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Optics Express

Manipulation and measurement of quantum states with liquid crystal devices

Alexander Lohrmann, Chithrabanu Perumgatt, Alexander Ling

Published Apr 29, 2019• 13 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present the use of liquid crystal retarders (LCR) as phase control elements in optical quantum technologies. We show that an entangled photon pair state can be actively controlled using an LCR without introducing state mixing or polarization drifts. Similarly, we demonstrate that the entanglement quality can be conveniently analyzed using liquid crystal polarization retarders.

DOI
10.1364/oe.27.013765

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We present the use of liquid crystal retarders (LCR) as phase control elements in optical quantum technologies. We show that an entangled photon pair state can be actively controlled using an LCR without introducing state mixing or polarization drifts. Similarly, we demonstrate that the entanglement quality can be conveniently analyzed using liquid crystal polarization retarders.
We review recent research in various types of optical quantum computing using liquid crystal devices. First, we have investigated Young’s Interference experiment using self-aligned liquid crystal (LC) devices and a logical “NOT” operation is achieved. Second, numerical quantization of interfering small photons using an LC retarder is investigated. Third, a Mach–Zehnder interferometer with an optical phase control by a twisted nematic (TN) LC device was studied. Fourth, a basic experiment on 2-bit quantum calculations related to the Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm on a linear optical quantum computer using the LC device as a linear optical element was investigated.
We review recent research in various types of optical quantum computing using liquid crystal (LC) devices. First, we have investigated Young's Interference experiment using self-aligned LC devices and a logical “NOT” operation is achieved. Second, numerical quantization of interfering small photons using a LC retarder is investigated. Third, a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with an optical phase control by a twisted nematic (TN) LC device was studied. Fourth, 4-bit optical path linear quantum computation using Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm with the LC device as a linear optical element was investigated.
Abstract Liquid crystals, with their ability to self-assemble, strong response to an electric field and integrability into complex systems, are key materials in light-beam manipulation 1 . The recently discovered ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals 2,3 also have considerable second-order optical nonlinearity, making them a potential material for nonlinear optics 4,5 . Their use as sources of quantum light could considerably extend the boundaries of photonic quantum technologies 6 . However, spontaneous parametric down-conversion, the basic source of entangled photons 7 , heralded single photons 8 and squeezed light 9 , has so far not been observed in liquid crystals—or in any liquids or organic materials. Here we implement spontaneous parametric down-conversion in a ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal and demonstrate electric-field tunable broadband generation of entangled photons, with an efficiency comparable to that of the best nonlinear crystals. The emission rate and polarization state of photon pairs is markedly varied by applying a few volts or twisting the molecular orientation along the sample. A liquid-crystal source enables a special type of quasi-phase matching 10 , which is based on the molecular twist structure and is therefore reconfigurable for the desired spectral and polarization properties of photon pairs. Such sources promise to outperform standard nonlinear optical materials in terms of functionality, brightness and the tunability of the generated quantum state. The concepts developed here can be extended to complex topological structures, macroscopic devices and multi-pixel tunable quantum light sources.
The propagation of the quantum states of light in dispersive and anisotropic media is a fundamental problem in quantum optics. We present a unified theoretical framework for the propagation of the quantum states of light in voltage-controlled nematic liquid crystals, incorporating both material dispersion and electrically tunable birefringence. By treating photons as finite-bandwidth wave packets, we derive analytical expressions for group velocoity, temporal walk-off, and phase evolution of orthogonally polarized modes. The results demonstrate that nematic liquid crystals can serve as electrically tunable quantum photonic devices capable of manipulating photon arrival times, polarization correlations, and temporal indistinguishability of entangled photon pairs. These results show the direct relevance to quantum communication and photonic quantum information processing.