Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Frontiers in Optics

The invariance and spatially varying nature of non-separability in classical and quantum states of light

Cade Peters, P. J. Cox, Alice V. Drozdov, Isaac M. Nape, Andrew Forbes

Published Jan 1, 2024• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report on the first real-world experimental evidence of the invariance of the non-separability of vectorial light through atmospheric turbulence and its spatially varying nature in the transverse plane.
DOI
10.1364/fio.2024.jtu5a.26

Related papers

Influence of atmospheric turbulence on the propagation of quantum states of light using spatial mode encoding

Brandon Rodenburg, Martin P. J. Lavery, Mehul Malik +4 more

Turbulence effects on transverse modes of light with orbital angular momentum or linear momentum are studied theoretically and experimentally. These results have potentially important implications for free-space quantum communications systems.

Frontiers in Optics•Jan 1, 2011•0 citations

Classical entanglement of spatial-radial degrees of freedom of a light beam as a resource of quantum teleportation in weak atmospheric turbulence

Sanaz Alipour, Davood Afshar, Mohammad Sabaeian

انجمن اپتیک و فوتونیک ایران•Mar 10, 2019•0 citations

Influence of thick atmospheric turbulence on the propagation of quantum states of light using spatial mode encoding

Brandon Rodenburg, Mehul Malik, Malcolm N. O’Sullivan +4 more

The effects of thick turbulence on transverse modes of light carrying orbital angular momentum are studied theoretically and experimentally. These results have potentially important implications for free-space quantum communications systems.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics•Jan 1, 2012•0 citations

The invariance and distortion of vectorial light across a real-world free space link

Cade Peters, Mitchell Arij Cox, Alice V. Drozdov +1 more

Vectorial structured light, where the polarization is inhomogeneously distributed in space, has found a myriad of applications in both 2D and 3D optical fields. Here, we present an experimental study of the invariance and distortion of vectorial light through a real-world medium of atmospheric turbulence. We show that the amplitude and polarization structure are both severely distorted by the turbulent medium, yet the non-separability of these two degrees of freedom remains invariant. We monitor this invariance under a range of beam types and atmospheric conditions, over extended time periods, revealing the unitary nature of atmospheric turbulence in our experiment. Our results provide conclusive evidence that invariance and distortion are not mutually exclusive and that the degree of classical entanglement remains unaltered through such channels, and will be of interest to the large community interested in classical and quantum communication in free space.

Applied Physics Letters•Jul 10, 2023•31 citations

The influence of atmospheric turbulence on partially coherent two-photon entangled field

Yunli Qiu, W. She

Applied Physics B•Jun 3, 2012•15 citations

Topological robustness of classical and quantum optical skyrmions in atmospheric turbulence

Zhenyu Guo, Cade Peters, Nilo Mata-Cervera +5 more

Abstract The degradation of classical and quantum structured light induced by complex media constitutes a critical barrier to its practical implementation in a range of applications, from communication and energy transport to imaging and sensing. Atmospheric turbulence is an exemplary case due to its complex phase structure and dynamic variations, driving the need to fnd invariances in light. Here we construct classical and quantum optical skyrmions and pass them through experimentally simulated atmospheric turbulence, revealing the embedded topological resilience of their structure. In the quantum realm, we show that while skyrmions undergo diminished entanglement, their topological characteristics maintain stable. This is paralleled classically, where the vectorial structure is scrambled by the medium yet the skyrmion remains stable by virtue of its intrinsic topological protection mechanism. Our experimental results are supported by rigorous analytical and numerical modelling, validating that the quantum-classical equivalence of the topological behaviour is due to the non-separability of the states and one-sided nature of the channel. Our work blurs the classical-quantum divide in the context of topology and opens a new path to information resilience in noisy channels, such as terrestrial and satellite-to-ground communication networks.

arXiv:2509.05727•Nature Communications•Jan 27, 2026•36 citations
Vectorial structured light, where the polarization is inhomogeneously distributed in space, has found a myriad of applications in both 2D and 3D optical fields. Here, we present an experimental study of the invariance and distortion of vectorial light through a real-world medium of atmospheric turbulence. We show that the amplitude and polarization structure are both severely distorted by the turbulent medium, yet the non-separability of these two degrees of freedom remains invariant. We monitor this invariance under a range of beam types and atmospheric conditions, over extended time periods, revealing the unitary nature of atmospheric turbulence in our experiment. Our results provide conclusive evidence that invariance and distortion are not mutually exclusive and that the degree of classical entanglement remains unaltered through such channels, and will be of interest to the large community interested in classical and quantum communication in free space.
Abstract The degradation of classical and quantum structured light induced by complex media constitutes a critical barrier to its practical implementation in a range of applications, from communication and energy transport to imaging and sensing. Atmospheric turbulence is an exemplary case due to its complex phase structure and dynamic variations, driving the need to fnd invariances in light. Here we construct classical and quantum optical skyrmions and pass them through experimentally simulated atmospheric turbulence, revealing the embedded topological resilience of their structure. In the quantum realm, we show that while skyrmions undergo diminished entanglement, their topological characteristics maintain stable. This is paralleled classically, where the vectorial structure is scrambled by the medium yet the skyrmion remains stable by virtue of its intrinsic topological protection mechanism. Our experimental results are supported by rigorous analytical and numerical modelling, validating that the quantum-classical equivalence of the topological behaviour is due to the non-separability of the states and one-sided nature of the channel. Our work blurs the classical-quantum divide in the context of topology and opens a new path to information resilience in noisy channels, such as terrestrial and satellite-to-ground communication networks.