Quantum State Engineering with Novel Nonlinear Interferometric Techniques

经典物理学支撑着计算机、光通信和移动设备的许多技术进步，这些进步已经对日常生活、经济和社会产生了深远的影响。然而，随着技术的进步，遵循计算机工程中的摩尔定律，它正逐渐达到经典物理学不再满足的极限。在这一点上，电气和光学工程师将需要使用量子物理学，直到20世纪末，量子物理学一直是基础研究的主要主题。量子技术的一个关键组成部分将是设计光或光子的量子态的能力。这项研究项目将通过探索利用量子干涉控制单光子量子态形状的新方法来解决量子态工程问题。由于单光子态是量子技术的基本组成部分，该项目将支持开发实用和多功能的量子设备，用于量子信息处理等应用。该项目中的桌面实验也是培养和准备下一代量子物理学家的理想平台。本科生和研究生将参与这项研究计划。这个项目将加深他们对量子物理的理解，这反过来将促进使用量子干涉技术的进一步应用。光子不可分辨是实现完全量子干涉的关键，这是许多线性光学元件量子信息处理协议的关键。实验中光子不可分辨的实现是通过光子态的模式匹配来实现的。虽然光场的空间模式相对容易管理，但时间模式要复杂得多，特别是对于超短脉冲。在这项研究计划中，该团队将使用最近开发的非线性量子干涉技术来实现对超高速非线性光学相互作用产生的量子态的光谱和时间模式的定制工程。这项技术的本质是操纵光谱相移，通过量子干涉控制非线性相互作用，并导致干扰滤波，最终工程单模操作的输出态的光谱轮廓。该团队将在实验上实施这项技术，并通过多光子干涉实验证明其有效性，以实现在单模中高效地产生变换受限的单光子态。量子态工程对于量子信息协议的实验实现具有重要意义。它可以用来定制光场的时间模式以满足实验要求，因此在量子信息处理的研究中具有非常重要的现实意义。这项研究为量子态工程提供了一种新的方法。该项目由数学和物理科学局物理部的量子信息科学(QIS)计划和工程局电气、通信和网络系统司的电子、光子学和磁器件(EPMD)计划联合资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Classical physics underpins many of the technological advances in computers, optical communications, and mobile devices that have made profound impacts in daily life, the economy, and society. However, as technology pushes forward, following Moore's law in computer engineering, it is gradually reaching limits where classical physics will no longer suffice. At this point, electrical and optical engineers will need to use quantum physics, which, up to the end of 20th century, had been mostly the subject of fundamental study. A key component for quantum technologies will be the ability to engineer quantum states of light, or photons. This research project will address the problem of quantum state engineering by exploring new ways to control the shape of single-photon quantum states using quantum interference. Because single-photon states are a basic building block for quantum technologies, this project will support the development of practical and versatile quantum devices for applications such as quantum information processing. The table-top experiments in this project are also an ideal platform for training and preparing next generation quantum physicists. Undergraduate students and graduate students will be involved in this research program. This project will deepen their understanding of quantum physics, which in turn will promote further applications using quantum interference techniques.Photon indistinguishability is essential to achieve complete quantum interference, which is the key in many protocols in optical quantum information processing with linear optical elements. The achievement of photon indistinguishability in experiments is through mode matching of photon states. While spatial modes of optical fields are relatively easy to manage, the temporal modes are much more complicated, especially for ultra-short pulses. In this research program, this team will employ a recently developed nonlinear quantum interferometric technique to achieve custom engineering of the spectral and temporal modes of the quantum states produced from ultra-fast nonlinear optical interactions. The essence of the technique is in the manipulation of the spectral phase shift that controls the nonlinear interaction via quantum interference and leads to interference filtering and eventually engineering of the spectral profiles of the output states for single mode operation. This team will implement the technique experimentally and demonstrate its effectiveness with a multi-photon interference experiment to achieve the efficient production of transform-limited single-photon states in single modes. Quantum state engineering is important for experimental implementations of quantum information protocols. It can be used to tailor the temporal modes of the optical fields to fit the experimental requirement and thus has very practical significance in the study of quantum information processing. This investigation provides a new approach for quantum state engineering.This project is jointly funded by the Quantum Information Science (QIS) Program in the Physics Division in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate, and the Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) Program in the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems Division in the Engineering Directorate.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.