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

Physical Review A

Investigation of the role of indistinguishability in photon bunching and stimulated emission

Bi‐Heng Liu, Fang‐Wen Sun, Yan-Xiao Gong, Yun‐Feng Huang, Z. Y. Ou, Guang‐Can Guo

Published May 26, 2009• 10 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Photon bunching effect and stimulated emission of single photons is investigated and observed in the parametric amplification process. It is found that the two-photon interference is responsible for the photon bunching effect and stimulated emission, which is discussed in the temporal degree of freedom and in the presence of photon losses. Moreover, the direct measurement of the indistinguishability of two signal photons without any filtering is accomplished via the correlation between the two idler photons from two cascaded parametric down-conversion processes. This result shows that photon indistinguishability plays an essential role in stimulated emission.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.79.053846

Related papers

Stimulated emission of two photons in parametric amplification and its interpretation as multi-photon interference

Fang‐Wen Sun, Bi‐Heng Liu, Yan-Xiao Gong +3 more

Stimulated emission of two photons is observed experimentally in the parametric amplification process and is compared to a three-photon interference scheme. We find that the underlying physics of stimulated emission is simply the constructive interference due to photon indistinguishability. So the observed signal enhancement upon the input of photons is a result of multi-photon interference of the input photons and the otherwise spontaneously emitted photon from the amplifier.

arXiv:quant-ph/0702056•Feb 6, 2007•0 citations

Stimulated Emission as a Result of Multiphoton Interference

Fang‐Wen Sun, Bi‐Heng Liu, Yan-Xiao Gong +3 more

By performing an experiment on stimulated emission by two photons in the parametric amplification process and comparing it to a three-photon interference scheme, we present evidence in support of the idea that the underlying physics of stimulated emission is simply the constructive interference due to photon indistinguishability. So the observed signal enhancement upon the input of photons can be interpreted as a result of multiphoton interference of the input photons and the otherwise spontaneously emitted photon from the amplifier.

Physical Review Letters•Jul 25, 2007•27 citations

Photon bunching and multiphoton interference in parametric down-conversion

Z. Y. Ou, June‐Koo Kevin Rhee, L. J. Wang

A number of multiphoton interference schemes involving independent fields from parametric down-conversion are analyzed. They include fourth-order (two-photon) interference between two fields from two independent parametric down-conversion processes, interference with two independent single photon Fock states (produced by gated parametric down-conversion), and quantum state teleportation and entanglement swapping. It is shown that the visibility in these interference experiments is related to a quantity that is responsible for the photon bunching effect in one of the fields (signal or idler) from the parametric down-conversion process. Besides the two-photon interference schemes, a four-photon interference scheme is discussed where we consider four-photon partition at a beamsplitter. It is found that probability distribution of the partition is dramatically changed by four-photon interference of six paths and the four-photon effect also depends on the same quantity responsible for photon bunching. We will discuss the difference between two-photon interference and four-photon interference.

Physical Review A•Jul 1, 1999•107 citations

Bunching of Bell states

H. S. Eisenberg, Juan F. Hodelin, G. Khoury +1 more

The bunching of two single photons on a beam-splitter is a fundamental quantum effect, first observed by Hong, Ou and Mandel. It is a unique interference effect that relies only on the photons' indistinguishability and not on their relative phase. We generalize this effect by demonstrating the bunching of two Bell states, created in two passes of a nonlinear crystal, each composed of two photons. When the two Bell states are indistinguishable, phase insensitive destructive interference prevents the outcome of four-fold coincidence between the four spatial-polarization modes. For certain combinations of the two Bell states, we demonstrate the opposite effect of anti-bunching. We relate this result to the number of distinguishable modes in parametric down-conversion.

arXiv:quant-ph/0601014•Jan 3, 2006•0 citations

Observation of Bunching of Two Bell States

H. S. Eisenberg, Juan F. Hodelin, G. Khoury +1 more

The bunching of two single photons on a beam splitter is a fundamental quantum effect, first observed by Hong, Ou, and Mandel. It is a unique interference effect that relies only on the photons' indistinguishability and not on their relative phase. We generalize this effect by demonstrating the bunching of two Bell states, created in two passes of a nonlinear crystal, each composed of two photons. When the two Bell states are indistinguishable, phase-insensitive destructive interference prevents the outcome of fourfold coincidence between the four spatial-polarization modes. For certain combinations of the two Bell states, we demonstrate the opposite effect of antibunching. We relate this result to the number of distinguishable modes in parametric down-conversion.

