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Quantum Communications and Quantum Imaging

Portable and integrated entanglement sources for quantum communication

Tiphaine Kouadou, Paul G. Kwiat

Published Oct 3, 2023• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present integrated sources of polarization entanglement built on portable platforms for quantum communication. We employ type-II degenerate spontaneous parametric down conversion processes in periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate (PPKTP) waveguides to generate pairs of orthogonally polarized photons at near-infrared wavelengths. We use balanced non-polarizing beam splitter (NPBS) to generate post-selected polarization-entangled states via coincidence measurements and investigate the power and spectral tunability of the system. The small size of the waveguides allows the installation of several units on the same platform, and thereby the generation of multiple entangled states simultaneously. We built a separate platform containing a computer-controlled tomography system to characterize the produced states and another NPBS is installed to combine photons from adjacent waveguides and assess their interferability, a prerequisite to entanglement swapping. The overall experiment is compact and requires little alignment when set, making it an attractive option for local quantum networking using mobile platforms, e.g., drones or satellites.

DOI
10.1117/12.2676399

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We present integrated sources of polarization entanglement built on portable platforms for quantum communication. We employ type-II degenerate spontaneous parametric down conversion processes in periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate (PPKTP) waveguides to generate pairs of orthogonally polarized photons at near-infrared wavelengths. We use balanced non-polarizing beam splitter (NPBS) to generate post-selected polarization-entangled states via coincidence measurements and investigate the power and spectral tunability of the system. The small size of the waveguides allows the installation of several units on the same platform, and thereby the generation of multiple entangled states simultaneously. We built a separate platform containing a computer-controlled tomography system to characterize the produced states and another NPBS is installed to combine photons from adjacent waveguides and assess their interferability, a prerequisite to entanglement swapping. The overall experiment is compact and requires little alignment when set, making it an attractive option for local quantum networking using mobile platforms, e.g., drones or satellites.
We present integrated sources of polarization entanglement built on portable platforms for quantum communication. We employ type-II degenerate spontaneous parametric down conversion processes in PPKTP waveguides to generate pairs of orthogonally polarized photons at near-infrared wavelengths. The photons are sent to a 50/50 non-polarizing beam splitter (NPBS) to generate post-selected polarization-entangled states via coincidence measurements. The small size of the waveguides allows the installation of several units on the same platform, and thereby the generation of multiple entangled states simultaneously. We use a computer-controlled tomography system to characterize the produced states and combine the photons from adjacent waveguides on another NPBS to perform Bell-state measurements, a prerequisite to entanglement swapping. The overall experiment is compact and requires little alignment when set, making it an attractive option for local quantum networking using mobile platforms, e.g., drones or satellites.
We discuss two novel entanglement sources utilizing spontaneous parametric downconversion in periodically poled waveguides. Using quasi-phase matched KTP crystals, we have demonstrated a post-selection-based polarization entangled degenerate source at 810 nm, as well as a post-selection-free non-degenerate collinear source producing entangled photons at 810 nm and 1550 nm. The sources exhibit high brightness and state quality – with the non-degenerate source achieving fidelities and purities up to 99% – with clear paths for further improvement. Furthermore, they are compact, stable, and need little alignment when set, critical for practical quantum communication and network applications. Lastly, their small size, weight, and power (SWaP) makes them an attractive option for mobile platforms, e.g., with drones or satellites.
We present two experiments geared toward the realization of a robust and intense source of polarization-entangled photons. First, we describe a novel source of polarization-entangled pairs that uses periodically-poled potassium titanyl phosphate (PPKTP) and an interferometer based on polarization beam displacers. The source emits an intense flux of high-quality single-mode entangled photons and is stable, robust, and easy to align. Second, we report on sources of correlated photons generated in PPKTP waveguides. Waveguide sources of correlated pairs have been shown to generate high fluxes of pairs: we theoretically and experimentally investigate spontaneous parametric down-conversion generation of photon pairs in waveguides at different wavelengths.
Entangled-photon sources are indispensable components in free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) systems. Here, we present a compact, lightweight, and robust airborne entangled-photon source (AEPS) based on a Sagnac loop structure with single-mode fiber coupling. To meet the drone requirements for miniaturization, lightweight design, and high robustness, we developed a highly integrated entangled-photon source using customized miniature optical components and an adhesive bonding technique. The total volume and weight are only 38 × 40 × 24 mm3 and 58 g, respectively. Entangled-photon pairs at 810 nm are generated via Type-II spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) in a periodically poled KTiOPO4 (PPKTP) crystal. We achieve a quantum state fidelity of F = 0.986 ± 0.0017, a photon-pair generation rate of 3.03 × 106 pairs/s/mW, and a CHSH Bell parameter of S = 2.764 ± 0.082. Owing to its excellent size, weight, performance, and stability, the proposed entangled-photon source is particularly well suited for drone-based free-space mobile quantum communication.
As optical quantum information processing protocols and experiments become increasingly more complex, integrated optics provide a small and robust alternative to traditional bulk optics. Specifically, waveguide technology allows for the creation of bright single-photon sources based on the fact that photon pairs can be created at any location along the waveguide. For our goals, we are working on the characterization of a highly nondegenerate Spontaneous Parametric Down-Conversion (SPDC) waveguide source on a periodically poled KTP (PPKTP) crystal. Our current waveguide source uses type-II phase-matching to create collinear signal and idler photons at 1550 nm and 810 nm, respectively, with the promise of generating simultaneous time-bin and polarization entanglement in future iterations. Our intended source application is for use in quantum key distribution and superdense teleportation protocols between a space platform and collection telescopes on Earth.