Quantum antennas can shape the spatial entanglement of emitted photons originating from specific initial non-Dicke entangled states of antenna emitters. In contrast to a classical antenna, a quantum antenna might not be affecting the amplitudes and intensities distribution of the field, but only shaping the second and higher order correlations. The shape and directivity of the correlations can be optimized using quantum state inference techniques. The character of the correlations can also be controlled by changing both the geometry and the initial state of the antenna. Positive and negative correlated twin-photons, as well as multi-photons entangled states can be produced from the same antenna for different initial states of the emitters. Our approach to antenna design can find applications in imaging and high-precision sensing, as well as in the development of an emitter-field interface for quantum information processing.
In studying the practical design of a quantum antenna with given spatial correlations, the authors show that the antenna's initial quantum state is at least as important as the spatial current distributions. Applying their state-inference procedure to a simple antenna (a linear one-dimensional array of equidistant quantum dots, trapped atoms, or superconducting qubits), they synthesize the initial states to generate drastically different emitted fields, for co- and contradirectionally entangled photons, complete suppression in the far field, or a nearly homogeneous far-field distribution---pointing to a host of applications in quantum optics and photonics.
We investigate the role of quantum interference phenomena on the characteristics of the fields radiated by an array of quantum emitters. In analogy to, but distinct from, classical outcomes, we demonstrate that the array geometry empowers control over direction-dependent photon statistics of arbitrary order. Our formulation enables the recognition of configurations providing spatial correlations with no classical counterpart. For example, we identify a system in which the angular distribution of the average number of photons is independent of the number and position of the emitters, while its higher-order photon statistics exhibit a directional behavior. These results extend our understanding of the fields generated by ensembles of quantum emitters, with potential applications to nonclassical light sources.
Recent advances in nanofabrication and optical manipulation techniques are making it possible to build arrays of quantum emitters with accurate control over the locations of their individual elements. In analogy with classical antenna arrays, this poses new opportunities for tailoring quantum interference effects by designing the geometry of the array. Here, we investigate the N th -order directional correlation function of the photons emitted by an array of N initially-excited identical quantum emitters, addressing the impact of the appearance of grating lobes. Our analysis reveals that the absence of directivity in the first-order correlation function is contrasted by an enhanced directivity in the N th -order one. This suggests that the emitted light consists of a superposition of directionally entangled photon bunches. Moreover, the photon correlation landscape changes radically with the appearance of grating lobes. In fact, the photons no longer tend to be bunched along the same direction; rather, they are distributed in a set of correlated directions with equal probability. These results clarify basic aspects of light emission from ensembles of quantum emitters. Furthermore, they may find applications in the design of nonclassical light sources.
Wavefront shaping enables control of classical light through scattering media. Extending these techniques to spatially entangled photons promises new quantum applications, but their fundamental limits, especially when both photons scatter, remain unclear. Here, we theoretically and numerically investigate the enhancement of two-photon correlations through thick scattering media. We analyze configurations where a spatial light modulator shapes one or both photons, either before or after the medium, and show that the optimal enhancement differs fundamentally from classical expectations. For a system with
N modes, we show that shaping one photon yields the classical enhancement
η≈(π/4)N, while shaping both photons before the medium reduces it to
η≈(π/4)2N. However, in some symmetric detection schemes, when both photons are measured at the same mode, perfect correlations are restored with
η≈N, resembling digital optical phase conjugation. Conversely, shaping both photons after the medium leads to a complex, NP-hard-like optimization problem, yet achieves superior enhancements, up to
η≈4.6N. These results reveal unique quantum effects in complex media and identify strategies for quantum imaging and communication through scattering environments.