Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1311.5037 · Physical Review A

Time-reversed two-photon interferometry for phase superresolution

Kazuhisa Ogawa, Shuhei Tamate, H. Kobayashi, Toshihiro Nakanishi, Masao Kitano

Published Dec 5, 2013• 9 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We observed two-photon phase superresolution in an unbalanced Michelson interferometer with classical Gaussian laser pulses. Our work is a time-reversed version of a two-photon interference experiment using an unbalanced Michelson interferometer. A measured interferogram exhibits two-photon phase superresolution with a high visibility of $97.9%\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4%$. Its coherence length is about 22 times longer than that of the input laser pulses. It is a classical analog to the large difference between the one- and two-photon coherence lengths of entangled photon pairs.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.88.063813

Related papers

Time-resolved dual-beam two-photon interferences with high visibility

Jurgen Brendel, Ernst Mohler, W. Martienssen

We perform a two-photon interference experiment in a Michelson interferometer with photon pairs produced by spontaneous parametric down-conversion. The interferometer is set to a path difference much larger than the coherence length of the light field. Application of a time-resolved coincidence detection scheme reveals two-photon interference fringes with a visibility of 87%. This high visibility clearly demonstrates the nonclassical nature of the observed interference and should allow further spin-free tests of Bell's inequalities.

Physical Review Letters•Mar 4, 1991•146 citations

EPR experiment and 2-photon interferometry: Report of a 2-photon interference experiment

Yanhua H. Shih, Morton H. Rubin, Alexander V. Sergienko

After a very brief review of the historical Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen (EPR) experiments, a new two-photon interference type EPR experiment is reported. A two-photon state was generated by optical parametric down conversion. Pairs of light quanta with degenerate frequency but divergent directions of propagation were sent to two independent Michelson interferometers. First and second order interference effectors were studied. Different than other reports, we observed that the second order interference visibility vanished when the optical path difference of the interferometers were much less than the coherence length of the pumping laser beam. However, we also observed that the second order interference behaved differently depending on whether the interferometers were set at equal or different optical path differences.

•Feb 1, 1992•0 citations

Coherence measurements with the two-photon Michelson interferometer

Dorilian Lopez-Mago, Lukáš Novotný

The interference of entangled photon pairs permits the study of the fundamental properties of quantum mechanics. The process is also finding practical applications in optical imaging. The Michelson interferometer provides an elegant means for characterizing the degree of two-photon entanglement, but the technique has not yet been described and analyzed in detail. Here we provide a full description of the interference of collinear down-converted photons in a Michelson interferometer. We explain the basic elements that characterize the interference pattern and complement the theory with experimental measurements. The two-photon Michelson interferometer can be used in quantum optical coherence tomography for dispersion-free imaging and localization.

Physical Review A•Aug 14, 2012•26 citations

Two-photon interference of temporally separated photons

Heonoh Kim, Sang Min Lee, Han Seb Moon

We present experimental demonstrations of two-photon interference involving temporally separated photons within two types of interferometers: a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a polarization-based Michelson interferometer. The two-photon states are probabilistically prepared in a symmetrically superposed state within the two interferometer arms by introducing a large time delay between two input photons; this state is composed of two temporally separated photons, which are in two different or the same spatial modes. We then observe two-photon interference fringes involving both the Hong-Ou-Mandel interference effect and the interference of path-entangled two-photon states simultaneously in a single interferometric setup. The observed two-photon interference fringes provide simultaneous observation of the interferometric properties of the single-photon and two-photon wavepackets. The observations can also facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the origins of the interference phenomena arising from spatially bunched/anti-bunched two-photon states comprised of two temporally separated photons within the interferometer arms.

arXiv:1607.03678•Scientific Reports•Oct 6, 2016•32 citations

New High-Efficiency Source of Photon Pairs for Engineering Quantum Entanglement

Kaoru Sanaka, Karin Kawahara, Takahiro Kuga

We constructed an efficient source of photon pairs using a waveguide-type nonlinear device and performed a two-photon interference experiment with an unbalanced Michelson interferometer. As the interferometer has two arms of different lengths, photons from the short arm arrive at the detector earlier than those from the long arm. We find that the arrival time difference (Delta L/c) and the time window of the coincidence counter (Delta T) are important parameters which determine the boundary between the classical and quantum regimes. Fringes of high visibility ( 80% +/- 10%) were observed when Delta T < Delta L/c. This result is explained only by quantum theory and is clear evidence for quantum entanglement of the interferometer's optical paths.

