ERI: Study of quantum entanglement and spatially different photon pair generation through intermodal four-wave mixing in few-mode and multimode fibers

ERI：通过少模和多模光纤中的模间四波混频研究量子纠缠和空间不同的光子对生成

• 批准号: 2301870
• 负责人: Mina Esmaeelpour
• 金额: $ 19.99万
• 依托单位: Missouri University of Science and Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-06-01 至 2025-05-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2301870&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: ERI; Study; quantum; entanglement; spatially

Substantial efforts are underway to expand the capacity of telecommunication systems utilizing spatial division multiplexing (SDM) as the demand for secure quantum communication systems combined with optical communication systems continues to grow. Propagating quantum states of light through current optical communication networks or future SDM systems can fulfill this demand and meet the essential consumer requirements for secure communication. The overarching aim of this research is to advance this objective through the Production and transmission of entangled photons over optical fibers. In the past, entangled photon pairs were created using bulk periodically poled crystals and waveguides utilizing their second-order nonlinearity. However, this method results in additional loss from fiber coupling and suffers from low photon yield at telecommunication bandwidths. The generation and transmission of entangled photons through optical fibers are desirable for a variety of applications. Nevertheless, the current approaches pose several challenges, including complexity, limited data generation, reliance on bulky and high-powered pulsed lasers, and the introduction of quantum noise. This study proposes the utilization of various modes of few-mode and multimode fibers to produce a pair of entangled photons, which will provide improved control over entanglement properties and better integration with SDM systems. This approach is expected to alleviate the challenges mentioned earlier. As part of the research and education integration, a graduate student working on this project will receive training in nonlinear fiber optics and quantum laser sources. Furthermore, undergraduate students will have the opportunity to participate in various stages of the project through research credits and summer internships in order to spark their interest in fiber-optic research at Missouri S&T, which is a minority-serving university.The proposed research aims to investigate the impact of intermodal nonlinearities on quantum entanglement in few-mode and multimode fibers. This project is both significant and innovative in that it will employ intermodal nonlinearities to generate and transmit quantum channels across various spatial modes within such fibers. By employing pumps in two different modes of the fiber, spontaneous four-wave mixing nonlinear effect generates an entangled photon pair each of which are in a different spatial mode traveling in different channels. The project seeks to establish theoretical and experimental platforms to investigate the underlying mechanisms of such intermodal entangled mode generation. These platforms will be utilized to examine the basic processes of such intermodal entanglement in fibers. Subsequent quantum correlation experiments will be performed to characterize the generated photon pairs quantum states. By directly generating entangled photon pairs in fiber, the coupling loss will be eliminated and by the choice of fiber and the pump wavelengths, the Raman scattering noise can be avoided. The primary objective is to improve quantum communication over fiber by utilizing intermodal quantum entanglement in few-mode and multimode fibers and could have a transformative impact on quantum communication and sensing utilizing SDM-compatible fibers.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.

随着对与光通信系统相结合的安全量子通信系统的需求持续增长，正在进行大量的努力来扩展利用空分复用（SDM）的电信系统的容量。通过当前的光通信网络或未来的SDM系统实现光的量子态可以满足这一需求，并满足消费者对安全通信的基本要求。这项研究的首要目标是通过在光纤上产生和传输纠缠光子来推进这一目标。在过去，纠缠光子对是使用体周期性极化晶体和波导利用其二阶非线性产生的。然而，该方法导致来自光纤耦合的附加损耗，并且在电信带宽处遭受低光子产率。纠缠光子的产生和通过光纤的传输对于各种应用是期望的。然而，目前的方法提出了几个挑战，包括复杂性，有限的数据生成，对笨重和高功率脉冲激光器的依赖，以及量子噪声的引入。这项研究提出了利用各种模式的少模和多模光纤产生一对纠缠光子，这将提供更好的控制纠缠特性和更好的集成与SDM系统。预计这一办法将缓解前面提到的挑战。作为研究和教育一体化的一部分，从事该项目的研究生将接受非线性光纤和量子激光源的培训。此外，本科生将有机会通过研究学分和暑期实习参与该项目的各个阶段，以激发他们对密苏里州ST（一所少数民族大学）光纤研究的兴趣。拟议的研究旨在调查多模和多模光纤中的模间非线性对量子纠缠的影响。该项目具有重要意义和创新性，因为它将采用模间非线性来产生和传输量子信道，跨越光纤中的各种空间模式。利用自发四波混频非线性效应，通过在光纤的两个不同模式中抽运，产生了一个纠缠光子对，每个光子对处于不同的空间模式，在不同的信道中传播。该项目旨在建立理论和实验平台，以研究这种模式间纠缠模式产生的潜在机制。这些平台将被用来研究这种纤维中的模间缠结的基本过程。随后的量子相关实验将被用来表征所产生的光子对的量子态。通过在光纤中直接产生纠缠光子对，消除了耦合损耗，并通过选择光纤和泵浦波长，避免了拉曼散射噪声。该奖项的主要目标是通过利用多模和多模光纤中的模间量子纠缠来改善光纤上的量子通信，并可能对利用SDM兼容光纤的量子通信和传感产生变革性影响。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响评审标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。