Physical Review Letters•Apr 27, 2006•6 citations

Coherence in two-photon down-conversion induced by a laser

L. J. Wang, X. Y. Zou, L. Mandeļ

Normally, the signal and idler photons produced in the process of parametric down- conversion exhibit no second-order interference. However, in the presence of an external laser beam that follows the path of the signal photon and induces stimulated down-conversions, one would expect coherence to develop between the down-converted signal and idler beams. We have demonstrated the existence of this phenomenon in an experiment with two down-converters pumped by similar pump beams, in which two mutually coherent laser beams followed the paths of the two down-converted signal photons and induced coherence between the two down- converted idler beams. The induced coherence gives rise to observable interference effects, which are presented.

Annual Meeting Optical Society of America•Jan 1, 1990•1 citation
Photon bunching effect and stimulated emission of single photons is investigated and observed in the parametric amplification process. It is found that the two-photon interference is responsible for the photon bunching effect and stimulated emission, which is discussed in the temporal degree of freedom and in the presence of photon losses. Moreover, the direct measurement of the indistinguishability of two signal photons without any filtering is accomplished via the correlation between the two idler photons from two cascaded parametric down-conversion processes. This result shows that photon indistinguishability plays an essential role in stimulated emission.
By performing an experiment on stimulated emission by two photons in the parametric amplification process and comparing it to a three-photon interference scheme, we present evidence in support of the idea that the underlying physics of stimulated emission is simply the constructive interference due to photon indistinguishability. So the observed signal enhancement upon the input of photons can be interpreted as a result of multiphoton interference of the input photons and the otherwise spontaneously emitted photon from the amplifier.
A number of multiphoton interference schemes involving independent fields from parametric down-conversion are analyzed. They include fourth-order (two-photon) interference between two fields from two independent parametric down-conversion processes, interference with two independent single photon Fock states (produced by gated parametric down-conversion), and quantum state teleportation and entanglement swapping. It is shown that the visibility in these interference experiments is related to a quantity that is responsible for the photon bunching effect in one of the fields (signal or idler) from the parametric down-conversion process. Besides the two-photon interference schemes, a four-photon interference scheme is discussed where we consider four-photon partition at a beamsplitter. It is found that probability distribution of the partition is dramatically changed by four-photon interference of six paths and the four-photon effect also depends on the same quantity responsible for photon bunching. We will discuss the difference between two-photon interference and four-photon interference.
The bunching of two single photons on a beam-splitter is a fundamental quantum effect, first observed by Hong, Ou and Mandel. It is a unique interference effect that relies only on the photons' indistinguishability and not on their relative phase. We generalize this effect by demonstrating the bunching of two Bell states, created in two passes of a nonlinear crystal, each composed of two photons. When the two Bell states are indistinguishable, phase insensitive destructive interference prevents the outcome of four-fold coincidence between the four spatial-polarization modes. For certain combinations of the two Bell states, we demonstrate the opposite effect of anti-bunching. We relate this result to the number of distinguishable modes in parametric down-conversion.
The bunching of two single photons on a beam splitter is a fundamental quantum effect, first observed by Hong, Ou, and Mandel. It is a unique interference effect that relies only on the photons' indistinguishability and not on their relative phase. We generalize this effect by demonstrating the bunching of two Bell states, created in two passes of a nonlinear crystal, each composed of two photons. When the two Bell states are indistinguishable, phase-insensitive destructive interference prevents the outcome of fourfold coincidence between the four spatial-polarization modes. For certain combinations of the two Bell states, we demonstrate the opposite effect of antibunching. We relate this result to the number of distinguishable modes in parametric down-conversion.
Normally, the signal and idler photons produced in the process of parametric down- conversion exhibit no second-order interference. However, in the presence of an external laser beam that follows the path of the signal photon and induces stimulated down-conversions, one would expect coherence to develop between the down-converted signal and idler beams. We have demonstrated the existence of this phenomenon in an experiment with two down-converters pumped by similar pump beams, in which two mutually coherent laser beams followed the paths of the two down-converted signal photons and induced coherence between the two down- converted idler beams. The induced coherence gives rise to observable interference effects, which are presented.