arXiv:quant-ph/0012028•Physical Review Letters•Jun 11, 2001•110 citations

The Role of Pump Coherence in a Two-photon Interference Experiment

Junlin Liang, S. M. Hendrickson, T. B. Pittman

We perform a parametric down-conversion two-photon interference experiment using two unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometers and a short-coherence-length continuous-wave pump. The experiment explores the role of the pump coherence in two-photon interferometry.

Frontiers in Optics•Jan 1, 2010•0 citations
We observed two-photon phase superresolution in an unbalanced Michelson interferometer with classical Gaussian laser pulses. Our work is a time-reversed version of a two-photon interference experiment using an unbalanced Michelson interferometer. A measured interferogram exhibits two-photon phase superresolution with a high visibility of 97.997.9%\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4%97.9. Its coherence length is about 22 times longer than that of the input laser pulses. It is a classical analog to the large difference between the one- and two-photon coherence lengths of entangled photon pairs.
We perform a two-photon interference experiment in a Michelson interferometer with photon pairs produced by spontaneous parametric down-conversion. The interferometer is set to a path difference much larger than the coherence length of the light field. Application of a time-resolved coincidence detection scheme reveals two-photon interference fringes with a visibility of 87%. This high visibility clearly demonstrates the nonclassical nature of the observed interference and should allow further spin-free tests of Bell's inequalities.
After a very brief review of the historical Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen (EPR) experiments, a new two-photon interference type EPR experiment is reported. A two-photon state was generated by optical parametric down conversion. Pairs of light quanta with degenerate frequency but divergent directions of propagation were sent to two independent Michelson interferometers. First and second order interference effectors were studied. Different than other reports, we observed that the second order interference visibility vanished when the optical path difference of the interferometers were much less than the coherence length of the pumping laser beam. However, we also observed that the second order interference behaved differently depending on whether the interferometers were set at equal or different optical path differences.
The interference of entangled photon pairs permits the study of the fundamental properties of quantum mechanics. The process is also finding practical applications in optical imaging. The Michelson interferometer provides an elegant means for characterizing the degree of two-photon entanglement, but the technique has not yet been described and analyzed in detail. Here we provide a full description of the interference of collinear down-converted photons in a Michelson interferometer. We explain the basic elements that characterize the interference pattern and complement the theory with experimental measurements. The two-photon Michelson interferometer can be used in quantum optical coherence tomography for dispersion-free imaging and localization.
We present experimental demonstrations of two-photon interference involving temporally separated photons within two types of interferometers: a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a polarization-based Michelson interferometer. The two-photon states are probabilistically prepared in a symmetrically superposed state within the two interferometer arms by introducing a large time delay between two input photons; this state is composed of two temporally separated photons, which are in two different or the same spatial modes. We then observe two-photon interference fringes involving both the Hong-Ou-Mandel interference effect and the interference of path-entangled two-photon states simultaneously in a single interferometric setup. The observed two-photon interference fringes provide simultaneous observation of the interferometric properties of the single-photon and two-photon wavepackets. The observations can also facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the origins of the interference phenomena arising from spatially bunched/anti-bunched two-photon states comprised of two temporally separated photons within the interferometer arms.
We constructed an efficient source of photon pairs using a waveguide-type nonlinear device and performed a two-photon interference experiment with an unbalanced Michelson interferometer. As the interferometer has two arms of different lengths, photons from the short arm arrive at the detector earlier than those from the long arm. We find that the arrival time difference (Delta L/c) and the time window of the coincidence counter (Delta T) are important parameters which determine the boundary between the classical and quantum regimes. Fringes of high visibility ( 80% +/- 10%) were observed when Delta T < Delta L/c. This result is explained only by quantum theory and is clear evidence for quantum entanglement of the interferometer's optical paths.