While quantum properties of light promise much-needed enhancements to metrology, further development of quantum light sources and associated tools are needed to readily harness two-photon interactions via energy-time correlations. This thesis will discuss the experimental development of energy-time correlated photon pairs generated within the nonlinear material of bulk periodically-poled lithium niobate toward photon pair up-conversion. Joint spatial-spectral characterizations of this spontaneous parametric down-conversion source are modelled and measured using a unique single-shot spatial-spectral method. In addition, another telecommunication-wavelength entangled photon pair source is simulated and experimentally characterized through dispersive time-of-flight measurements. \n \n \nAs required by the goal of biphoton frequency conversion, a prism compressor for enacting biphoton dispersion cancellation was built and later characterized using wavelength-scanning interferometry. With the amalgamation of these components and techniques, an experimental study of biphoton frequency conversion is constructed and characterized to elucidate this femtosecond-timescale quantum frequency conversion process.
While quantum properties of light promise much-needed enhancements to metrology, further development of quantum light sources and associated tools are needed to readily harness two-photon interactions via energy-time correlations. This thesis will discuss the experimental development of energy-time correlated photon pairs generated within the nonlinear material of bulk periodically-poled lithium niobate toward photon pair up-conversion. Joint spatial-spectral characterizations of this spontaneous parametric down-conversion source are modelled and measured using a unique single-shot spatial-spectral method. In addition, another telecommunication-wavelength entangled photon pair source is simulated and experimentally characterized through dispersive time-of-flight measurements. \n \n \nAs required by the goal of biphoton frequency conversion, a prism compressor for enacting biphoton dispersion cancellation was built and later characterized using wavelength-scanning interferometry. With the amalgamation of these components and techniques, an experimental study of biphoton frequency conversion is constructed and characterized to elucidate this femtosecond-timescale quantum frequency conversion process.
The frequency entangled photon pairs generated by spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) possess wide applications in quantum optics and relevant fields.To facilitate the practical quantum information technologies,particularly in optical fiber links,a frequency entangled source at telecommunication wavelength with features of compactness,portability,high efficiency and miniaturization is highly desired.In this paper,we report the experimental generation of a miniaturized frequency entangled source in telecommunication band from a 10 mm-long type-Ⅱ periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide pumped by a 780 nm distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser diode.The frequency entangled photon pairs generated by SPDC possess wide applications in quantum optics and relevant fields.When the DBR laser diode is driven by a current of 170 mA at a temperature controlled to 20℃,the output power is measured to be 70.4 mW with a central wavelength of 780.585 nm.Under this pump,the orthogonally-polarized photon pairs are generated and output from the PPLN waveguide.After filtering out the remaining pump by three high-performance long-pass filters mounted on an adjustable U-type fiber bench,the photon-pair generation rate,spectral and temporal properties of the generated frequency entangled source are measured.The results show that the generation rate of the photon pairs,after being corrected for the detection efficiencies of the single photon detectors and the optical losses,is achieved to be 1.86×107 s-1 at a pump power of 44.9 mW (coupled into the waveguide).Optimizing the working temperature of the waveguide and fixing it at 46.5℃,the frequency degeneracy of the SPDC generated photon pairs is realized.Based on the coincidence measurement setup together with two infrared spectrometers,the spectra of the signal and idler photons are obtained with their center wavelengths of 1561.43 nm and 1561.45 nm,and their 3-dB bandwidths of 3.62 nm and 3.60 nm respectively.The joint spectrum of the photon pair is observed,showing a joint spectrum bandwidth of 3.18 nm.The degree of frequency entanglement is quantified to be 1.13 according to the bandwidth ratio between the single photon spectrum and the joint spectrum.Furthermore,based on the Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interferometric coincidence measurement setup,a visibility of about 96.1% is observed,which indicates the very good frequency indistinguishibility of the down-converted biphotons.The measured 3-dB width of the HOM dip is 1.47 ps and shows good agreement with the measured single-photon spectral bandwidth.The experimental results lay a solid foundation for developing portable,miniaturized frequency entangled sources at telecommunication band for the further applications in quantum information areas,such as quantum time synchronization.
We report a broadband energy-time entangled photon-pair source based on a fiber-pigtailed periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide, designed for applications in the quantum secure network.Utilizing the spontaneous parametric down-conversion nonlinear optical process, the source generates entangled photon pairs within a wavelength range of 64 nm in the telecom band at a pump wavelength of 770.3 nm.Photon pairs from eight paired International Telecommunication Union (ITU) channels are selected, and their correlation and entanglement properties are characterized.The measured coincidence counts of photon pairs from eight paired ITU channels are larger than 152.9 kHz when the coincidence-to-accidental ratios are greater than 260.Entanglement properties are measured through two-photon interference in the Franson interferometer, with all visibilities of interference curves exceeding 98.13%.Our demonstration provides a broadband energy-time entangled photon-pair source, contributing to the development of a large-scale quantum secure network.
