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Optics Letters

Hybrid frequency-time spectrograph for the spectral measurement of the two-photon state

Xiao Xiang, Ruifang Dong, Runai Quan, Yaqing Jin, Ye Yang, Ming Li, Tao Liu, Shougang Zhang

Published Apr 27, 2020• 17 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this Letter, a hybrid frequency-time spectrograph combining a tunable optical filter and a dispersive element is presented for measurement of the spectral properties of the two-photon state. In comparison with the previous single-photon spectrograph utilizing the dispersive Fourier transformation (DFT) technique, this method is advanced since it avoids the need for additional wavelength calibration and the electronic laser trigger for coincidence measurement; therefore, its application is extended to continuous wave (CW) pumped two-photon sources. The achievable precision of the spectrum measurement has also been discussed in theory and demonstrated experimentally with a CW pumped periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide-based spontaneous parametric down-conversion photon source. Such a device is expected to be a versatile tool for the characterization of the frequency entangled two-photon state.

DOI
10.1364/ol.392744

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In this Letter, a hybrid frequency-time spectrograph combining a tunable optical filter and a dispersive element is presented for measurement of the spectral properties of the two-photon state. In comparison with the previous single-photon spectrograph utilizing the dispersive Fourier transformation (DFT) technique, this method is advanced since it avoids the need for additional wavelength calibration and the electronic laser trigger for coincidence measurement; therefore, its application is extended to continuous wave (CW) pumped two-photon sources. The achievable precision of the spectrum measurement has also been discussed in theory and demonstrated experimentally with a CW pumped periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide-based spontaneous parametric down-conversion photon source. Such a device is expected to be a versatile tool for the characterization of the frequency entangled two-photon state.
A new type of single-photon spectrograph combining a tunable optical filter and a dispersive element is presented for measurement of the spectral properties of the two-photon state. In comparison with the previous single-photon spectrograph which is merely based on the dispersive Fourier transformation (DFT) technique, this scheme avoids the need for additional wavelength calibration and the electronic laser trigger for coincidence measurement; therefore, its application is extended to continuous wave (CW) pumped two-photon sources. The achievable precision of the spectrum measurement has also been discussed in theory and demonstrated experimentally with a CW pumped periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide-based spontaneous parametric down conversion photon source. Such a device is expected to be a versatile tool for the characterization of the frequency entangled two-photon state.
The frequency entangled biphoton source generated via spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) process has found important applications in the fields of quantum clock synchronization, quantum communication, quantum information processing, etc. As quantum technologies evolve, quantitative characterization of the frequency entanglement becomes necessary and has been implemented by measuring the spectral properties of the biphoton state. However, due to the high dark rate and low quantum efficiency of the InGaAs single-photon detectors, direct measurement of the spectral properties of the biphoton state at optical communication wavelength is hard to implement. In this paper, we report the measurement of the spectral properties of a biphoton state at optical communication wavelength which is generated from periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate (PPKTP) pumped by an ultra-short pulsed optical source at 787 nm. 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 being 1574.4 nm and 1574.9 nm, while their 3-dB bandwidths being 35.3 nm and 37.6 nm respectively. The joint spectrum of the photon pair is observed as well and shows a coincident-frequency entanglement and a joint spectrum bandwidth of 3 nm. According to the ratio of the single-photon spectral bandwidth to the joint spectral bandwidth of the photon pairs, the degree of frequency entanglement is quantified to be 12, denoting a relatively high quality of the entanglement.
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.
Tailoring spectral properties of photon pairs is of great importance for optical quantum information and measurement applications. High-resolution spectral measurement is a key technique for engineering spectral properties of photons, making them ideal for various quantum applications. Here we demonstrate spectral measurements and optimization of frequency-entangled photon pairs produced via spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC), utilizing frequency-resolved sum-frequency generation (SFG), the reverse process of SPDC. A joint phase-matching spectrum of a nonlinear crystal around 1580 nm is captured with a 40 pm resolution and a > 40 dB signal-to-noise ratio, which is significantly improved compared to traditional frequency-resolved coincidence measurements. Moreover, our scheme is applicable to collinear degenerate sources whose characterization is difficult with previously demonstrated stimulated difference frequency generation (DFG). We also illustrate that the observed phase-matching function is useful for finding an optimal pump spectrum to maximize the spectral indistinguishability of SPDC photons. We expect that our precise spectral characterization technique will be useful tool for characterizing and tailoring SPDC sources for a wide range of optical quantum applications.
An experimental detection scheme is demonstrated for directly measuring the spectrum of a parametric down-conversion (PDC) source by the use of a highly dispersive fibre. A temporally narrow pulse envelope is spectrally stretched in time by chromatic group velocity dispersion. In order to maximise this effect the high group velocity dispersion of a commercially available dispersion compensating fibre is employed. If the pulse contains only a single photon on average, detection with a conventional APD yields precise information about the arrival time of the photon at the end of the fiber. When carefully calibrated one can accurately reconstruct the original spectral distribution from the measured temporal distribution. Harnessing a single mode fiber for this type of spectrometer brings the benefits of low loss due to efficient guidance, simplicity of alignment and the necessity of only a single detector to scan the spectrum. A fibre assisted single photon spectrograph is employed to measure the correlation spectrum of a bi-photonic state. State generation is achieved by a type-II parametric downconversion process at 1550 nm in a KTP waveguide structure.
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.