Quantum Optical Analogues

Andon A. Rangelov

Published May 11, 2021• 0 citations

Abstract

Analogy is a fundamental tool for understanding Mother Nature, since it associates various phenomena related by common properties or comparable behavior. In particular, the analogies between classical physics and quantum world show the fact that similar scientiffic formalisms apply to phenomena that are completely different. The role of mathematics is essential, because the analogy principle exist in the fact that totally different systems can be modeled by similar mathematical equations. Speciffically, analogies between quantum mechanics and wave optics have been emphasized since the beginning of quantum mechanics: wave effects like interference and diffraction were taken from optics and applied to exhibit the wavy idea of quantum particles, as electrons, neutrons and atoms. After the complete development of quantum theory the exchange of ideas in the opposite way started to happen. In the recent decade quantum-classical analogies have seen a great revival thanks to quantum control schemes for transfer of populations, such as excitation with rapid adiabatic passage, stimulated Raman adiabatic passage and composite pulses. Now in this dissertation we will use the concepts of composite pulses and adiabatic evolution, from the realm of coherent quantum control, to demonstrate: (a) novel robust polarization manipulation devices; (b) efficient broadband and scalable frequency conversion schemes as well as optical parametric ampliffication schemes;(c) several new optical ...

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