Physical Review A
Quantum interference in photonic lattices with defects
Stefano Longhi
Abstract
Light trapping in photonic lattices at a linear defect shows interesting nonclassical behavior when probed by maximally path-entangled $N$-photon states (NOON states). In particular, photon coincidences of localized light at the defect oscillate at a spatial frequency that is $N$ times faster than the classical beating spatial frequency of the defect modes, resembling the $\ensuremath{\lambda}/N$ oscillations of NOON states encountered in Mach-Zehnder interferometry. Analytical results of quantum interference are presented for an exactly solvable tight-binding waveguide array.