametric downconversion: a systematic study

Prompted by the need for various studies ranging from quantum information to foundations of quantum mechanics, we systematically study the possibility of the absolute calibration of analog photodetectors based on the properties of parametric amplifiers. Our results show that such a method can be effectively developed with interesting possible applications in metrology.