This work is focused on the engineering and characterization of the frequency-time properties of photon pairs generated with a semiconductor source. This device emits photons propagating in opposite directions at telecom wavelengths using spontaneous parametric down-conversion at room temperature. A microcavity integrated in the source allows the resonance of the transverse pump beam, enhancing the efficiency of the nonlinear interaction. We give a theoretical description of the down-conversion process in the source and we show how the spatial and spectral properties of the pump beam impact the properties of the photons, in particular their degree of entanglement in frequency allowing a versatile engineering. The variety of states that can be produced is illustrated using the Joint Spectral Amplitude. Two techniques allowing the characterization of the Joint Spectral Intensity have been implemented. The first one is a single photon spectrograph. The second one, based on the stimulation of the down-conversion process showed a dramatic improvement in terms of resolution and integration time. Both techniques allowed the demonstration of the frequency correlation engineering by varying the waist and curvature radius of the pump beam. Examples of more exotic states and a technique to characterize their chronocyclic Wigner function are theoretically investigated. The relationship between time-frequency properties and degree of entanglement in polarization of the biphoton is also explored.
Counter-propagating parametric conversion processes in non-linear bulk crystals have been shown to feature unique properties for efficient narrowband frequency conversion. In quantum optics, the generation of photon pairs with a counter-propagating parametric down-conversion process (PDC) in a waveguide, where signal and idler photons propagate in opposite directions, offers unique material-independent engineering capabilities. However, realizing counter-propagating PDC necessitates quasi-phase-matching (QPM) with extremely short poling periods. Here, we report on the generation of counter-propagating single-photon pairs in a self-made periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide with a poling period on the same order of magnitude as the generated wavelength. The single photons of the biphoton state bridge GHz and THz bandwidths with a separable joint temporal-spectral behavior. Furthermore, they allow the direct observation of the temporal envelope of heralded single photons with state-of-the art photon counters.
The quantum nature of light at the single photon level allows for unique applications that classical physics neither predicts nor describes. Most notably, appropriate conditions may cause the states of photons with indistinguishable properties to become entangled, enabling novel approaches to quantum computation, secure communications, and metrology. \n \nAny operational quantum information network transporting entangled-photon states must establish a high-fidelity link between its distant nodes despite the inherent fragility of entangled states. However, the lack of a universal operating wavelength for all optical devices makes this a substantial challenge. Telecommunication fibers, entangled photon pair sources, quantum optical memories, and quantum repeaters all function in disparate spectral windows dictated by the properties of the materials used to fabricate them. Quantum frequency conversion (QFC), the single-photon limit of nonlinear parametric sum and difference frequency generation in optics, offers a bridge between spectral regions with full preservation of quantum state character, including entanglement. \n \nPeriodically poled optical waveguides in ferroelectric crystals are versatile tools in nonlinear optics. Confining the nonlinear interaction to a waveguide greatly enhances its efficiency compared to bulk optics. Periodic poling, the process of periodically inverting the domains of a ferroelectric medium using a strong electric field, enables a variety of quasi-phase matching configurations to engineer a desired nonlinear interaction. \n \nThis work concentrates on the design, development, fabrication, and characterization of a titanium-diffused periodically poled lithium niobate (Ti:PPLN) waveguide device. This device is designed to execute single-step quantum frequency conversion from 369.5nm to 1550nm in order to facilitate a quantum state transfer between standard fiber telecommunication wavelengths and an atomic quantum memory system employing trapped ytterbium ions. \n \nThe creation of phase matching conditions for such an extreme distance in frequency demands precise control of high magnitude electric fields on the single-micron scale. As the first demonstration of its kind in Ti:PPLN, the development of these devices included novel improvements to existing fabrication methods, improving the state-of-the-art of precision, quality, and yield for poling of ferroelectric crystals.
Quantum light sources that will be embedded in future quantum networks like for example in long distance communication need to fulfil a versatile range of requirements. Most importantly, low propagation losses and a good time synchronization between the remote nodes are required. Additional constrains will be provided by other hardware components like the quantum memories that so far exist only for narrow spectral bandwidths. We present here a pulsed quantum light source based on parametric down-conversion in a periodically-poled Lithium Niobate waveguide (PPLN-WG) resonator. The end facets of the PPLN-WG are coated with a high reflection coating forming a Fabry-Perot Resonator (FPR). Our source works at the well-established telecommunication C-Band and produces in pulsed operation photon pairs with a 2GHz bandwidth. Here, we present a thorough investigation of the FPR, its bandwidth, the group indices of the PPLN-WG, as well as the temporal pulse shapes of the photon pairs paving our way towards the generation of the time-bin entanglement.