arXiv:2202.03707 · Physical Review A
Modal approach to quantum temporal imaging
Giuseppe Patera, D. B. Horoshko, Markus Allgaier, Mikhail I. Kolobov, Christine Silberhorn
Abstract
We consider the problem of quantum temporal imaging in the case where the time lens is implemented by a sum frequency generation nonlinear process, in particular when the device is operated in high conversion efficiency regimes. In the general case where the time lens also presents a finite aperture and a nonperfect phase matching, the relevant figures of merit, as for example the temporal resolution, do not have an explicit expression. As a consequence, the performances of the imaging scheme are difficult to assess. We show that this problem can be solved for conversion efficiencies up to 80% in terms of the eigenmodes of the imaging scheme, approximated by chirped Gauss-Hermite functions, and we show how its relevant figures of merit can be extracted from the modal description of the imaging scheme. As a consequence, we obtain criteria allowing one to design imaging schemes with high efficiencies.