In a near-field three-photon correlation measurement, we observed the third-order temporal and spatial correlation functions of chaotic thermal light in the single-photon counting regime. In the study, we found that the probability of jointly detecting three randomly radiated photons from a chaotic thermal source by three individual detectors is $6$ times greater if the photodetection events fall in the coherence time and coherence area of the radiation field than if they do not. From the viewpoint of quantum mechanics, the observed phenomenon is the result of three-photon interference. By making use of this property, we measured the three-photon thermal light lensless ghost image of a double spot and achieved higher visibility compared with the two-photon thermal light ghost image.In a near-field three-photon correlation measurement, we observed the third-order temporal and spatial correlation functions of chaotic thermal light in the single-photon counting regime. In the study, we found that the probability of jointly detecting three randomly radiated photons from a chaotic thermal source by three individual detectors is $6$ times greater if the photodetection events fall in the coherence time and coherence area of the radiation field than if they do not. From the viewpoint of quantum mechanics, the observed phenomenon is the result of three-photon interference. By making use of this property, we measured the three-photon thermal light lensless ghost image of a double spot and achieved higher visibility compared with the two-photon thermal light ghost image.

Physical Review AApr 26, 201071 citations

Applications of Photon Counting Techniques: Multi-Photon Interference and Entanglement

WORLD SCIENTIFIC eBooksJul 4, 20170 citations

Measuring Hanbury Brown and Twiss Effect of Multi-Spatial-Mode Thermal Light at Ultrashort Timescale by Two-Photon Absorption

Zhiguo Tang, Bin Bai, Yu Zhou +5 more

Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect of multi-spatial-mode thermal light is obtained at ultrashort timescale by two-photon-absorption (TPA) in a semiconductor photon-counting module. A characteristic spectrum, due to the interference in multi-mode fiber, is observed directly in TPA detector for the first time. To analyze the output of such measurement, a theoretical model based on the Feynman's path-integral theory is built, which makes the contribution of related item and the corresponding spectral component match very well. In addition, by introducing an all-optical method into the current HBT apparatus, one can obtain the concerned second-order coherence spectrum directly without any postprocessing. This result may be helpful to develop ultrafast detection for the intensity interferometer with natural light. Meanwhile, the observation of HBT effect of multi-mode interference offers a new detection method for the optical fiber sensors.Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect of multi-spatial-mode thermal light is obtained at ultrashort timescale by two-photon-absorption (TPA) in a semiconductor photon-counting module. A characteristic spectrum, due to the interference in multi-mode fiber, is observed directly in TPA detector for the first time. To analyze the output of such measurement, a theoretical model based on the Feynman's path-integral theory is built, which makes the contribution of related item and the corresponding spectral component match very well. In addition, by introducing an all-optical method into the current HBT apparatus, one can obtain the concerned second-order coherence spectrum directly without any postprocessing. This result may be helpful to develop ultrafast detection for the intensity interferometer with natural light. Meanwhile, the observation of HBT effect of multi-mode interference offers a new detection method for the optical fiber sensors.

IEEE photonics journalNov 7, 20185 citations

Photon Counting and Interferometry

Princeton University Press eBooksDec 13, 20100 citations

Photon Measurement

Sintayehu Tesfa

Lecture notes in physicsJan 1, 20200 citations

New two-photon quantum ghost imaging experiments

Ronald E. Meyers, Keith S. Deacon, Yanhua H. Shih

Distinct from previous principle-demonstrations, this practical quantum ghost imaging experiment presents the first set of two-photon images captured by a photon counting CCD camera by means of jointly counting 'reflected' photons from the object. In fact, the CCD camera was not 'looking' at the object at all. Rather, the CCD camera was facing the chaotic light source. The output of the CCD camera was used for coincidence registration of the two-photon joint-detection events with another photon counting detector which simply collects all randomly reflected photons from the surface of the object. It is also interesting to find that the observed two-photon images are 'distortion-free', i.e., any disturbances made along the light path has no effect on the quality of the image. These experimental observations are not only useful for practical field-applications, but also important from fundamental point of view. The experiment evidences a rejection of the 'projection shadow' idea in a non-deniable way and further explores the two-photon interference nature of thermal light ghost imaging.Distinct from previous principle-demonstrations, this practical quantum ghost imaging experiment presents the first set of two-photon images captured by a photon counting CCD camera by means of jointly counting 'reflected' photons from the object. In fact, the CCD camera was not 'looking' at the object at all. Rather, the CCD camera was facing the chaotic light source. The output of the CCD camera was used for coincidence registration of the two-photon joint-detection events with another photon counting detector which simply collects all randomly reflected photons from the surface of the object. It is also interesting to find that the observed two-photon images are 'distortion-free', i.e., any disturbances made along the light path has no effect on the quality of the image. These experimental observations are not only useful for practical field-applications, but also important from fundamental point of view. The experiment evidences a rejection of the 'projection shadow' idea in a non-deniable way and further explores the two-photon interference nature of thermal light ghost imaging.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIESep 13, 20070 citations

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times greater if the photodetection events fall in the coherence time and coherence area of the radiation field than if they do not. From the viewpoint of quantum mechanics, the observed phenomenon is the result of three-photon interference. By making use of this property, we measured the three-photon thermal light lensless ghost image of a double spot and achieved higher visibility compared with the two-photon thermal light ghost image.